T-Bone

T-Bone is the Papa of West Coast, funkadelic, street-preacher, mega-gospel, "reformed hoodlum" hip-hop. He enthusiastically dumps out his whole toolbox on any album spinning funked-out rhythms, random world beats and brazen lyrics that are clean but unedited the only real way to get the hardcore-thug-meets-Jesus thing done. He's ever reestablishing himself as the fastest MC in the west. If you contest that, just try saying gospelalphamegafunkyboogiediscomusic (his 2002 LP) five times fast. There's plenty to sit back and groove to, but for the most part, his mixes get all up in your grill, if not with the machine gun sequencing, then with the not-afraid-to-say-it subject matter. T-Bone bills himself as The Last Street Preacha (his 2001 LP and probably best to date). But whether it's the street, the studio, the stage or bringing his bible to the set (T-Bone played a prominent role in Paramount's "The Fighting Temptations") he lives his credo.