Rhymefest
Blue Collar
SonyBMG

It is only recently that Chicago has become more prominent on the hip-hop map thanks to luminaries such as Common, Twista and, of course, the omnipresent Kanye West. Enter to this fray Rhymefest. Honing his skills in the battlegrounds of underground hip-hop, his reputation is unmatched and it was only a matter of time before the rest of the world got to know who Rhymefest was. 'Blue Collar' is his first major record label debut and, after teaming up with executive producers No-I.D. and Mark Ronson, the result is perhaps one of the most layered and multidimensional hip-hop releases since Outkast's 'Speakerboxxx/The Love Below'.

The album brilliantly opens with Dynomite (Going Postal), a typical booming production from Just Blaze coupled with the Rhymefest lyrical energy. It then moves on to the feverish beat of Brand New, which features long-time friend and collaborator Kanye West (interestingly, in 2001 when West was still a relative unknown, he produced Rhymefest's indie debut 'Raw Dawg'). Big beats and intensity continue with tracks like All I Do, Chicago-Rillas, Get Down and Bullet.

But do not be fooled, Rhymefest is a much more versatile rapper and shows it with Fever and Stick: catchy self-indulgent and perfect for the dance floors. Tell A Story is Outkast-esque with its minimised chopped-up beats and infectious hook, while Build Me Up relives the old-school humor of hip-hop music, complete with the obvious pop sample, sang by none other than the late ODB - very Biz Markie like. He also shows his social insight with the honest and, at times, personal Devil's Pie and the poignant Sister.

There is no doubt that this is one of the best hip-hop releases this year. Rhymefest's underground work ethic, versatility and lyrical bravado, has resulted in a complex, yet endearing, album complete with humour, social commentary, personal reflections and, of course, head-nodding and polished productions.

Leo Varona