Emcees Just J and Wisdm O.N.E. are 1773, a Chicago-based duo representing more than old school hip-hop (1-773 is also their Chi area code). With tinges of R&B, soul and nods to the Golden Era, 1773 goes beyond the stodgy expectations of positive rap. Owing more to ATCQ than Kirk Franklin, the duo never sacrifices dope emceeing for their message to the community.

Rather than concern themselves with rhymes laden with braggadocio and hideous mouthware references, Wisdm O.N.E. and Just J pride themselves on their skills as people in a position to shed light on hip-hops dark scene in Fist to the Ceiling, calling out their peers speaking gibberish. With a strong thread of spirituality running through the album, the group manages to avoid preachiness. Their constant shout-outs to God and living right create a vibe more real than a lot of gangster tales when balanced with down-to-earth hopes and memories (Sounds of Life).

The album continues the momentum as the second half begins, displaying more colors from thought-provoking churners as Hard 2 Understand to spitfire flows on Scud Missiles. Instead of losing steam, 1773 lays the foundation for where the group is coming from and raises the stakes with each track.  Broken Star proves to be one too many hip-hop ballads for the project and one of the least interesting tracks production-wise, but with so much quality material around it, you can forgive one misstep. While not sporting any groundbreaking techniques or subject matter, 1773 is solid throughout, putting fresh soil on the well-tread paths.

Candace L.