RIP Richard Pryor. The greatest of all time. I'll never forget the first time I went to a drive-in movie; it was R-rated, and I was 8 or so. My moms had snuck me in, ducked under a cover in the backseat, just so I could see Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling. Do the knowledge—check Pryor's flicks, his performances, and his albums. As far as comedy goes, he's peerless in my mind—not just because the dude was funny, but because he understood so well the root of comedy: pain, the pain all people share. Cliché maybe, but what's left but to yuk it up?

KBCS Zulu Radio DJ WD4D recently released his debut album, Some Assembly Required. On it, you can sample his kinetic cuts and scratches, as well as the quirky, murky underground funk of his production. Some of the MCs fail to stand out here, but a couple of Assembly's highlights include "Kinda Like" with Awol One and Existereo of the Shapeshifters and "80 Proof" with Of Mexican Descent's Xololanxinco. If those names mean nothing to you, then the Jansport-centric vibe going on with this disc might put you off. Otherwise, next time you're up in Respect Records, check it out. On the opposite side of the spectrum—Storyteller, the new CD from Eastside MC Yuns. I'll be real, I was mad apprehensive of what to expect from the man apparently dubbed "the Dave Matthews of hiphop." Storyteller is a slickly produced affair, with an abundance of smooth R&B hooks and a distinctly Everlast-esque twang-hop style. In other words, not my cup of tea. While I appreciate Yuns's positive outlook and his populist bent, the music itself is a li'l bit too Wyclef/BEP rap-lite for my tastes. The faux-country twang he sometimes drops strikes me as a little disingenuous, too; but I'm sure plenty of people will respond to Storyteller's radio-ready flavor.

Down at El Corazón, you can catch the diminutive Houston original Bushwick Bill of the almighty Geto Boys, on December 24. The "Love and Hate Tour" also features Fysion with Tilo—who apparently fronts Tommy Lee's rap-rock project, Methods of Mayhem—Kurupt's li'l bro Roscoe, and Phoenix, Arizona's Woodpile (whose music is described on their website as "aggravated circus lounge trunk funk"). Opening up this unique lineup will be Unexpected Arrival.

Mirabeau Room has a new Friday-night weekly called Holla-Back! featuring the Technics techniques of Vitamin D and Rocafella. Speaking of Mr. D, Vitamin's Power Bill monthly is at the War Room on December 28... and did you see Vita, H-Bomb, and Maniac Tubman killing it at the Blue Scholars' CD release? Serious—how about a three-the-hard-way record from y'all?

Lastly: D4L's "Laffy Taffy" sucks. The group's ads proclaim "Don't front... you know you love it," and a nation of pink T-shirt wearers and hipsters would probably agree. But get it right. While it's not the worst song of the year (that would be "My Humps"), goddamn if it ain't a contender. Jesus—kids these days.

hiphop@thestranger.com