Personal Journals - Sage Francis (2002)

Francis is a backbone of a subgenre I love. Mostly divorced from the pro-wrestling-style ego battles of mainstream hip hop, this backpack style plunges you into an underworld of pathos, tuneful and articulate; Where it still pays to be clever and the point is to self-examine rather than boast.

This is the first album Francis dropped. He competed in slam poetry as well as being an MC and it shows in his relentless flow.

Tracks I Liked

Crack Pipes - a great intro

Inherited Scars - brutally personal, but so is most of this

Climb Trees - wicked rhythm games