by Robert Gabriel As a product of the legendary Goodlife open mic sessions who wished to highlight the nuances of the Los Angeles underground rap scene, Abstract Rude first made a name for himself in 1994 as an executive producer of the Project Blowed compilation. The groundbreaking album also pinpointed Abstract Rude as a skillful emcee, capable of expressing extremely soulful sentiments with his mystical themes and deeply pronounced voice. As a long-time collaborator with Aceyalone and as a founding member of Abstract Tribe Unique, Abstract Rude carved out a niche for himself as hip-hop's most accessible healer. Most comfortable fronting the atmospheric production provided by Fat Jack on albums such as Mood Pieces and South Central Thynk Tank, Abstract Rude proves that clarity in rap is just as impressive as complexity. His work on the Haiku d'Etat project in 1997, which aimed to merge hip-hop with jazz, only further illustrated his interest in placing his music within a historical context. All in all, Abstract Rude is an artist that both your grandmother and your little brother could appreciate. Having run the gamut of label affiliations, from being completely independent to being signed to Capitol's Grand Royal to being independent again by way of Ocean Floor, Abstract Rude seems to have found an appropriate home for himself at Battle Axe; his 2001 album, titled P.A.I.N.T., is further proof that Abstract Rude is a true lyrical heavyweight.