Suspicion, Vol. 2

The e.e. cummings of gangsta rap, Brotha Lynch Hung spits his stop-start narrative poetry with little concern for balance or meter, his rhymes end when they end. His lack of remorse for crimes against rap's norms, as well as in his violent early life as a street hustler, earned the Cali MC a spirited cult following starting in the early '90s, although his beautiful difference has likely kept him on rap's fringe despite some of the tightest lyrics in the game. Brotha first officially teamed up with Siccness labelmate C.O.S. ("Criminal of Siccness") for 2001's Trigganometry, and the contrast in style between the two rappers made for an immediate hit of a match, and their collaboration, under the name Suspicion, became a semi-regular thing. While both MCs unspool grim tales of murder and mayhem, C.O.S.'s high-pitched delivery is frantic, riven by jittery passion, like Eminem's more deranged cousin, and adds another dimension to the urban horror. Their 2009 effort, Suspicion, Vol. 2 lies somewhere between mixtape and full-release. There's an impromptu feel to tracks like "We All In," with its tossed-off side comments and (admittedly hyper-catchy) twisted children's rhyme call-and-response hook, it feels like a street party. On the other end of the spectrum lies "King Kong," with its stomping, stalking, lushly produced central beat providing a brutal bottom for the two to engage in a furious back-and-forth battle royale (of sorts) through ever-more-crazed verbal territory. Mostly, the record, while never quite shaking the feel of being thrown-together, is still an enjoyable romp through two warped minds.