Bridging Gap Between Commentary, Partying

In the late ‘80s, New York rappers typically extolled their microphone prowess, while California rhymers recounted tales of their surroundings, often emphasizing highly sensationalized scenarios of sex and violence. With his debut album, 1988’s “Act a Fool,” King Tee (as he then spelled his name) became the first Golden State MC to successfully combine both these lyrical approaches. But because he was less gangsterized than his California contemporaries, the Compton native never became a huge star, even though he went on to release three more top-quality collections.

“Thy Kingdom Come,” his phenomenal fifth album, should catapult the rapper over the top. The inclusion of spirited production and guest raps from hip-hop legends Dr. Dre--whose Aftermath label is releasing the project--and fellow Comptonite DJ Quik should help bridge the gap between T and today’s trendy audience while thrilling his loyal fans.

Nonetheless, T more than holds his own lyrically, making the tried and true topics of braggadocio, gangsterism, ghetto ills and scandalous women sound remarkably fresh. He is one of the few rappers who sounds as convincing examining societal shortcomings as he does boasting about his ability to rock a party.

Albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor), two stars (fair), three stars (good) and four stars (excellent).