Tha Liks: X.O. Experience

West Coast smart-asses originally from Columbus, Ohio, the group formerly known as Tha Alkaholiks occupies a peculiar place in hip-hop. Though defiantly underground, it's never been especially political, nor has it had much use for strident concerns like authenticity. In a culture where the streets are perpetually watching, the group went out of its way to cultivate the punk and skateboard crowd through spirited performances on the Warped Tour. But while Tha Liks' inebriated brand of good-time hip-hop won it a rabid cult following, mainstream success has largely eluded it. The trio undoubtedly hopes to change that with X.O. Experience. Tha Liks' previous three albums each contained nods to popular trends, but X.O. Experience finds the booze-loving group aiming for mainstream success with a futuristic sound ripped straight from the charts. But where Likwit Crew mate Xzibit's Restless rode slow-rolling G-funk beats to platinum success, X.O. Experience travels in the opposite direction, experimenting with the chilly, propulsive, synth-based minimalism of East Coast producers like Rockwilder, who turns up twice, along with fellow East Coasters DJ Twinz and DJ Scratch. Nowhere is Tha Liks' new, commercial direction more apparent than on X.O. Experience's first single, "Best U Can," which pairs J-Ro and Tash's irreverent flows with the stuttering, sinister production of The Neptunes, a team beginning to suffer from P. Diddy-level overexposure. But what at first sounds like a mercenary mismatch grows more infectious with each listen, with Tha Liks' snide take on strip-club sexual politics meshing surprisingly well with The Neptunes' unmistakable future-funk. Tha Liks may no longer be named directly after a debilitating addiction, but its commitment to, in its own immortal words, "Hos, Flows, And 40 Oz." remains as strong as ever. In lesser hands, such a narrow lyrical focus might grow tiresome, but the group continues to make drunken belligerence seem downright charming, thanks to smart lyrics and perfect timing. Four albums into its career, Tha Liks' hip-hop party hasn't yet let up.