"Live On Stage", produced by the Alchemist, kicks the album off. The sound of the live crowd is evident and there is no time wasted. Iriscience kicks the hook off immediately as the beat comes in: "...Dazzling - Dilated display a new sound - we are - LIVE ON STAGE..." This is a good LP opener and probably a great live opener.  See, Dilated never had much radio airplay or video airplay. They had to reply on rocking crowds in a live setting. Obviously, this is for that purpose. Iriscience kicks his first verse with the typical DP fashion: "...Basic mathematics / Add sh*t, subtract sh*t / Me and the mic? We got this animal attraction / Been city, out to Manhattan / Ain't nothing fancy / Yellow cabs pass me by / I call Delancy / Keep my team moving through lights, camera, and action / Thoughts to ideas, designs to manufacturing..." The Alchemist produced beat reminds me of a very upbeat Wu-tang beat. The sampled horns and guitars make the beat extremely full and complicated. The scratching by Babu is simply incredible. The only problems I have with it is the somewhat offbeat delivery of Evidence on the second verse. The third verse, however, Evidence and Iriscience go back and forth. It all comes together though to make a cool opening track.

"Worst Comes To Worst", produced by Alchemist, features some additional vocals by Guru. This is the first single and it's amazing. The mid tempo just glides along with a dope high note jazz guitar and light and short orchestra melodies. There's a true heart to this song that makes it one of the best on the album. There's even an incredible vocal sample which sings "ooh, when you need me...". The hook, which is from Mobb Deep's "Survival Of The Illest " is scratched by Babu. "...when worst comes to worst, my peoples comes first..." The mood of this song is both serious and precious at the same time. It truly is a beautiful hip-hop track. Iriscience kicks it off: "...I got worldwide family all over the earth /And I worry 'bout 'em all for whatever it's worth / From the birth to the hearse, the streets, the guns burst /  Words I disperse are here to free minds / And if mine are needy I need to feed mine..." Then, Evidence comes in: "...Set up shop and write a verse /Actually (what?), that's best come to best / My lyrics take care of me, they therapy / Get shit off my chest / Extra stress, three four over the score / Different patterns of rhyming prepare me for war /  So next time you see us we'll be deadly on tour..." Even Guru comes in for a line or two: "....Word up, if worst comes to worst, /  I make whole crews disperse /You know it's family first.." This track is so nice and the scratching is so tight, it could be mistaken for a beat by Premier... but Alchemist is the producer on this one. Iriscience brings a reality to the song with his poignant lyrics and honest delivery: "....I'm a glutton for the truth, even though truth hurts / I've studied with my peoples on streets and in church / We make it hard when we go on first / Long road, honor of the samurai code / These California streets ain't paved with gold / Worst comes to worst..." Babu's scratching is incredibly precise. It's perfect. It will make you pretend your going back and forth on the mixer. This is probably my favorite track on this album... It's destined to be an underground modern hip-hop classic.

"Clockwork" was produced by DJ Premier. It starts off with a slamming beat and Premo yelling on top of it... and then, he flips it into a completely different sounding beat. It's a beautiful surprise! The scratching is heavy as the typical Premier drum beats pound along. The bass is bubbly as it bounces through the track with the sliced up orchestra melody. Premier scratches his way right from the start with a very appropriate sliced up sample: "There's just one thing - that I - would like to say...." Evidence kicks the track off with his deep voice: "...We got tension in suspense, theme in variation / Train robbery panic, description of equation / I'm after the gold, and after that the platinum / You want what you don't have so far neither one's happened / But I was told by my peeps play your cards right / Spit hard, never look back, disregard hype / That goes for bad reviews, good reviews (uh-huh) / Any press, the news, I don't watch the two, I watch for crews...." Iriscience steals the song though with his energetic flow and intelligent lyrics: "....'Triple Optic' cockpit views /Bird's eye, catch the rhythm in the words I use / I've learned to burn pain for fuel / Everybody plays the fool sometimes, the other side of the game is cruel / I'm back to school, the master rules / Born in the church where the pastor rules (why?) / I embrace the task that give birth to tools / And keep the pressure on that turns earth to jewels...." The hook is scratched by Premier with his masterful touch. "How that sound?..is scratched and then Rakka comes in: "Yeah, Dilated we're correctly holdin the crown, it's like THIS!!!" but Premier keeps on coming back with the scratching "...How that sound?..." and it sounds dope! Then, towards the end of the track, the beat totally changes again.. it's another lovely surprise. Premier and Dilated Peoples are an excellent combination. This is one of the best tracks on the album.

"Trade Money", produced by Da Beatminerz, is a very cool, mellow track about finances. The horn sample reminds me of Wu-tang or Killarmy production by 4th Deciple. The beat slowly pounds as the trumpet sample glides along. Iriscience handles the hook which is partly chanted and partly sung within the perfect balance: "....Trade money- Different color and shape money (money)-   Money that looks funny but never no fake money- Make money, money, but please don't waste money -We don't love money but we don't hate money...." Evidence kicks the first verse off and brings new light to the overused topic: "...Yo, if you live day to day then you probably live life /More than a cat who got a Benz, bank roll and a wife / 'Cause yo, I seen a lot of folks whose so-called success equals depress / And look up to broke peeps who hold mics now / Play the role, reverse and understand / Your friend with no dough might be closer to earth / Take the pressure off the weight and see how it equates / If you hold yourself back to make papes, get it straight...." Iriscience truly brings the reality into the light with his well thought out lyrics: "...You can use cash for tools, to get parks and pools /Community centers, rec rooms and schools / Book money, off the books and food money / Rent money, electronic money and crew money / First thing, flipping over dollars, searching /For the eye in the chief corner stone in thirteen / Stay beyond hungry and thirsty, ("dilated") / We're damn near starving and we're dehydrated..."  But Evidence holds his on with his verse too. He brings light into underground head getting cash: "....Yo, since last year I've accumulated more money / More big breaks, been dressy a little less bummy / But more headaches and more pain in my stomach / On top of that I got a lot of people actin funny / But dummies get exposed when your weapon's are chose / Power to spit out your mouth cold could leave a man fold / Yo, been to certain places where the term "green" don't mean shit /  'Cause money's blue and that's what it takes to pay rent..." Cokni O'Dire brings a reggae flow onto the track which is another excellent surprise. It works very well with the slow rhythm and gets quite hypnotic. This is much more catchy because the hook is repeated over and over again but it's still a very cool song.

"Heavy Rotation" featuring The Liks (Alkaholiks), was produced by Evidence. This is real cool. The mid tempo beat is mellow and has a very cool organ sample along with a nice flute sample. There's even a female vocal sample which gives it a very cool 70's feel. J-Ro kicks the song off with a wild verse: "....I'm so outlandish, my rhymes the paint, the track's the canvas/ Find me puffin tampons on your nearest college campus / McEn-Ro, serving up heat like Pete Sampras / Drinkin Jose Cuervo like some spanish bandits / Make women panic when I tell 'em I'ma vanish / Don't take it personal, these are eight-one-eight antics / Hoes break your pockets like car mechanics / Every morning, I bow down and pray like a mantis / Most women can't stand this but I, ain't romantic / So that thought you can banish to the city of Atlantis / Me and Tash met this tan bitch, made a Likwid sandwich / I consume strictly green leaves like pandas / Dig through ice for my brew, like they dig for woolly mammoths / I'm volcanic up in bitches that look like Dorothy Dandridge / Your style is Major Damage, it's played out and ripped up /It needs a bandage, how do you manage?  I can't stand it...." The hook has a call and response feel along with dope scratching. "...Dilated y'all (toast to this!) - It's Tha Liks baby (toast to this) -And y'all can't come (close to this)..." Then, scratched: "Dilated, heavy rotated" - "with Tha Liks". Iriscience briinggs a nice verse too which has much energy: ".....Yo, it's hard to pass the bar, ask your lawyer /Likwid, pour it on y'all from California / Programmers, spray this on your play list / If rap was hard liquor I'd be "Leaving Las Vegas" / Live show radio mix tape massacre / It's a party y'all with room for more passengers / I turn mics to pistols and start rapping / And turn pistols back to mics and start blasting 'em / J-Ro, E-Swift, Tash and them / "Expansion Team", "X.O." chips, cashin 'em / I'm not fashionable but I am international / I called it like I see it on stage like Supernatural / Honies keep flirting like the flows are working / Don't stop 'til I'm certain then I close the curtains / Animal House shit, coast to coast like Tha Liks / I don't drink as much, but I'll toast to this....." Tash is the one who steals the whole song though with his last verse. It's funny, energetic, and just damn cool. Tash rips the mic to end the track off: "...Aiyyo CaTash'll slap the track with a open fist /backhand /  I crack fans with funk then burn rubber like the Gap Band /Batman can't walk through my hood, it's no love / Tash'll jack him for his cape and sport that shit to the club / Is it love or is it buzz, that got my thinking patterns / thinking yo' bitch is mine that's why you see me winking at her / She'll be drunken at a tavern, out of a glass size 8 / Likwid Crew and Dilated make that ass gyrate / While you ask I take, anything that I could lift / Your rapper's rapping like CaTash y'all DJ's rapping like Swift / I was born with a gift, you niggaz used to average rapping / Your styles is old as fuck, that's why my clique start cabbage patching  / I do this for the beer, and for the ones that ain't here / Y'all niggaz better make way for X, Ras and Saafir /I'm like a tattooed tear, Tash'll never go away /  I'm bout to fill my quota I need X.O. every day...." Although it's not one of the best tracks, it's up there as a very well done collaboration. Evidence made a very cool beat for both The Liks and Dilated could vibe off of. It's a cool track that is actually better than "Right On" from "The Platform" LP.

"Self Defense" was produced by Juju from The Beatnuts and it has their signature "Beatnuts" sound which can only be described as cartoonish soul. The upbeat and humorous jingle glides along as Babu scratches "Self defense is a must!" and they chant "This - Is - Self defense..This -is - self defense..." Iriscience kicjs the track off with his typical Dilated rhymes: "...I think you better let it go / You need attention? / I send medical / Basically, trying to harm me? / You're crazy / Musically, I'm blazing / Physically, I gracey / Triangle choke ya / Like what the f*ck could have provoked ya? / We don't know each other kid, and I did not insult ya....I don't throw stones / I throw statues and sculptures...." Iriscience truly takes this song for his own. While Evidence chants "This -is-self defense" in the background, Iriscience chants the main hook: ".. Yo - you wanna hit us? - Well, we can hit back! - If you talk that talk, you got to live that - Whatever you put out, you're gonna gett bback - Self defense, you wish you never did that..." This is a hard-core joint which shows the chemistry between The Beatnutes and Dilated Peoples. I only wish that Psycho Les or Juju flipped a verse. This would have been perfect for them. This beat would sound very much at home on a Beatnuts LP but it still sounds at home here. This is a very well done track.

"Phil Da Agony Interlude" was produced by Babu. The baseline is thick and jazzy and the static from the sample can be heard. This is a very dope interlude of straight rhyming over a dope beat. Phil rhymes "...Bones full of agony / Skin full of melanin / Go ahead and tell a friend / We back at it again / Randomly I aim to cap a wack rapper's head off / Decapitate the rapper's head off / He better off!!..." Phil goes on and works well over the dirty hard-core beat by Babu. More interludes should be like this.

"Proper Propaganda", produced by Babu, is a an intelligent look that deals with the media. This is one funky track. The horn sample literally rocks along forcing you to nod your head. Babu did an excellent job on this beat and adds some incredible scratching over it too.  Iriscience kicks things off: "...Eh, yo, we handle it / These brothers are fabulous / Dilated showing you what rhyme travel is / World's a spittoon from sunlight to moon / Busting off stage like gunfights in saloons.... hard-core reporters with orders from headquarters / Behind enemy lines - sidestepping the borders..." Like Chuck D said that Hip-hop was the Black People's CNN, Dilated Peoples are urban journalists for the hip-hop nation. Iriscience rocks the hook with intelligence and confidence: "...We've got finance - action and - scores and sports - politics, new fashion and war reports - entertainment - When we come to perform, watch! - (Evidence: 'the illest weatherman in the biz on storm watch') - Tryclops media- record, tape or T.V. - Net, radio, C.D. or D.V.D....." Babu contributes some mind-blowing scratching over this extremely funky and soulful beat.  The vocal samples are also incredible because they are lightly in the background and create a thick soulful funk track. Lyrically, this is all Iriscience and he rips it well. I have gained much more respect for the emcee because of the intelligent lyrics and his energetic delivery on this track. Babu? Well, I always respected Babu. Here, he made a perfect track This is one of the best tracks on the entire album.

"Dilated Junkies", featuring J-Rocc, Rhettmatic  Melo-D, was produced by Evidence and Babu. This is an incredible DJ track that is better than "Service" from "The Platform" LP. The scratches are extremely precise and well executed.  There's a nice female vocal sample over a funky and soulful driving beat. "..That's a dangerous man who speaks with his hands... dilated junkies make the rookie drive slow.." is scratched and Evidence kicks a little rhyme: ".. We don't need no introduction / He just busting / Grab the turntables and then start cutting / DJs are ducking, tucking their tails running / Well blunted, rocking the twelve hundreds..." The multiple vocal samples of  moaning and "oohing" make the track incredible. The beat even changes  and then, comes back. The Beat Junkies truly represent their skills on this track. These are people who love hip-hop and it's evident. They even slice a little sample from Jurassic 5 and Lord Finnesse. All of these D.J.s are truly gifted in the art of turntable wizardry. Hip-hop needs more DJ songs and this one is one of the best I have heard.

"Panic", produced by The Alchemist, in an intense track that relies on a thick, bouncing piano loop that pounds away and drills in your head. Evidence starts the track off with a verse: "...Yo, Panic y'all / Back against the wall / Feel the pressure / No way out / Situation getting closer / Time is ticking / walls are closing / Options narrow now / You're the one that's chosen.." Evidence truly sounds odd on this track. Things get better though and he picks himself back up. Evidence continues, "...I spit hard-core / (sinister) flows / Time to panic for crews who don't rehearse for shows / Cuz, this year, it's time to re-claim the game / Use to sit up in the shadows and rebell against fame..." This is Evidence's track. Iriscience just has a line or too. What's cool about this track is that there's no chorus. At times, the beat stops and a new sample comes of thick horns and some more talking comes in. The sentiments of the song are serious though. Evidence tells us that these are intense times and that time is running out. He even brings up how we as human beings have been mistreating the Earth. Babu ends the track with the usual excellent scratching. At first, I wasn't feeling this track due to Evidence's flow. I also was expecting more from an Alchemist beat. ("Worst Comes To Worst" is incredible!) It got to me though. Evidence saved himself during the second half. There are many intelligent things going on in this song.

"Pay Attention" was produced by Babu and uses an incredible and very intricate piano jazzy sample. The sample is perfect and works extremely well with the handclaps in the beat. Iriscience kicks the track off with an energetic and very poignant first verse: "...Yo, yo, I buck shots, lick shots, take shots, give shots / Headliners know, this year we switch spots / Check it, I spit it for the righteous and the wretched / First came the live show, next came the records, (next) / With wax collectors with rap perfectors / With scratch, with dance, with graf protectors / Worldwide travelers in your sector / DJ Babu, come down selector! / I raw here, I explore here / You like that, where that comes from there's more there / This is warfare and we score fair / We don't stop 'til our flag swings in your air / I rap to build or I rap to ruin / Your whole career, yo, watch what you doin..." The hook works well too due to the fact that Babu's amazing scratching is used with Iriscience chant.  "Let...let...let...let me tell you something" and   "I'm 'bout to set it off, society watch me while I do it" is scratched and then.. Iriscience chants: "Pay attention!... watch and observe!.." This track is a wonderful example of how a DJ an emcee can work together to make an intelligent and well executed hook. It gets better though! Iriscience's 2nd verse is even better! Iriscience aka Rakaa rocks the mic again: "....I'm a poet, with the warrior spirit inside /Choking rappers out like hicks on and pride / We all share the same sun giving us light / But remember, sink or swim, time winnin's a fight / Expansion Team takes rows, takes oceans, takes flight / Then takes over the stage 'til the morning breaks night / Word of mouth crew, make sure we pay right / Then Hendrix takes over my body, I blaze mics / Spray 3-d outlines and highlights / I know lowlifes that are livin the high life / At great heights I exercise my rights / So much smoke, when I'm this high, I sky-write / Raaka raps to build, or raps to ruin /  Your whole career, yo, watch what you're doin..." Damn, this is a tight track that is all Raaka and Babu. It's one of the best tracks on this album.

"Night Life", produced by Joey Chavez, features some background vocals by Noelle Scaggs. This is a bouncy track with a nice small organ sound. This upper-mid-tempo track is an attempt at being a theme song for going out for a night on the town but it has more of the energy of 'getting ready' that actually out. Evidence handles the hook with Scaggs singing in the background. "...Night life - ready to spit - Tag what? Evidence  take across the the planet (scratched: "we are expanded")- Step it up this year - The time's right -Sleep all day to wake up to night life -  Night life - Ready to spit - When you drop, gonna hit -Where you take off the planet...(scratched: "we are expanded") -We step it up - no doubt- The time's right- Sleep all day wake up to night life..." The bridge is short but dope. It gets real mellow and scratches come in. Evidence comes back to rhyme: "...Night life / Graffitti artists get armed / Cans get shook and walls get bombed / This is the time when shadow rocks get thrown / At your tinted car window / Sound off the alarm / This is the time you execute your plan / While other people sleep, jewels get ran..." Evidence saves himself again on his solo cut. I wish Iriscience was on this track but no luck. He even rocks Beastie Boys' "Slow And Low" for a couple lines at the end. Evidence does hold it down while creating a sinister yet fun atmosphere of evening lifestyle.

"War" is a spoken word poem interlude type track that was produced by ?uestlove of The Soulqurians (and also the drummer for The Roots). The drums roll in a very odd and funky way that is reminiscent of The Roots. The drums then come into war army march rhythm that is complemented by sounds and other effects. Iriscience handles the lyrics in a very poetic and astute way: "...War is life / And war is death / War's a vacuum but war's a breath / War is a war that can never be won / But war is the way that Johnny got his gun..." This is short and sweet. It also holds a bitter irony to it since this album was released about a month after the World Trade Center Terrorist Attack. At this time of writing, we are bombing the Middle East. Rakka's omnipresence on the track is errie. Here, he displays both the profit and loss of war. The pain and victory is noted. ?uestlove's production and weird beat is unique, sinister and funky at the same time. It goes along perfect with the spoken word poetry. This is deep and toughtful with astute universal observations. It proves that Iriscience is more than just an emcee, he's a poet.

"Hard Hitters" features Black Thought (of The Roots), and was produced by Babu. This is a dope track! Irisceince kicks the hook off immediately with the horn sample  in the background: "You heard stories about the angels and brotherly love -  This is for the sisters and brothers we love - We care enough to give it or cut straight up -With no chaser cuz time don't wait up -  that's why we sending cats back to the lab / (worldwide!) the microphone's up for grabs - that's why we sending cats back to the lab - (Iriscience!) the microphone's up for grabs...." The beat is raw and grimey with light vocal samples and a thick but short horn sample as well as a short and thick orchestra sample to follow. Black Thought is the true genius on this track though. He steals the show without a flaw. He's an emcee's emcee. "....Live everyday like it's your last cuz one day it might / My n*gga / F*ck around son, it might be tonight / Cuz figure the likeliness of surviving this brawl is slim / It's like scuba diving with no oxygen / Monster when I situate my slang / Leave a n*gga almost brainless once I bang / Have a crowd screaming how they don't want your thang / Keep it / The sharpest one in the gang, it's no secret / My style's certified Philly animal rough / Running things, pull no strings and gambling, huh! / Cannibal hustlers taught me how to handle myself /  Hitman for hire pull a hot pit off the shelf / The spark / The pioneer to represent Ill-a-delph / the thought! / I got these weak n*ggas pulling themselves apart / Y'all know the tone! / The one that hold the throne! / That radiate ya dome like a Moterola phone / N*gga!.." Damn, Black Thought has the best verse on the album. It's raw and hard. It's more raw than most stuff by The Roots. Babu takes us out with some nice scratches too. This is a dope track but it's mainly because of Black Thought's amazing 3rd verse.

"Defari Interlude" features Defari and was produced by Evidence. The piano sample bangs in a redundant but slightly hypnotic way. The dope thing about the beat is the wicked bass line and the tiny sax sound. Defari does flip a nice verse: "...When God created light he made me in the flesh / The caramel black man, here to free all the rest / Inhale, exhale, nigga open your chest / Put it to rest, I'm one of Los Angeles best / Rearrange game, not sane rap, push your brain back /I never left so how the fuck could I have came back? / The sun burns holes in the souls of fakers / I drinks cold ol' gold and I loves them Lakers / My mind travels at the speed of concrete streets / It's all real, feel different then why must we speak / I strive to teach each, outreach over rugged beats in the streets / And this just the beginning of me / The matrix, I'm givin all you kids the basics / Patience, invest time or time's been wasted / When Defari rhyme, a breath of fresh air, the mornin sunshine / I had to take back what was rightfully mine / In that's a Golden State crown when I gets down / The yellow-brown million dollar voice from L.A. town / See, if you look up at the sun you'll see my face in the reflection / The light that shines for all them children protection / Wake up for the mornin blessings, push-ups by the session / Damaged beats never second guessing / Nightmares and dreams, everything's not what it seems / Dilated, expansion team..." Babu does an mind-blowing job on the scratching. He truly lets his hands work their magic.

"Expansion Team Theme" was produced by Joey Chavez. The piano starts the track off along with tons of incredible scratching. The hook is chanted right off in the beginning: "You should check the signs - symbols - clues - the writing's on the wall but it's up to you - Expansion team - Dilated Peoples crew - (scratched: "what you wanna do is watch for clues!") You should check the signs - symbols - clues - the writing's on the wall but it's up to you - Expansion team - Dilated Peoples crew -and if you still don't know, this is how we do.." Evidence and Irisceince go back and forth practically word for word. This is cool track to end the album. Rakaa aka Iriscience does flip a dope verse on his own too: "If this was a snake, it would have bit ya / Or slithered up like a Boah Contricta and crypt ya.." It really is a tight track that holds a "theme" quality. Of course, it's not as dope as "Worst Comes To Worst" or others, it's still a good track. Evidence even does a very nice job on the mic. As always, Babu does an excellent job on the turntables. There's also a nice but somewhat pointless little hidden skit about smoking weed.

The BEATS on this album are all top-notch and perfect for lovers of underground or 'backpacker' hip-hop. Here's, Premier's one beat does not outshine the others. Alchemist, Babu and Beatminerz all do excellent jobs. There's not one wack beat on the entire LP but of course, some outshine others. "Worst Comes To Worst" by Alchemist is perfect. There's absolutely nothing wrong with it at all It has this sinister yet soulful feeling to it. ?uestlove, who produced the spoken word poetry mini track called "War" is also very creative. It's a beautiful thing because I can put on any track on this album and my head will start nodding. Alchemist especially, is truly displaying to the hip-hop nation that he's one of the best up and coming producers out there. Still, old pros like Premier and Da Beatminerz continue to hold their own and create wonderful beats.

The PRODUCTION on "Expansion Team" is top-notch too. It is evident that many hours went into making every noise, every bass line, every scratch and every mix sound correct. Babu is truly mind-blowing with his talent on the turntables. As he helps bring scratches back to hip-hop, Babu uses his talents and overloads us with scratches that are not only relevant to the song's theme but also well executed. Of course, production done by  Premier, Beatminerz, and Alchemist make the album's production rating very high. These songs are thick and soulful but also hold a strong love of hip-hop culture. It's a beautiful thing!

The LYRICS of Dilated Peoples were never the heart of the group. I (and many other hip-hop lovers I know) would purchase the album just for the beats. Like a Slum Village album, a fan could always count on a Dilated Peoples album to have dope beats. On "Expansion Team", they did step up their lyrics though. Their songs are not just about battling or abstract 'backpacker' hip-hop. They truly have evolved into a very good group. While broadening their themes, their songs have various subjects from family love to money to news/propaganda to war.  Still, they do not let their die hard fans down since every song does hold their sentiments of battling on the microphone. Without a doubt, Iriscience steals the show on the microphone. Although Evidence does have intelligent lyrics, Iriscience does take it.

As a hip-hop album, "Expansion Team" is very ORIGINAL and CREATIVE. First, they are not riding the bandwagon and making songs about 'iced out' chains and expensive cars. Even though they do boast how dope they are on the mic and never make themselves sound vulnerable, they maintain a positive and down-to-earth vibe on every song. This is intelligent hip-hop for people who love battle emcees and incredible scratching. Babu's scratching is very original in itself for the simple fact that many hip-hop albums nowadays do NOT have scratching. Sure, Gangstarr does and Masta Ace's latest album does but here almost every single song has scratching... not the one token Premier produced gem.

The ALBUM FLOW rating is moderately high because of how the songs literally flow into each other with a 'hip-hop' grace. It's very easy to listen to this LP in one sitting. As an album, it's not very long, (60 minutes and 55 seconds) but it's tight. The songs are just short enough and never too long. They also do not drag out with numerous shout-outs. Everyone does their part and the song is over. Evidence and Iriscience rhyme while Babu scratches.  Immediately, the next song comes on. Not only are beats make this album a good listen but the scratches will make true hip-hop heads trying to figure out where each slice came from. Sure, there are a small handful of filler tracks but not many. The only thing that slightly drags the LP down is Evidence but he does a good enough job and proves himself. He's not an excellent M.C. but he's not bad.

The HARDCORE RATING of this album is not extremely high because Dilated Peoples are not the hardest hip-hop group out there. Sure, they are great battle MCs and have dope producers behind them but you will not find songs about drugs, sex, and guns on this album. Still, you won't find booty shaking party tracks either. That is why I cannot give it a low hardcore rating either. This is an underground 'backpacker' hip-hop album and it is filled with intelligent lyrics and small range of interesting subject matter. "Worst Comes To Worst" is s hard track because it deals with sticking up for your family. 'Self-Defense" is a pretty hard track too. I do wish the b-side "Target Practice" was on this album. It wa taken off due to sample clearances and the Terrorist attack on the World Trade Center. It's a dope track and I urge any die-hard Dilated Peoples fan to check it out. Still, most of the songs are hardcore due to the hardcore expression and not the subject matter. Black Though of the Roots and The Alkaholiks bring the most hardcore verses to the album. Black Thought's verse is especially hardcore and incredibly dope. They are strong emcees and Babu is an extremely talented DJ/producer but if you are looking for songs about drugs, sex, and street life, this is not the album. This is a strong album. Their expression is hardcore and their love for hip-hop is just as strong.

Overall, "Expansion Team" by Dilated Peoples is their most cohesive work to date. When I first heard their first album "The Platform", I respected them but I was not genuinely feeling them. "Expansion Team" is a much tighter and much more grounded album. It has a strong flow, more variety in subject matter and production, and is just more cohesive. Whereas. "The Platform" had much more filler and many guests, "Expansion Team" does not rely on guests and every track is of high quality. Sure the guests like Tash of The Liks and Black Thought of the Roots outshine the lyricists but Evidence and Iriscience do hold their own. They have finally made a name for themselves as emcees. This album is for people who love intelligent hip-hop. Their approach to the album shows their love for hip-hop and their intelligence. Babu is not only an mind-blowing D.J., but he did some excellent production work on here too. His excellent production work is evident on songs like "Proper Propaganda", "Pay Attention" and "Hard Hitters". Alchemist and Dilated Peoples make an incredible team too. Their chemistry is very evident on the excellent tracks like "Worst Comes To Worst".  This is an album for peopl who love intelligent, underground hip-hop that is not saturated with jewels, cars, guns, and drugs. This is hip-hop for people who like to expand their mind. Dilated Peoples are the 'expansion team' to do just that.

Beats: 9.25/10.
Production: 9.25/10.
Lyrics: 8.5/10.
Creativity/Originality: 8.75/10.
Album Flow: 9.7/10.
Hard-core Rating: 7.25/10.
[ Overall Rating:  8.8/ 10 ]