The concept album has a long history in rock & roll , with the Who's Tommy being by far the most successful (by virtue of its turns on the big screen and Broadway, respectively). Hip-hop has had a few interesting (Kool Keith's Sex Style ) and not-so-interesting (RZA's Bobby Digital in Stereo ) goes at the form, but not until Prince Paul's A Prince Among Thieves has the genre had a true epic of its own to claim. The album, a cynical story of two friends that turn into rivals over a record deal, is solid on every level, with a full story, great music, and a strong cast. The disc is populated by a bevy of characters, many played by solid veterans--Chris Rock and De La Soul as junkies, Everlast as a crooked cop, Biz Markie and Special Ed as enforcers for Chubb Rock's gangsta don, and Big Daddy Kane as a pimp--but features a pair of talented newcomers (Sha and Breeze) as the leads. Sha and Breeze are dynamic, and they show up some of the bigger stars here--though only a couple of the characters disappoint (most surprising of which is Kool Keith's Crazy Lou). Ultimately, it's a hell of a record, with Breeze, Chubb Rock, Big Daddy Kane, Heroine, De La Soul, Xzibit, Brand Nubian's Sadat X, and Kid Creole taking best advantage of the killer tracks Paul serves up for them. --Randy Silver

CD 1
01 - Tariq's Dilemma
02 - Pain
03 - How It All Started
04 - Steady Slobbin'
05 - Just Another Day
06 - What U Got
07 - The Hustles On
08 - MC Hustler
09 - The Call
10 - The Other Line
11 - Crazy Lou's Hideout
12 - Weapon World
13 - My Big Chance
14 - War Party
15 - Count Macula
16 - Macula's Theory
17 - Mr. Large
18 - Can You Handle It
19 - Put The Next Man On
20 - I Was In
21 - My First Day
22 - More Than U Know
23 - Room 69
24 - Mood For Love
25 - The Bust
26 - The Men in Blue
27 - Central Booking
28 - Handle Your Time
29 - The Rev
30 - Sermon
31 - Showdown
32 - You Got Shot
33 - Every Beginning Must Have An Ending
34 - The New Joint (DJ's Delight)
35 - A Prince Among Thieves