i will be very surprised if doseone ( of themselves, cLOUDDEAD etc) does not fast become one of the most important artists of recent times. not to mention other MCs really streatching the medium: Sage Francis, Noah23, and, most recent effort excluded, Aesop Rock. "just wanted to reply to this with resounding agreement. And the same for cannibal ox, el-p, and Mr. lif. And I also think the two albums from Dalek are incredible, noisy, wall of sound masterpieces. And, I happen to like parliament, funkadelic, especially the early, more guitar oriented funkadelic albums. Frankly to the extent that outkast is derivative of this history is fine by me."

Agreed, and agreed! I think that both Dose and Why?, together and apart, are two insanely talented guys. Clouddead's self-titled record was seriously my "loveless", one of those records that just breaks your head open and makes you look at music in a different way. The other stuff that Dose (themselves, subtle, deep puddle dynamics, various guest vox) and Why? (reaching quiet, his recent solo "oaklandazulasylum" record) do is some of my favorite music that I've heard in ears. "Oaklandazulasylum" was a wonderful surprise, finding Why? going for a sort of bedroom anti-folk that cribbed from Daniel Johnston and Nick Drake alternately. I'm super-excited about the new Clouddead record that's coming out in January. Hip Hop at this point in time is much like rock was in the mid-eighties - the mainstream has sunk to beyond-"Spinal Tap" self-parody, stupidity, and uncreativity, and there's a wonderful, blossoming "indie" movement that's simultaneously getting back to the roots (mostly ideologically) and stretching and transforming the genre. I think that Aesop Rock, the anticon kids, the Def Jux and rhymesayers crews are the SST's and Rough Trades of their time. Andrew