I heard hip-hop was hip, but when I tuned in to Kiss all I got was whack R'n'B... what the fuck is that about? Thank LL Cool J's funky jams for this, then, the latest single from alternative hip-hoppers supreme, Non Prophets.

The names Sage Francis and Joe Beats will mean diddly squat to those suckers buying into Kanye-fucking-West* on commercial radio, but I'm gonna assume you, the DiS reader, is somewhat more clued-up. Therefore, it'll come as little surprise to you to hear Sage dropping a line about requesting Minor Threat songs at Fugazi shows. Lyrically, 'Damage' is aggressive to the point where a single release seems a dodgy decision - there are better, easier-on-the-ear tracks on their album of last year, 'Hope' - but it's backed with a decent remix featuring Brother Ali and Slug ('Doomage') that ups the rhyming stakes considerably, as well as a Joe Beats solo effort, 'My Girl Was A Groupie'. You don't need me to explain the subject matter there, right? Let's just say you'll never look at Lenny Kravitz in the same way again. It makes for a light-hearted and somewhat comical conclusion to a decent 12" purchase, and a great introduction to one of the decade's finest hip-hop pairings.

*Not that he's shit, but that 'Jesus Walks' song...? Come _on_, that is BAD.