Philthy Rich

Oakland rapper Philthy Rich may be more known for his run-ins with the law than for his music. He's been arrested for possession of coke, possession of an illegal weapon and possession of a stolen Bentley. He was even hospitalized after getting shot three times. Interestingly, his latest album is called Kill Zone and comes in a first-person-shooter videogame-style sleeve. His music, however, is worth noting because it couldn't have been made anywhere but around here, with traces of that old Bay Area hyphy scene interwoven with a bit of the current West Coast laid-back sound.