Brand Nubian

Buried in 1997, one of hip-hop's great treasures is finally unearthed. Though less polished, timely and pop-oriented than The Foundation, which was the album Brand Nubian recorded (and released) shortly after this one, Runnin' has a few dark gems. The somber, political "Time Is Runnin' Out" strings 11th-hour gloom along a taut guitar figure, while "A Child Is Born" is a typically grim cautionary tale from Sadat X over a brooding, Havoc-esque beat. It's understandable why this dark, rough album was shelved, but that doesn't make it any less essential for Nubian fanatics.