As the name suggests D.U.Nx.G. (D.U. Next Generation) is what happens when the next generation gets the opportunity to write a new chapter in a band’s already long history and also the sound of a new hip-hop supergroup keeping a legacy alive. As one-time D.U. member Tupac once said, “You either evolve or become irrelevant,” and this is the sound of Digital Underground’s evolution in action and the perfect title for their latest release.
Fronted by the son of original D.U. member Jimi “Chopmaster J” Dright, Evolution blends slow and sassy hip-hop vibes and funky grooves, spaciousness and psychedelic boundary-pushing. The result is the sound of a band that knows where it has come from but is fully focused on where it is going.
Trippy, cosmic and relaxed but also addictive and full of sonic delights, Evolution not only puts this new version of the band on the map but reminds us that they never really went away.
