A longstanding group repping for Atlanta and Lexington, Ky., CunninLynguists first appeared in 2001 with their debut album, Will Rap for Food. Southernunderground dropped two years later, but it was their third LP, 2006's A Piece of Strange, that really blew them up, leading to major-league tours and serious critical acclaim. Backed by Kno's exceptional, sample-friendly production, dual emcees Natti and Deacon the Villain unleash a torrent of highly lyrical storytelling, with intelligent verses about various aspects of life. Strange Journey Volume 3 is their sixth album; it finds them collaborating with a wide range of artists, including Del the Funky Homosapien ("Strange Universe"), Celph Titled & Apathy ("Hot"), and Masta Ace and former member Mr. SOS ("The Format"), plus other indie rap icons like Aesop Rock, Murs, Blu, Zumbi, J Live, and Tonedeff. Another rock-solid release from one of hip-hop's most consistent groups.