Underground fixture, 2002 Scribble Jam champion, and Kansas City representative, Mac Lethal has been grinding away since the millennial indie-rap heyday, bombarding fans over the years with a steady stream of mostly self-produced albums and mixtapes on labels like Rhymesayers (home to likeminded acts Atmosphere and P.O.S.), Strange Famous (Sage Francis), and his own company Black Clover Records. Like his fellow white Midwestern MCs, he flexes a high-pitched, super-lyrical, extremely dense rhyme style, with no shortage of intellectual references, sarcastic humor, and occasional abstract tendencies. More a mixtape than a proper album, Blood In the Water finds him cutting loose over old and familiar beats (from sources like Jay-Z, Kris Kross, and even Blackstreet) as well as his own unique production. His cult-like fanbase will love every minute of this, but even if you're not up on the Mac, this is funky and accessible enough to win over new followers. Check out "Chub In the Water" and "Bird Feeder."