In Brief

This Long Beach trio will have listeners thinking back to hip-hop’s less aggressive days with their playful rhymes and jazz-inspired production. Rappers Dizzy and Andycat build off of lyrics from icons Rakim, Eazy-E and others, while producer-DJ Young Einstein adds deft turntable work that amplifies and enhances the group’s retro feel. It’s reputable, respectful rap sans guns and profanity.

Albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor), two stars (fair), three stars (good) and four stars (excellent). The albums are already released unless otherwise noted.