The state of underground SoCal hip-hop, circa 1999. Bolstered by the scintillating production skills of producer Madlib, Lootpack provide a winning alternative to the slick materialism and excessive violence of the mainstream scene. With DJ Romes cutting behind them, emcees Madlib and Wild Child showcase their tight flows and creative wordplay as they "attack the wack" and represent the west O-X (Oxnard, California). Other underground heavies join the party, including Dilated Peoples and Tha Alkaholiks. Sure, this isn't the game-changing masterpiece that underground heads claimed it would be, and the lyrical themes don't stray too far from run-of-the-mill emcee boasting. Still, with Madlib supplying the endless array of funky and freaky beats, it's hard not to be won over by the album's big-time bounce. --Marc Greilsamer