Finding purpose in many Hip-Hop albums today is a lot like finding purpose in much of primetime television. Now, don’t front like there is some kind of substantial gain from zoning out to sitcoms and trashed-out “news” programs. And don’t even try to front like you can sit through every Hip-Hop full length released in the last month and leave satisfied that your desire for something “real” has been fulfilled, because in the end, what does it leave you with?

Sure, different albums provide different satisfaction. Jay-Z or Dr. Dre will let you fantasize about the life of a cool, careless gangster, and Juvenile might assist in bouncing someone’s week along better, while Ghostface Killah might get you in that New York state of mind, ready to beat down that school-yard bully you’ve always dodged. But when you start to boil the elements of an album down, how does it serve us as a people? This isn’t a commercial vs. underground discussion, but merely a question of an honest to goodness purpose behind the artist’s album. Blackalicious calls it Nia, in 18 joints or less.

This serves as the duo’s actual first album, although heads have been stewing (in a serious way) for 6 or so years now on the work Gift of Gab and Chief Xcel’s have done together. 94′s Melodica EP brought the Bay Area residents to the forefront and last year’s A to G EP just reminded them that, if anything, these two know their purpose in Hip-Hop. While too much anticipation can lead to excessively high-expectations, the duo preserver and deliver a emotionally textured delight that actually seems to know it’s purpose and that going beyond a simple bump in the trunk or nod of the head.

But, what may or may not be a burden on the LP’s shoulders is the extent of its purpose. Tracks like “As The World Turns” and the rich “Shallow Days” lend the less witnessed hand of humble understanding in Hip-Hop, while “The Fabulous Ones” and “Trouble (Eve Of Destruction)” reinforce the signature sound that Quannum is known for. The crew takes chances that others have seemingly abandoned within the intensive grooves of the interesting narrative “Cliff Hanger” and “Ego Trip” (featuring world renown poet Nikki Giovanni). While Gab and Xcel put their asses on the line here, weighed against the chart toppers and club stompers, could the duo do it up? “Beyonder” bumps with the likeness of a bar room banger accompanied by Gab’s intricate wordplay. Same with “You Didn’t Know That Though”, (although that “yo, yo, yo, yo” background vocal kinda makes it feel like an old Listerine commercial.)

Gift Of Gab and Chief Xcel find a purpose in this album, whether they know it or not. That being creative is still what Hip-Hop boils down to. Their willingness to try new things or even tweek old favorites raises them above most artists today. Their understanding for the fundamentals of Hip-Hop both musically and lyrically mesh with the tightness of a De La Soul (minus two emcees), actually leaving the listener with a feeling of completion when the project is finished. Overall Nia is a beautiful body of work, and a success on many levels.