De La Soul's Plug 1 and Plug 2

As tenured members of the hip-hop movement, Plug 1 and Plug 2 ostensibly live in that "nothing to prove" territory. The criminally underrated Plug One (Posdnous) and the terminally abstract Plug Two (Dave) are not content to rest on any laurels however. This side-project goes conceptual (without Plug Three, "Maseo," no less), with the duo navigating a fictional scenario involving a pair of fresh-faced types (Jacob "Pop Life" Barrow and Deen Whitter) signed to "Goon Time Records," trying to break in as hip-hop artists in the modern day. The narrative functions as a way to demonstrate why De La Soul are revered, delivering throwback hip-hop without sounding dusty. Tracks like "The Top Chefs," "The Book of Life" and the standout "Pushin' Aside, Pushing Along" deliver a trademark De La sound, with the consistent lyricism and storytelling that the Plugs are known for. Don't call it a full-fledged De La Soul record ― call it an enjoyable diversion until the full crew come back proper.