Onyx Cold Case Files, Vol. 1 [PA]

The sixth album for this seminal New York outfit is steeped in minimalist street grit, cementing their status as co-conspirators--along with the likes of the Wu-Tang Clan--of their city's return to hip-hop glory in the early '90s. COLD CASE is primarily Sticky Fingaz and Fredro Starr's show, the former's recent emergence as a movie star doing little to damage his street cred. What's appealing here is a move away from romanticizing the accessorizing of thug life. Instead there's a return to pure gangsta poetry and unapologetic parables of street life. While a cameo on "Evil Streets" from Method Man may yet convince skeptics of Onyx's continued relevance, it's the group's self-contained fury on cuts like "O.N.Y.X." that speaks volumes--even while the production remains expertly creepy and low-key.

• Format: CD
• Genre: R&B