A.U.G.

Here's some urban poetry for yo' ass: "I do not/Give a fuck/Because I'm high." Artists -- both multiplatinum and unsigned -- have dropped variations on that theme for years, and A.U.G. spins the chestnut with undeniable charm.

With respect to the nation's many gifted Caucasian MCs, the greatest example of A.U.G.'s skill is that he doesn't sound white. He and his crew (Crazy C and Chango) trade rhymes like a three-man No Limit Army. As a DJ, he programs for big headphones and bigger speakers; as a rhymer, he's stuck in the club, jumping and showing love. A.U.G. flirts with positivity, but ends with urban-role-playing numbers like "Psycho MuthaF**ka" and "Drop a Cop (RMX)." As with virtually all unsigned hip-hop, each cut is at least a minute too long. But the album could attract a producer who'll fix that.