This Philadelphia duo have built an unlikely indie-rap niche by giving their thuggish hip-hop a quasi-spiritual undertone. On their sixth album, Vinnie Paz boasts, “Me and my seven MAC-11’s have a special bond / Same way that my Koran gives me a special calm.” Paz’s metaphorical jihad eventually wears thin, but producer Stoupe’s mountainous beats soar, particularly the rock-hard drums and Mediterranean vocals on “Monolith.” Occasionally, Paz even redeems himself, soberly indicting police brutality and the military-industrial complex.
