"P.U.T.S. a San Francisco Treat" actually L.A., but that sounds better.

I walked into my favorite record store in Lincoln and heard something beautiful. The sound of good hip-hop that I never heard before. Not only was it good, but when something moves you on the first listen you know it will be a classic.

What I was hearing was the 9th track on this album "San Francisco Knights" I had to own a copy of this song, so I asked for a 12". I was told there wasn't one, I had to buy the whole album if I wanted it. I am normally not a person who buys an album based on one song. I spend to much money on music to waste it on 12 or 15 tracks I don't listen to. But this was different, I had to take a chance. I broke down and spent $18 on the double LP.

When I listened at home I was not let down...what a great album, with so many great beats. I could go through this album track by track for all 16 songs, but since you probably won't read that I'll just focus on the highlights, and maybe one or two lowlights.

The People Under the Stairs are a different type of hip-hop group. Lyrically they are great, but aren't the type of group I would normally like. The subjects most covered on this album are drinking, smoking and partying. That's all fine, in fact I really like the fact that a lot of hip-hop is about just having fun, but I think it can be more than that and have a message or say something somewhat profound. This album doesn't have much of a positive message, which is my only problem with it.

Despite that last fact, P.U.T.S. has actually put together a very creative album. Although, the songs are about partying, drinking and even doing a few illegal things, the group brings it down to the level of the average fan. A great example is the song "Mid-City Fiesta." As you listen, you can almost watch a movie of the duo hitting the town on a warm San Francisco Night or a summer night in L.A.

Now, on to the best thing about this album, the beats. The groups DJ/MC Double K has put together some phenomenal beats, mixing a few classic hip-hop sounds with rare, super funky gems from his crates. The title track "The Next Step" is a perfect example of this. P.U.T.S. also manages to work some interesting voice samples into the album. On "San Francisco Knights" and the last track "Play it Again" the group mixes those phrases in with funky bass lines underneath.

Another plus for this album, for all the underground hip-hop fans, is that it is one of those rare albums that can serve as a transition album for your friends who listen to pop hip-hop. A lot of people dismiss a lot of underground hip-hop as "weak" because it doesn't talk about shooting someone or treating your woman like garbage, or it is too political. This album is somewhere between the two extremes, and I have actually used this album to get some of my friends to start giving some records a chance even though they are not what everyone talks about and aren't on MTV and BET everyday.

So, if you don't have it, go out and pick up a copy. It's worth it. Almost a year after I first picked it up "San Francisco Knights" is still one of my favorite hip-hop songs and each time I listen to the album I hear something new.