Between his opening verse of the classic Wu-Tang Clan song “Triumph,” his supergroup CZARFACE with 7L & Esoteric, and a prolific run of guest verses in the late ’90s, Inspectah Deck has always worked well with others. So, it makes sense that Dragon’s Breath is a collaborative affair more than anything else: Nearly all of its 19 tracks feature Deck going bar for bar with some of the best lyricists rap has to offer across various generations and spectrums of the genre. “Never Fold” pairs Deck with Wu-Tang comrade Raekwon, revered ’90s wordsmith Sauce Money, and indie great Skyzoo, who surfaced during the 2000s. A pair of women from different generations, Buffalo rapper Che Noir and Sa-Roc of Rhymesayers, deliver blistering verses on “Divine Protection.” Underground rap royalty like Ransom, RJ Payne, and KXNG Crooked also show up to pay their respects. It’s admittedly a lot of names and voices to keep up with, but producer PA Dre’s persistent, sample-driven boom-bap keeps things steady—and Deck’s rhymes are just as clever and incisive as ever.