Emimem claims that folks "forgot about Dre". Screw that ... they forgot about Erick Sermon. Even though hip-hop has always been about musical innovation, expanding the parameters of what is or what is not possible/acceptable, hype wins out in the end. Face it, from NWA to Snoop to Slim Shady, Dre has always had some cultural flashpoint issue to piggyback his music on. (And if you think that's just good fortune, think again. Dre, like Britney, ain't that innocent).

While Sermon's list of collaborators is no less impressive -- from Parrish Smith (in EPMD) to Method Man to Keith Murray to Redman -- his strength has always been concrete cracking beats. Now, with his latest solo effort (adopting the Mr. Jackie Kennedy moniker for legal reasons), Sermon lines up a collection of beats and guest stars too damn irresistible to deny, from "So Sweet" (featuring the late Eazy-E) to the long-awaited Sermon/Slick Rick summit meeting "Why Not."

On the Xzibit/DJ Quik vehicle "Focus," Sermon revisits his roots -- namely the P-Funk/Roger Troutman funk that's been his trademark, even as it was more often associated with West Coast artists. Elsewhere, he shows just how expansive and wide-ranging his sensibilities are. To those who haven't been following his post-EPMD Whut? Thee Album trajectory, peep the big band bleats that introduce "I Do Em" or the subterranean boom of "Get Da Money" featuring Ja Rule. Even with the Pimpadelic Too $hort waiting in the wings, he throws a curveball, forgoing the Bootsy route for an acoustic guitar- and keyboard-flavored track that's more Illadelph than Atomic Dog. Make no mistake, Sermon is in top form here. While other folks may get more headlines, you can bet that the E-Double reigns supreme at the basement jam.