Background Check

A longtime member of Oakland's Souls of Mischief and Hieroglyphics Imperium, Phesto Dee has been on many classic records. But unlike the rest of his three-eyed brethren, he's never dropped his own solo joint—until now. Produced mostly by himself, with contributions from A-Plus, Tone Capone, Kev Choice, and Doc (Khalil) Hazzard, Background Check finds the East Bay emcee sounding dope as usual, unleashing highly lyrical verses over a diverse assortment of beats. "The Unravel (Remix)" features a nice assist from Pep Love over a spooky rock track. "Laternight" sports smooth, vintage strings and exotic percussion, while the cautionary tale "Hoodlum" tells the story of several doomed individuals atop freaky guitar licks and minor-key organ chords. Though it may fly over the heads and/or under the radar of casual heads who aren't already up on his 20-year resume, this is a quality release from Phesto, and it's well worth the wait. Other standouts include the Dirty Harry-esque "Every Detail," the horn-propelled "Champ Swagger," and "Avant Garde," featuring Del the Funky Homosapien.