Posted on 05/27/2008
Hip-hop is in the midst of a shift that’s bigger than a record deal, units sold, or the next cyclical redundant magazine cover story. Just like any other movement, it’s being ignited by the youth. With the constant struggle to bridge the gap between hip-hop’s generations, dynamic groups like Inverse, comprised of Tunji and Toby, make the new school’s perspective easier to understand.

Releasing a compilation of old and new works, So Far (the Collection) is a diverse collage that only amplifies the perception that: 1.The California hip-hop scene has more to offer than the traditional lanes of music and 2. On a bigger scale, all up-and-coming artists aren’t going to fall in line with the over-used formulaic sex added to money multiplied by glorification equals the quick buck. With all original works, Tunji & Toby talk about nothing more than what they know. That ideology is coming back with progressive artists like Little Brother and Kanye West who have successfully mainstreamed that message and opened the door for other emcees to be confident to speak on their experiences, which makes for good music that connects on a broader spectrum.

The main factor that stands out about Tunji and Toby is that their music is complete. They are composing music that has a beginning, a middle, and an end, which is why most of their tracks surpass the standard three minute and thirty second limit; this allows the listener to get into and absorb the sound before it’s onto the next record. "Look Around" summarizes the beauty in the struggle that this “generation next” has been left to handle with at times mediocre guidance: “Hearts broke from the pain I felt, been through a lot of shit but became myself through it, made music to sustain my health, only respect that I expected was the same I dealt.” This may be one of the issues that has been a factor in hip-hop’s generational discourse. It’s not so much that the new school is asking for an easy way in, just the same respect that they have given. Inverse has come this far already, and they’ve earning the right to be respected, and to demand it.

- Dale Coachman