Gift of Gab made his name as the technically adept MC in the vaunted underground rap duo Blackalicious, in partnership with producer/DJ Chief Xcel. Celebrated for his expert flow, he was also an impressive lyricist, capable of working complex, multi-layered science fiction themes into his raps without losing sight of the importance of relatable street-level themes. His work with Blackalicious can be appreciated on their excellent 2002 album Blazing Arrow, while the cream of his solo career appeared on the albums Escape 2 Mars (2009) and The Next Logical Progression (2012).