Rapping With the Band

Rakim's deft delivery ranks him among the finest MCs in history, but Ghostface has established his own hall-of-fame credentials. Like fine Scotch, the Wu-Tang Clan member has improved with age. Last year's Fish­scale was one of the finest albums in any genre, full of richly detailed sketches and twisting scenarios offered in his cold, lean flow.

"He's a full man," Ali says. "In his music, he's a complete man. He's not just a tough guy, not just a cool guy, not just the thug, not just the right­eous dude. He's a family man. He's all that. He's just here being his own person in music. And in hip-hop, that's really rare."

With his second full-length, The Undisputed Truth, Ali has served notice that he's no slouch himself. The beefy albino's forceful, forthright raps blend candid self-reflection and a fierce sense of honor.

Though Ali isn't in his tourmates' class yet, he has promise, and he makes a fitting contribution to a triple bill with cross-generational appeal. With ring tones now charted like record sales, rappers will have to adapt to survive. Rap tours have never been particularly profitable or appealing, but this past summer's Rock the Bells tour and this week's Hip-Hop Live suggest a new package that may not only prove financially rewarding to artists but also help revitalize the genre.