Combine
Dr. Dre's fat-bottom beats and
Eazy-E's rapid mouth, then stir in a bit of
Mantronix or
Bomb the Bass' innovative style with a dash of streetwise wit that's entirely his own, and you've got
DJ Quik, a rapper/producer who practically defines "underappreciated." Only two months before
Born and Raised in Compton: The Greatest Hits hit the streets,
Quik issued the widely ignored
Greatest Hits Live at the House of Blues, an exciting release that capped off a trilogy of interesting and independent releases that everyone slept on. This collection stops at 2000's major-label
Balance & Options, and it focuses on
Quik's own vocal cuts rather than his productions for others, but it's the tightest argument yet that his name should be household. While it's a shame the
Zapp-flavored title cut from
Safe & Sound is missing, the rest of the selections are right on. Furious and sometimes filthy hits from the early days like "Born and Raised in Compton," "Jus Lyke Compton," and the wicked "Tonite" sit next to latter-day numbers like "Down, Down, Down" and "You'z a Ganxta," both of which deal in leaner funk and point to the man's 21st century output. While those who want to make a little more of a commitment to
Quik are better off finding the heftier
The Best of DJ Quik: Da Finale from 2002 -- all but two tracks from here are repeated -- this is way better than 2004's
Platinum & Gold Collection. Hopefully the world will listen this time and recognize his crucial contribution to West Coast hip-hop, which -- those in the know can tell you -- is still going strong. ~ David Jeffries