Let me raise your hip-hop IQ with some information about some unique artists. 1. Immortal Technique- This little political fireball is the one of the most passionate wordsmiths that will ever meet the ear. His irascible lines and thought-provoking rhymes are enough to get anyone to nod their noggin. He is a self-made man that sold all of his albums out of his trunk until he sold enough to create his own label. He has no corporation to hold him back and sugarcoat his thoughts about society and who’s running it. Check out the track “Industrial Revolution” to get a real flavor of what he’s about. 2. KRS-One- This dinosaur has been in the fray for two decades now. He has been around since Kool Herc was throwing jam sessions in a park in South Bronx. He is known by many pseudonyms but stands for one cause–for the people. He won the Lifetime Achievement Award for his movement called “Stop the Violence” and his trailblazing in the art of hip-hop. Check out the track “Woke Up.” 3. Tech N9ne- If you are looking for music that strays off the beaten path and is even downright strange and dark at some points, then Tech N9ne is an ideal candidate. He considers his music to be under the “strange” genre, and he wasn’t afraid to show his darker side on his newest album release, “K.O.D.” My recommended track of Tech’s is “Hunterish.” 4. Aesop Rock- His lines have been defined as complex and extremely abstract. He creates lyrics that are food for thought and not flat out explained in the song. You have to think. Every one of his rhymes has meaning, even though they might seem nonsensical at times, and one just has to listen to understand. I recommend listening to the track “Pigs.” 5. Jedi Mind Tricks- This group features some very real lyrics with trunk-heavy beats. The content in their songs is always 100 percent real. They say what they mean, even though sometimes a little too much is reality. Vinnie Paz and Jus Allah create a rap tandem that is matched by few. My recommended track is “Uncommon Valor.”