CD: "The Craft" by Blackalicious; Anti Inc.

Released: Sept. 27.

Style: Hip-hop.

My take: Blackalicious' fifth release is worthy of major spin time at any real hip-hop gathering. Diehard fans have been waiting for the album since the immensely successful 2002 release "Blazing Arrow."

"The Craft" is a refreshing divergence from the other four albums. As always, frontman Gift of Gab delivers lyrically, par excellence. Coupled with producer Chief Xcel, it's a match made in heaven.

The album is built upon a foundation of funk melodies — guilt-free groovy guitar samples, iced with soul, gospel, rock 'n' roll and imbued with Gab's soulful lyricism, proof of the duo's self-actualization. This album also features collaborations with prominent artists such as Lyrics Born, Lateef, Pigeon John and the one and only funk master George Clinton.

The first two cuts, "World of Vibrations" and "Supreme People," are the strongest songs on the album. The songs are feel-good aggressive and perhaps are purposely commercial or mainstream in style. Although Gab blasts dead-end jobs at fast-food joints on "Supreme" ("Don't nobody wanna get a promotion up to fry cook like little Calvin did"), it isn't implausible for one of those choice corporations to seek "Supreme" as the track to some burger ad. The chorus is insanely catchy.

One listen to "Powers" is enough to imagine pretty women strutting around, pouting, dancing and selling an overpriced shampoo and conditioner. If Gab were a woman, perhaps this track could fast become the new "I Will Survive." For the ladies, it's a powerful song to listen to on a down-and-out sort of day, and one you can dance to, too. For the guys, it's a fantastic song to dedicate to your significant other.

Fans will find that "Automatique," featuring awesome hip-hop duo Floetry (Marsha Ambrosius and Natalie Stewart), and the next three tracks on the album are the songs that resonate most like "Make You Feel that Way" from "Blazing Arrow." They are the most subdued songs on "The Craft" and have a mellow, jazz and R&B-driven quality.

In contrast, "Egosonic War Drums," featuring Peace, is set to an almost cartoonish beat. At face value, it appears to be a song to other rappers, warning them of banality, but it could also be interpreted as a critique of the status quo in general. Blackalicious has performed at many concerts condemning war and promoting peace, education and the arts.

The tune "The Craft" is the grand finale to Blackalicious version 5.0, a song that alloys Gab's serenity and sincerity ("This Craft, this beat, this rhyme, this style. They say music gives new life from a source inside, that is forever flowin' "), exuding hope and an optimism that fans will pick up and cherish until Blackalicious once again raises the bar for all hip-hop mediocrities.

Mirina Kim is majoring in political science at the University of Hawai'i-Manoa. Kim has grown up with her eyes glued to MTV; thus, she's always been a fan of music in general. She would like to use these reviews as a way to inspire a passion for hip-hop/rap music of consequence.