You have to hand it to Edo G. Most rappers of his generation – the 1980′s – no longer have careers. Hell, most rappers from the 1990′s are even having problems remaining relevant in the new millenium. Thankfully for Edo, he’s always found new ways to reinvent himself. Over the past few years, we’ve seen him strategically align himself with the masters of his era, from Pete Rock to DJ Premier to Masta Ace, keeping real hip-hop alive. So what does the aging “kid from the ghetto” do next? He wisely picks two of the hottest up and coming emcees in his own backyard, and creates a super-group.

Slaine and Jaysaun might not be familiar to many outside of Boston as of yet, but once heads hear the Special Teamz debut, Stereotypez, that could very well change. Slaine is a local hero in Boston, many times named the best local hip-hop artist by the city, and also doubles as a member of the Soul Assassins super-group, La Coka Nostra. Jaysaun is an incredibly dope – and slept on – emcee that has also been putting it down for years in the Boston scene, as a member of The Kreators.

Of course, it took a damn Preemo track to get heads to pay attention, and that’s just what happened when the crew dropped their “Main Event” 12inch (also included here) last October. Over a classic, sparse beat by the Gang Starr super-producer, each of three members of Special Teamz competed for the best verse, making it one of the best indie singles of last year. Interest sparked in the group, and eventually Buckshot and his Duck Down label stepped in, and signed the group for the release of Stereotypez.

The album takes a somewhat formulaic approach to accommodate each emcee, so much of the album follows the trend of one verse from each member, separated by hooks. It might sound boring on paper, thanks to some hardcore boom bap beats, coupled with the fact that these cats can actually rhyme, it works most of the time. “Get Down” starts things off, as the ceremonial horns blow and DJ Jayceeoh cuts up samples from James Brown and Pharrell, as the three dish it out to wack emcees and fake motherfuckers. “Classical”, produced by DJ Shocca, has an almost 9 th Wonder feel to it, as Slaine and Edo trade train-of-thought verses, but which have little to do with another. “Long Time Comin” is another sparse beat, this time produced by Xplicit, filled in by three dope verses by each member, plus hooks by Devin The Dude.

Things get a bit more interesting when guests step in, however. The all-star packed “Boston To Bucktown” pretty much keeps with the lo-fi feel of the rest of the album, as Pete Rock slides the crew a late-night beat, and Buckshot and Sean Price join in the fray. The overcrowded “Home 2″ is the sequel to the original 2000-something posse cut, as Special Teamz, Akrobatik and a few unknowns speak their minds about Beantown, but seems to never end during it’s five-minute tenure. Regardless of the guests, the songs still stick to the same formula of verses and hooks.

Thankfully, the crew realizes this and does make some conceptual tracks to help break up the monotony. The first of these is the excellent “Stereotypez” title track, where the multi-ethic crew sarcastically spews out every humorous prejudice defined, sounding as if they were reading their lyrics from Ego Trip’s Big Book Of Racism. This is countered later in the album on “Race Riot”, where each of the three emcees recount memories of racism in their lives, but discovered how hip-hop has brought the different races of the group – and of the fans – together. “Dollar Bill” doesn’t fare quite as well, as the concept last explored on Apathy’s “The Buck Stops Here” – that is, life from the perspective of a one-dollar bill – as Ill Bill’s droning hook drags this already tired idea out. “Pushaman”, on the other hand, is a more refreshing look at an overdone concept, as Jaysaun and Slaine seem to speak from real experience as dealers, but do it with such lyrical finesse that old sounds new again. The only real certified stinker here is “Gun In My Hand” (feat. Hatebreed), which is destined to go to mash-up hell with just about every other rock-rap collaboration recorded in the last twenty years.

With hit and miss results, for the most part we get a pretty solid album with Stereotypez. Its strengths lie in its dynamic lyricism, but sometimes those gems get lost amongst bland production. Another potential problem with the record is that it only gives you a taste of each emcee’s personality. We known Edo for years, but the official introduction of Slaine and Jaysaun on this record reveals two very interesting personalities, worth exploring more on solo projects. With only one verse from each emcee per song, their compelling content is the album’s gift and curse.

Edo might not be the most dynamic lyricist of this – or any – era, but he’s got an ear for talent, and these two emcees are some of the best rappers you’ve never heard of. So positioning himself next two new talents helps keep Edo in the game for perhaps another decade. Slaine and Jaysaun steal the show every time however, definitely making this a case of the students killing the teacher. – D.T. Swinga