A long-anticipated yet under-the-radar late-2006 release,
the Cali Agents' follow-up to their excellent 2000 debut,
How the West Was One, presents more decidedly dark, East Coast-flavored production over
Rasco and
Planet Asia's West Coast flow. Despite its lack of much press,
Fire & Ice is a pretty good record, showing off the two MCs' skills on tracks like "The Science," "Bang," and the Stones Throw-esque sounding "Something New." Though California's mainstream hip-hop scene has been lacking some in the past few years, the underground has been very strong and has produced a lot of notable, important artists (
Jurassic 5,
Madlib,
Blackalicious,
Del,
Ras Kass, just to name a few), and both rappers here have had impressive solo careers. And their collaboration as
Cali Agents just shows how strong they, and the West Coast, really are. ~ Marisa Brown