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.\"