Artist Pigeon John

Rapper Pigeon John caught some excellent press in 2006 when LA Weekly crowned him “The Fresh Prince Of L.A.,” though that simple epithet doesn’t really do him justice: The summery grooves and easygoing rhymes on 2006’s excellent And The Summertime Pool Party share a similar “no he didn’t” sense of humor, but where Will Smith’s early parent-vexing parables run out of steam fast, John’s true-life raps go deep. Perhaps that’s why he’s bigger in the hip-hop community than his nascent popularity might suggest. Four years after Pool Party, John finally dropped the follow-up, Dragon Slayer, and has thankfully retained his ragged, goofy charm during a busy break in his solo recording career.

Updated 11/04/2010