Dilated Peoples

Dilated Peoples

Dilated Peoples are a hip-hop group from Los Angeles, United States. They form in 1992 and remain active, with the line-up consisting of DJ Babu, Evidence and Rakaa Iriscience. Their music sits within alternative hip hop, conscious hip hop and hip hop.

Career

The group begins in Los Angeles in 1992, when DJ Babu, from the Beat Junkies, joins with Evidence and Rakaa. They build a reputation in underground hip-hop and attract rap critical attention with early releases including Third Degree and Work the Angles. These records become favourites in the underground scene.

Dilated Peoples later sign to Capitol and release The Platform in 2000, which draws further critical acclaim. Their second album, Expansion Team, follows in 2001 and features the Alchemist-produced single “Worst Comes To Worst”, which samples Mobb Deep’s “Survival Of The Fittest”.

Albums and singles

Their third album, Neighborhood Watch, appears in 2004 and reaches number 55 on the US Billboard 200. It includes “This Way”, a collaboration with Kanye West and the group’s main mainstream hit, as well as “Who’s Who?”, which also appears on the Need for Speed: Underground and SSX 3 soundtracks and reaches number 35 on the UK Singles Chart.

In 2006, they release “Back Again”, produced by The Alchemist, and their fourth album, 20/20, follows in 2006. In 2007 they issue The Release Party, a package containing a feature-length documentary on DVD and an EP of new songs and remixes. The release is put out through Decon and marks their release from their Capitol contract.

Their fifth studio album, Directors of Photography, is released in 2014 on Rhymesayers Entertainment.

Reception

Dilated Peoples are closely associated with underground hip-hop and earn repeated critical recognition, even though their widest mainstream exposure comes through “This Way”.