Planet F.L.O.

Planet Asia's name might summon the vision of some imaginary '80s album-rock band, but in fact it's the nom-de-rap of Jason Green, a roughneck West Coast indie-rapper who spits his rhymes contemptuously like a young Xzibit or Rass Kass over beats that sound less vintage G-Funk than East Coast head-knock, something Sean Price or Heltah Skeltah could growl some pretty mean threats over. Lyrically, Asia isn't wasting time fretting the mortgage crisis or telling us to "take it back to '88"; like a few other rappers, it turns out he likes weed and women and hates wack rappers and fake gangstas. He and his constant compatriot F.L.O. laces every beat, and "Take Money" makes you almost feel like you're wearing a hoodie and Timbos.