There's a lot going on in the Humble Beast camp at the moment. Alert is working on a new album, Braille is set to drop Native Lungs at the end of August, and Theory Hazit is preparing for his album Thr3e sometime before 2011 is over. In the meantime, Theory recently worked on a short EP that would be a throwback to the days of the b-boy. Guys like Theory are still dedicated to the authenticity of hip hop, and his short, fourteen-minute mixtape, The Rock Is Steady, is one that heads can really get into.

Theory Hazit is a heck of a producer. His beats for this mixtape are terrific, and they will catch the attention of anyone who finds themselves attracted to old school hip hop. There's even some funk influence mixed in. DJ Fliprock took control of the cuts and mixing, and made the entire mixtape flow perfectly. Some of the scratches are insane, such as the way he mixes scratches and samples in the beginning of "The Champ." The two working together was a winning combination for The Rock Is Steady. In addition, Theory has some skill when it comes to rapping. His flows are excellent, without ever sounding like anything is forced; message or style, it's all natural. He flexes his stuff, but also naturally spits about Jesus in there too. He's one of the best in the game today. You can also hear a tight verse from Wonder Brown in "The Goodfoot." If you're not familiar with his material, do yourself a favor and check it out.

My only complaint with The Rock Is Steady is that it's so short. At the same time, in just fourteen minutes, Theory and Fliprock make themselves known as incredible and true hip hop artists. I highly recommend this for ears that feel like hip hop isn't as good as it used to be (as far as what's in mainstream), or those who want something new to rock to. It also makes for good dancing music. It's free on the Humble Beast website, so what are you waiting for?

- Review date: 8/3/11, written by Scott Fryberger of Jesusfreakhideout.com

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Record Label: Humble Beast
Album length: 7 tracks: 13 minutes, 50 seconds
Street Date: August 2, 2011
Buy It: HumbleBeast.com

1. Intro
2. Subway Theme
3. Same Team Suckas (Flashback)
4. The Goodfoot (ft. Wonder Brown)
5. The Champ
6. Boombaptism (Recap)
7. Element Freestyle