Killer Mike

Always the bridesmaid (though he'd probably disagree), Killer Mike has often been on the outside looking in at other artists' success, and perhaps that's alright: this peripheral and then ex-communicated member of Outkast's Dungeon Family and Big Boi's Purple Ribbon team sounds best on the margins, in the underground. Pledge Allegiance is the sequel to his 2006 mixtape and it picks up where that one left off: gruff delivery over East Coast/ATL hybrid beats. Highlights include the Houston homage "Big Cars," featuring Chamillionaire, and "Super Clean/Super Hard" with kindred spirits Eightball & MJG.