REVIEW: The Nonce, World Ultimate (American/Wild West)

- Jamie Roberts

Have you heard any seemingly wholesome rappers lately? What a concept! Not too many people coming correct over the airwaves, shouting out to "...grandma, up in the sky...".

Nouka Base and Yusef Afloat make up this new West Coast Hip-Hop duo, The Nonce. Their sound is real, organic, and wholly West Coast/Old School. Their Old School stylizing in beats and rhymes creates a veritable Hip Hop time warp!

The Nonce sound brings back shades of early Tribe Called Quest (with the jazz infusion), or for more recent reference... possibly a Warren G. persona with a sound akin to their "True School" contemporaries - The Pharcyde.

"Mix Tapes", the first single off World Ultimate peaked at number 6 on the Gavin Rap chart. Other tracks like "J to the I" and "Keep It On" should also find their way up the charts.

For a blast from Hip Hop's past that is telling of Hip Hop's future, check this CD out. With its smooth, good-boy-rapper attitude, it should be the block party favorite for some time to come.