Bigg Jus was one third of Company Flow, so we should pay attention, right? Well, NMS - Woe to thee o land whose king is a child, his last release with Orko Elohiem, was in my Top 5 of 2003, but criminally ignored by most everyone else. The press on this one seems to concentrate on the back story; this album has an odd genesis, with some material dating back to 2001. Whatever, this album never sounds less than boxfresh, with not a sound coming across as dated. More than that, the calibre of the verbal gymnastics is matched by soul and anger; this album isn’t just showboating his technical wizardry. It resembles Mike Ladd and and Saul Williams in emotional tone. It’s the most human messed up out there hip hop that’s nowhere near not-hip hop. Hefty.

4.5 out of 5