Gang Starr

Gang Starr helped define the East Coast rap sound of the early '90s with its uncompromising beats, left-field samples and lyrics that disavowed materialism and thuggery. The New York duo was also instrumental in bridging bebop and hip-hop, most notably with "Jazz Thing," from Spike Lee's Mo' Better Blues soundtrack. Primal classics such as Step in the Arena and Daily Operation matched Guru's hypnotizing monoflow -- as hard, smooth and unchanging as newly poured pavement -- with DJ Premier's schizophrenic production.

The two haven't collaborated on an album of new material since 1998's Moment of Truth, but Ownerz makes it seem as if they were only gone for a minute. "Skills" is an instant classic, a brilliant combination of bubbling beats and memorable spitting. Ditto "Same Team, No Games," "Put Up or Shut Up" and the political screed "Riot Akt," which harks back to the group's Wild Pitch days.

Unfortunately, the creeping sense of ego that has hindered Gang Starr's latter-day material remains problematic. Guru has done away with much of the socially aware prose that made his vintage work so compelling. It's still disconcerting to hear him boasting about gat toting and calling out faggots, as he does on "Who Got Gunz?" Worse is "Hiney," a ninety-second waste of time that's as out of place as it is embarrassing. But even though this dual nature -- from wise owl to sexist pig -- handicaps Ownerz, the array of high-caliber material makes it a winner.