The Platform

Entertainment Weekly (5/26/00, p.74) - "...Some sharp major-label geometry. The rhythm matrix between rappers Evidence and Rakaa/Iriscience and Beat Junkie DJ Babu is a textbook for how to build turntablism trickery into bona fide songs..." - Rating: B+ Entertainment Weekly (5/26/00, p.74) - "...Some sharp major-label geometry. The rhythm matrix between rappers Evidence and Rakaa/Iriscience and Beat Junkie DJ Babu is a textbook for how to build turntablism trickery into bona fide songs..." - Rating: B+ Q (8/00, pp.97-8) - 3 stars out of 5 - "...Sits comfortably between the party-heart, old skool shape-throwing of Jurassic 5 and the darker weedscapes of Cypress Hill..." Q (8/00, pp.97-8) - 3 stars out of 5 - "...Sits comfortably between the party-heart, old skool shape-throwing of Jurassic 5 and the darker weedscapes of Cypress Hill..." Alternative Press (7/00, p.90) - 3 out of 5 - "...The beats are all around head-nodders, to be savored by backpacker and jeep-rider alike....touching on subjects...most chart-hitting artists leave in the notebooks once the champagne starts flowing." Alternative Press (7/00, p.90) - 3 out of 5 - "...The beats are all around head-nodders, to be savored by backpacker and jeep-rider alike....touching on subjects...most chart-hitting artists leave in the notebooks once the champagne starts flowing." The Wire (4/00, p.68) - "...[They've] translated their freight yard aerosol rivalry into dual air assault....Regarding LA HipHop, Dilated is more about King Tee's swagger than Jamie Jupiter or G Funk....DJ Babu cuts syllables within 12 inches of their short-breathed lives..." The Wire (4/00, p.68) - "...[They've] translated their freight yard aerosol rivalry into dual air assault....Regarding LA HipHop, Dilated is more about King Tee's swagger than Jamie Jupiter or G Funk....DJ Babu cuts syllables within 12 inches of their short-breathed lives..." Mixmag (6/00, p.169) - 4 out of 5 - "...a 17-strong selection of neck-jerk classics that will morph from the club to the lounge as smoothly as a smoothie..." Mixmag (6/00, p.169) - 4 out of 5 - "...a 17-strong selection of neck-jerk classics that will morph from the club to the lounge as smoothly as a smoothie..." CMJ (4/24/00, p.30) - "...Armed with grooves that rival any East Coast beatminer on the Lyrical Lounge circuit, these artists boast, toast and roast their competition....The bomb? Guess again, sucka. This...is nuclear." CMJ (4/24/00, p.30) - "...Armed with grooves that rival any East Coast beatminer on the Lyrical Lounge circuit, these artists boast, toast and roast their competition....The bomb? Guess again, sucka. This...is nuclear." The Source (6/00, pp.224-6) - 3 mics out of 5 - "...Proves that the backpacker scene is alive and kickin'....will undoubtedly gain the respect both the backpacker and the back-alley thugs alike....containing highly melodic beats....offering quite a few impressive joints..." The Source (6/00, pp.224-6) - 3 mics out of 5 - "...Proves that the backpacker scene is alive and kickin'....will undoubtedly gain the respect both the backpacker and the back-alley thugs alike....containing highly melodic beats....offering quite a few impressive joints..." Rap Pages (7/00, p.46) - "...Sends a clear signal that the West Coast underground has arrived on the larger scene....it's evident that heads had better start checking for Dilated Peoples..." Rap Pages (7/00, p.46) - "...Sends a clear signal that the West Coast underground has arrived on the larger scene....it's evident that heads had better start checking for Dilated Peoples..." NME (Magazine) (6/3/00, p.40) - 6 out of 10 - "...They outline their charitable plans for world domination with Daisy Age rhetoric and intermittently distracting turntablism....proving they possess the necessary verbal skills..." NME (Magazine) (6/3/00, p.40) - 6 out of 10 - "...They outline their charitable plans for world domination with Daisy Age rhetoric and intermittently distracting

Dilated Peoples' debut album was hugely anticipated in the hip-hop underground, thanks to a handful of excellent singles and guest appearances that began several years prior. When it was finally released in 2000, The Platform thrilled some and mildly disappointed others. Dilated is very much a part of the back-to-basics, old-school-worshipping wing of the underground, most often compared to fellow southern Californians Jurassic 5. They've got DJ Babu of the Beat Junkies working turntables, adding an extra dimension of authenticity to Iriscience and Evidence's well-honed microphone technique. Therein lies the rub: the trio's skills are all beyond question, but sometimes the album can feel like a formalist exercise. That's largely due to the lack of variety in lyrical content, which generally consists of one purist-friendly battle rhyme after another. It's all well-executed, but considering how far hip-hop has come, it's hard not to want a more personal statement, or a few topics other than wack MCs and keeping the culture real. But other than that, The Platform is an excellent debut. The production (chiefly by the Alchemist) is lean and inventive throughout, supporting the two MCs' abstract poetics with a subtle flair. Plus, their single-minded love of hip-hop brings a tremendous enthusiasm to the best tracks. The title track, "Triple Optics," and the underground classic "Work the Angles" are particular highlights, and guests B Real, Tha Alkaholiks, Planet Asia, and Aceyalone all put in memorable appearances (especially Tha Alkaholiks, on "Right On"). If it's occasionally uneven, The Platform is still better than the vast majority of its competition, and whether or not they ultimately prove to be the saviors of hip-hop (as some would have it), their promise is undeniable. ~ Steve Huey