Though they call themselves Styles of Beyond, the style in effect comes from the early '90s Native Tongue scene. Modeling themselves after the East Coast collective that included Tribe Called Quest, Jungle Brothers and De La Soul, Los Angeles- based Styles of Beyond are trying to break it down to the nitty grit and show those Puffy motherfuckers why they ain't shit. 2000 Fold features unadorned beats, spare samples, and prodigious microphone flow in the old New York style. And it translates well to record, but instead of getting down and really doing it to you in your earhole, these guys are content play it safe in that "underground" way.

I can hear you asking, "How does one play it safe and remain underground?" If you're following hip-hop that doesn't feature album covers with a dude on a throne surrounded by pit bulls clad in diamond- studded collars, you know what I'm talking about. You keep it underground by using some drum machines. You keep the sounds and samples minimal. You steer well clear of the top- down rolling funk of latter- day Death Row and No Limit records. You don't rhyme about bitches and money-- you keep the lyrical focus on your superior microphone skills. You throw in some offbeat references and a decent vocabulary and you get the underground. But you don't get entertainment.

But I don't want it to sound like 2000 Fold is a bad album, 'cause it isn't. I'll take this shit over Master P or Nas any day. It's just that we've clearly heard this before. And when you combine rap music's paralyzing genre restrictions with such a simple sound, the end result is nothing to get excited about. Bottom line: if you're going to keep the production so minimal, you'd better be able to rhyme like Q-Tip or Rakim. Otherwise, beef up the sound and give us some damn ear candy. The hardcore graf writers in East L.A. will be on 2000 Fold like flies on shit-- it keeps the hip-hop "pure" with the scratches, beatboxing, real DJ work and admittedly strong rapping skills. But those looking for something new-- say, a style that actually comes from beyond-- had better keep on looking.

-Mark Richard-San