Beyond being a respected litmus test in deciphering real hip hop heads from pre-packaged studio drug lords, the re-issued Jaylib classic "Champion Sound"
is an acquired taste that grows in appeal on the strength of its production alone. The tracks have an unsettling darkness that breaks from the standard 16
bars format. This bewilders listeners accustomed to the Radio-Shack-bought, Casio-keyboard, one-handed nursery rhyme-sounding melodies dominating rap songs on today's radio stations. For the more adventurous, the collaboration of the late producer Jay Dilla of Slum Village and Madlib (Jaylib) is replete with
landscapes ranging from obscure blaxploitation comedic acts to synth-heavy, eighties-styled instrumentals.

McNasty Filth starts it off with a moody equivalent of the Jaylib (complete with guest rappers Frank-N-Dank) lifting a leg and marking sonic territory. Nowadayz,
is a smart, yet cynical take on the challenges of modern romance. Champion Sound is a stirring mix of muted b-boy breaks, oriental vocals and rude boy
lyrical flair.

Although the rhymes focus on the standard crime/machismo/females focal points, a quirky sense of humor (The Heist) and the sonic daring of the tracks
(Strapped) gives the feel of catching cutting edge hip hop off a late night college radio show. Surprisingly engaging deliveries on Strip Club, Survival Test and
Starz give such clichéd scenarios a breath of fresh air. Above all, Champion Sound should be checked just to experience what two respected, dangerously unique producers free of pop radio formats are capable of pulling off.