Philadelphia hip-hop duo, Jedi Mind Tricks, return to form with a new record, The Thief and the Fallen, featuring a reunion with producer Stoupe the Enemy of Mankind, and a stop in SF on Tuesday.

Since 1993, the saga of Jedi Mind Tricks has been a revolving cast based around rapper Vinnie Paz and producer Stoupe. In 1997, DJ Kwestion joined the group, and in 1999 they added a second rapper, Jus Allah, to the mix and released Violent By Design. Shortly after, Jedi Mind Tricks signed with Babygrande Records, which led to an amicable split with Jus Allah, who distanced himself from the Philadelphia hip-hop scene for almost three years. They went on to release Visions of Ghandi, featuring a slew of artists from Canibus to Kool G Rap to Ras Kass, and in 2004 released Legacy of Blood, featuring affiliates GZA and Killah Priest of the Wu-Tang Clan.

Their fifth album, Servants in Heaven, Kings in Hell, received high acclaim due to a diversifying sound and kicked off their tour in Times Square. In 2007, Jus Allah reunited with the group and released their last album on Babygrande Records, A History of Violence, and in 2011 the group released Violence Begets Violence, their first record without producer Stoupe the Enemy of Mankind, who departed due to a lack of inspiration.

Four years later, Stoupe and Vinnie Paz reconciled for perhaps their most well rounded effort, The Theif and the Fallen. Featuring collaborations with LA’s Dilated Peoples on the track “The Kingdom that Worshipped the Dead”, Lawrence Arnell on the impassioned tune “Rival the Eminent” and New York R&B singer, Eamon, on the powerful ballad “Fraudulent Cloth.” Their eighth album also features incredible illustrations by Andrew Haines.

Catch them live at the Independent on Tuesday, June 16^th.

• Tag: Jedi Mind Tricks, Stoupe the Enemy of Mankind, The Independent, The Thief and the Fallen, Vinnie Paz