An underground veteran who’s been rocking it since the late ‘90s, Braille got his start with the Portland, Ore.-based crew Lightheaded before launching a successful indie solo career that includes extensive international touring (he even hit the road with James Brown) and a thorough discography on his own label, Humble Beast. Native Lungs is his seventh solo album and possibly his best yet, bolstered by outstanding production from S1, Evidence, DJ Official, Xperiment, DaveNotti, and others. Lyrically, he shares his soul on almost every track, with highly personal songs reflecting on numerous struggles (divorce, health issues) and joys (his daughter, his faith, his love for hip-hop), but he sounds hungrier and more intense than ever. Guests include heavy hitters like Rob Swift, DJ Revolution, and his old-school homie Ohmega Watts. It’s far from club rap but still funky, and positive without being corny. Check out "Too Many Tomorrows," "Death in Me," "The New Raw," and "48 Prisons."