Dilated Peoples

Dilated Peoples are an American hip hop trio from Los Angeles, formed in the mid-1990s and made up of MCs Evidence and Rakaa Iriscience alongside DJ Babu, a member of the Beat Junkies turntablist crew. Emerging from the West Coast underground alongside acts like Jurassic 5 and Living Legends, the group built a reputation on lyrical density, socially conscious themes, and a sound rooted in classic boom-bap production, scratched hooks, and live DJ showcases.

Their debut album The Platform (2000) established them as critical favorites, and the follow-up Expansion Team (2001), produced largely with The Alchemist, deepened their standing in underground hip hop. The group reached its widest commercial audience with Neighborhood Watch (2004), whose single «This Way» featuring Kanye West and John Legend became their signature crossover hit.

Dilated Peoples continued releasing music through the 2000s and 2010s, including 20/20 (2006) and Directors of Photography (2014), while Evidence and Rakaa also built respected solo careers. The group remains a touring act and a reference point for turntablism-driven, lyric-forward West Coast hip hop.