Rakaa Iriscience: a man whose solid flow, diligence and entire demeanour behind a microphone has earned him due respect in many hip-hop circles. Hailing from Southern California, the Los Angeles native has spent the best part of 20 years carving out a prominent legacy alongside his crew Dilated Peoples. Whether it’s on enjoyable boarder-line mainstream joints like ‘This Way,’ ‘Worst Comes To Worst’ or the equally enjoyable, gritty, underground nature of cuts like ‘Triple Optics’ or the Lootpack-assisted ‘Long Awaited’ – Rakaa, along with Evidence and Babu, has maintained authority as an ambassador of hip-hop culture, upholding messages of peace, unity and a natural sense of fun through his music. It is this passion and spirited sentiment, reminiscent of the core ethos of Afrika Bambaataa’s Zulu Nation, that lays much of the foundation for Rakaa’s solo debut ‘Crown of Thorns’. An album that is rife with explosive creativity, lyrical flare, blistering production and a host of excellent collaborations.
