Inspectah Deck + 7L & Esoteric = CZARFACE

One of Wu-Tang Clan\'s greatest emcees, Inspectah Deck is universally beloved by fans, but he\'s always had bad luck with his solo albums. 7L & Esoteric helped put Boston on the indie-rap map back in the \'90s, and they\'ve been steadily releasing quality (if under-the-radar) material ever since. They hooked up in 1999 for the exceptional *Speaking Real Words* EP and reunite here for a 14-track concept album tied together by old-school comic record samples (think MF DOOM\'s *Operation: Doomsday* and Ghostface\'s *Iron Man*). As usual, the Rebel INS more than delivers on the mic: he rocks wordy, witty verses that perfectly complement Eso\'s. 7L consistently impresses with outstanding production that overflows with head-banging drums, freaky samples, and new takes on several classic golden-era loops. Guests include Ghostface, Roc Marciano, Oh No, Action Bronson, Cappadonna, Mr. MFN Exquire, and Vinnie Paz. \"Savagely Attack,\" \"It\'s Raw,\" and \"Poisonous Thoughts\" are standouts.