Originally released in 1998, South Central Thynk Taynk by Abstract Tribe Unique (Abstract Rude, Fat Jack, Zulu Butterfly Priest, Irie Lion King, and DJ Drez.) captured a pivotal moment in Los Angeles' underground scene-when young Black artists were reimagining hip-hop from the ground up. Blending jazz-inflected beats, spiritual insight, and fiercely independent production, the album became an anthem for self-reliance and creative rebellion. Now reissued by Rhymesayers Entertainment as a deluxe 2xLP set with a lyric booklet and bonus track, this long-unavailable classic returns for a new generation.
At the cultural core of the record is Project Blowed, a legendary L.A. crew founded by Abstract Rude and Aceyalone, which birthed a lineage of rap innovators whose fingerprints are still felt in global hip-hop. While mainstream rap embraced the West Coast's G-funk boom, the Blowed crew forged an alternate path-steeped in jazz, radical politics, and Afrocentric futurism. Thynk Taynk stands as a richly layered time capsule from this revolutionary moment, pairing Ab Rude's deep lyricism with Fat Jack's genre-melding approach to production, creating a poetic reflection on family, struggle, and artistic purpose.
This new edition includes the "L.A. Styles Back (Project Blowed Remix)" featuring a cross-generational lineup of heavy-weights-Aceyalone, Myka 9, Medusa, Pigeon John, Blu, 2Mex, Ellay Khule, Riddlore, and NGAFSH-underscoring how L.A.'s underground has remained a creative epicenter for decades. South Central Thynk Taynk is more than a cult artifact; it's a living document of transformation, community, and artistic power.
1. Explanation
2. Hits Like Hank
3. Renaissance (While We...)
4. Them That's Got
5. Through These Streets
6. A.T.U. Is In The House Tonight
7. L.A. Styles Back
8. Mass Men Baby
9. No Regrets
10. Front Row
11. Just Like Akira
12. They Ryde
13. Showgun
14. Why Oh Why?
15. L.A. Styles Back (Project Blowed Remix)
