Public Defendaz
Tampered Evidence

Written by Dominick. Published: Friday, February 19, 2010.

While most folks I know would shudder at the prospect of having to ride out with a Public Defender in any way shape or form, along comes a new Hip-Hop collective that just might be able to change the ongoing “low pay and minimal resources” stigma that the title usually evokes.

Based out of the middle ground between the bay and L.A. AKA the California city San Luis Obispo, the Public Defendaz diverse quintuplet is made up of Royal, Taktical, J4RD, Oktapus and IyayI, all of whom hold down the rhyming duties on Tampered Evidence; their debut project from back in 2008.

What I think will go on to be the group’s most enduring quality is their in-house production. J4RD, Oktapus and Taktical all take turns furnishing the album with interesting beats that at moments span traditional hardcore Hip-Hop and then at other times incorporate rich, soulful samples. The diversity in the album’s sound is appreciated at just about every turn except for perhaps the wayward and very forgettable jaunts into Hyphy. Far be it for me to critique those moments too harshly, but I’m afraid I loathe no sub-genre more (I dunno, maybe Speed Metal). That said, the three headed production attack that PD sports has tremendous growth potential and is grounded for the most part in tried and true practices that I appreciate to the fullest. Another notable production gem from this LP is the courage that our producers had to re-flip sample sources that are overtly well known (“What Happened”, “Still Gon’ Hate”, “Street Runna”, “Sophistikated Gorilla”) in a time when most producers usually run from a record that’s been used already.

The arguments that the Public Defendaz present are equally assorted throughout Tampered Evidence. From downright prolific social commentary and thankful reflections to your standard rap braggadocio and posturing, the fellas deliver a dexterous performance. Splicing their lyrical personalities is definitely where they gain the undercurrent feeling of being for the people. They kick things around…sometimes taking on a laid back Black Sheep typa approach, then morphing their rhymes into more hard line revolutionary territory a la Dead Prez. While I struggled through some of the choruses that featured novice warbling or un-focused bars, most of the actual verses were solid and particularly thought inducing, corroborating that there is a great deal of chemistry between these guys, it just needs to be sharpened.

My Closing statement:

I think “Tampered Evidence” has a bunch of good to very good looks on it, but lacks that one great look that can take a bunch of relative unknowns from central Cali to underground respectability and longevity. Maybe that’s not precisely what these guys are seeking from their career’s and if so that’s fine. Even if they never do fully harness their strengths, willing or unwillingly, they still have adequate enough skills to reel in fans that are okay with having a dope relay team rather than a record setting long distance runner…Meaning, that at the moment the Public Defendaz are built more so for a cohesive, short run (a mixtape, an EP or street album) rather than a marathon (a full length LP). That can change of course, and it might already have as far as I know. To their credit, I’ve personally been moved enough to wait around and see.

Til’ our next court date…

$15.99 out of $20

-Dominick “BIG D O” Ledezma

Category: Reviews