Back to the L.A.B. (Lyrical Ass Beating)

Twenty-three years after dropping the classic Criminal Minded with Boogie Down Productions, KRS-One is still going strong, recording new music, touring the world, giving lectures, writing books, and stirring up controversy with provocative interviews. Hot on the heels of Survival Skills (a collaborative project with Buckshot from Black Moon), he returns with Back to the L.A.B., a short but solid EP proving that age ain't nothing but a number, and the 40-plus Blastmaster has not lost a step. Veteran Bucktown hitmakers Da Beatminerz contribute appropriately hard-knocking tracks, while the verbal action is both forceful and educational. Though clearly not as essential as some of his early work, it's still a quality record, especially on tracks like "Tek Nology," connecting the Internet with the American military over a great piano loop, and the rowdy, bass-heavy anthem "Omni Hood."