Neighborhood Watch Caught Napping on the Job

As longtime heroes of the LA underground hip hop circuit, Dilated Peoples were rarely pressured for new material. However after the success of 2002’s Expansion Team, emcees Evidence and Rakaa and DJ extraordinaire Babu have now found that for every great record comes greater expectations for the follow-up. As a result, the trio’s Neighborhood Watch is one of the most anticipated hip hop records of the year, but unfortunately also demonstrates that Dilated Peoples is not ready to respond to such high demand for their craft.Watch is a series of highs and lows, the kind of musical rollercoaster that is thrilling at times but is still most suitable for children under 48 inches in height. DP’s topics vary from clever and unique (see their comparison of their music to an injection of “rap caffeine” or jabs at America’s upper class on “Big Business”) to unoriginal and uninspired (like money hungry females and the size of their weed stash). Evidence and Rakaa’s serious manner fits well on tracks such as the opening cut “Marathon” and Evidence’s solo “Caffiene,” but in trying to keep the game face on during the lighter “Poisonous” or “World on Wheels” they remind the listener more of overly serious mall security guards than emcees.

Watch’s real star is DJ Babu, whose innovative beats and fresh samples never falter and could easily stand alone and be enjoyable. Also fantastic is the flute-laden feel-good anthem “This Way,” rapped almost entirely by Kanye West and backed by a finally energetic Rakaa. Neighborhood Watch is an enjoyable record, it just does not fully reach the potential for greatness that DP showcases in glimpses throughout.