II

After early appearances on records from 3rd Base and Del the Funky Homosapien, New York emcee Kurious dropped his debut album, *A Constipated Monkey*, in 1994. Produced largely by The Beatnuts and V.I.C., it was an undeniable classic, sporting the choice singles \"Uptown Sh\*t,\" \"Walk Like a Duck,\" and \"I\'m Kurious.\" And then like that, he was gone. Years passed before we heard from him again, returning on MF DOOM\'s landmark *Operation: Doomsday* in 1999. Post-millennium, he popped up on a few more DOOM projects and finally released this long-awaited follow-up in 2009. Unlike his first album, which was primarily concerned with nonstop partying (with beats to match), *II* showcases a mature, grown-man Kurious. He rhymes extensively about his family and reminisces about the old days, over production (from V.I.C., Hi-Tek, Dame Grease, and Sosa) that\'s decidedly mellower, interspersed with R&B hooks, and more low-key all around. While lacking the energy and rambunctiousness of his debut, it\'s a solid effort from a slept-on rapper who was M.I.A. for way too long. Check out \"Sittin\' in My Car,\" \"Drinks in the Air,\" and \"Back up from Under.\"