After early appearances on records from 3rd Base and Del the Funky Homosapien, New York emcee Kurious dropped his debut album, A Constipated Monkey, in 1994. Produced largely by The Beatnuts and V.I.C., it was an undeniable classic, sporting the choice singles "Uptown Sh*t," "Walk Like a Duck," and "I'm Kurious." And then like that, he was gone. Years passed before we heard from him again, returning on MF DOOM's landmark Operation: Doomsday in 1999. Post-millennium, he popped up on a few more DOOM projects and finally released this long-awaited follow-up in 2009. Unlike his first album, which was primarily concerned with nonstop partying (with beats to match), II showcases a mature, grown-man Kurious. He rhymes extensively about his family and reminisces about the old days, over production (from V.I.C., Hi-Tek, Dame Grease, and Sosa) that's decidedly mellower, interspersed with R&B hooks, and more low-key all around. While lacking the energy and rambunctiousness of his debut, it's a solid effort from a slept-on rapper who was M.I.A. for way too long. Check out "Sittin' in My Car," "Drinks in the Air," and "Back up from Under."