After their critically acclaimed but unsuccessful selling commercial debut, The Minstrel Show, Little Brother returns with a mix tape to keep their fan’s appetite wet. An unlikely collaboration with Southern mix tape guru DJ Drama may raise an eyebrow or two, but the music far exceeds any stereotypical judgments.

Phonte, Rapper Big Pooh, and 9th Wonder continue to create raw, straight-to-the-soul hip hop. This mix tape features almost entirely new songs and some of their best material to date. The mighty Mos Def shows up and gives a stellar performance on “Let It Go” and L.E.G.A.C.Y., and Chaundon pair up with Phonte on tell-it-like-it-is tune “Boondock Saints.” Here Phonte delivers a candidate for verse of the year with his true-life narrative of how cruel and unrelenting the industry can be.

DJ Drama shows up consistently throughout the mix tape to let the people know he’s responsible for putting this hotness out to the public. Musically, there are handfuls of tight beats produced by 9th Wonder, Khrysis, and Illmind to name a few. Though the hip hop scene is flooded with an abundance of mix tapes, Separate But Equal shines because it plays to the quality of an LP.

- Mike LaCroix
Little Brother (Justus League)