The four elements of hip-hop culture are defined in the hip-hop Bible (see the book of Grandmaster, chapter Flash) as the DJ, the MC, the graffiti artist, and the breakdancer. But as the music industry sprouted wings and began flapping them into the mainstream during the late '80s and early '90s, the original elements of hip-hop music have been steadily phased out.

The late '90s, however, have seen the DJ and the MC become able to worm their way back into the culture. From Jason Nevin's recent war on wax with Run DMC to the development of DJ collectives (like the X-ecutioners and the Invisibl Skratch Piklz), there's an almost organic segment of hip-hop perched, awaiting their turn.

From Calvin Johnson's Washington- based K Records comes the smooth Classic Elements compilation. Just as Seattle once hosted the grunge sound that represented the new wave of alternative music, the hip-hop acts featured on this disc provide a mighty strong argument for the hip-hop soil's fertility in the Northwest.

Instead of relying on sampled riffs for accessibility and recognition, the groups on Classic Elements generally have a DJ spin while they drop poetic wax on top of the grooves. Most of the tracks are heavy on the vibes and not as dependant on the bass lines as most west coast rap. Soulstice's "Novus Ordo Seclorum" has a Wu-Tang/ Cosa Nostra feel to it, thanks to the twinkling piano in the background, but that's as far east as Classic Elements goes.

Jaleel's "I Call it Like I see It" returns to the braggadocio and swaggering of 1980s rap, back when LL Cool J and Kool Moe Dee were having it out on their records, instead of using guns. With boasts like "You gonna have to win/ I'm rollin'/ Niggas on my nuts so much they get swollen," Jaleel provides a high standard for the rest of the record. He also provides my favorite line of the record: "Who you messing with?/ The Brown Bomb/ If I had a web site it would be 'the baddest nigga on wax dot com.'"

Tilson references Louis Gossett, Jr., Michael Johnson, and Bush's "Glycerine" on his song "A Little Better," which showcases the comfortable flow of his rap stylings, while Ghetto Children's "Hip-Hop Was?" reminisces over several of the industry groundbreakers.

The tracks on Classic Elements are exactly that-- classics. Like they came out of a 1984 time capsule, every song would sound just fine next to DMC's "My Adidas" or Whodini's "The Freaks Come Out at Night." Now where did I leave those fat shoelaces...

-Lang Whitaker