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