"Bring the ruckus and the pain to these fuckas

where we rearrange the game

and the rain drops by buckets…"

That's from "Welcome to Seattle," the foot-stomping 206 anthem from NW juggernauts Boom Bap Project--to be found on their upcoming Rhymesayers album, Reprogram, and their spankin' new mixtape, expertly blended by their own DJ Scene (heard of him?). For the uninitiated: BBP dropped their Circumstance Dictates EP in '01 to great acclaim; they then proceeded to rock shows relentlessly throughout Seattle and damn near everywhere else, most notably performing for 13,000 heads at the '02 Winter Olympics. I recently sat down with Boom Bap's bellicose butcher Karim Panni (AKA Nightclubber Lang).

"I would've loved to have dropped this album a year ago, but really, it's gonna drop at the best possible time now," he tells me. True enough, as the disc is not only laced by the "right-up-to-your-face-and-diss-you" stylings of Karim and Destro, but by certified heaters from in-demand producers Jake One, Vitamin D, and Bean One.

"Cats are payin' out the ass for a Jake beat, and we got like 12 of 'em," he laughs. "Even if cats wanna say we're wack, they're gonna have to check us just for the beats."

"Wack" is not the apt adjective when talking about Seattle's premier hiphop group, however--as no less a personage than KRS-One could attest. Honored to have rocked four NW dates with the Teacher, Karim says they made quite an impression on him.

"His man was tellin' me, 'KRS is really feelin' you guys, he wants to know where you got your name,'" Panni deadpans, "and I was like, 'Man, where do you think?'" (KRS' masterful 1993 album, Return of the Boom Bap, of course). Drawing inspiration from hiphop's architects, and not deviating from their formula of rugged beats and aggressive, straight-no-chaser lyricism, Boom Bap continue to rep for Seatown in a real way--the right way.

Yo, if you wanna check the video for Grayskul's "Prom Quiz," hit up www.oldominion.net/promquizvideo.html. It's seriously ill, as in sick in the head--and once you're done, to paraphrase the late ODB, "Go cop the album, 'cause it's bangin'!"

DJ Sean Malik is presenting a show March 24 at the Rainbow featuring Jace & Blak (AKA the Silent Lambs Project), alongside NW RBG reps dRED I and Twin G of Street Level Records supergroup Lac of Respect. This is a rare mix of the revolutionary--crunk and gangsta--so come grab cheap drinks and check out some of your town's hiphop, damn it. Speaking of locals, slide over to the Vera Project to see Beyond Reality (whose upcoming album is about to be crazy), Sportn' Life's young spitfire Damian Black, John Tsunam, and some group called Cancer Rising--all on March 25, and all ages. See ya there.

Wow… did Fat Joe and Jadakiss roast 50 or what? Now can we get some albums from these two as hot as their disses? I'm definitely fiending for Joey's album… say it with me now… CRACK!

hiphop@thestranger.com