Dilated Peoples

Dilated Peoples, an American hip hop trio, was formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1992. The group consists of rapper and record producer Evidence, rapper Rakaa Iriscience, and Beat Junkies deejay and record producer DJ Babu. They initially developed their material within the underground hip hop community, releasing their first known track, “Third Degree,” in 1997 on ABB Records. Prior to this, they had recorded an album in 1995 titled “Imagery, Battle Hymns & Political Poetry,” which was not officially released but circulated among fans on bootlegged tapes. This early period established their foundation in the hip hop scene.

The group signed with Capitol Records and released their debut album, “The Platform,” in 2000. This was followed by “Expansion Team” in 2001, which included the Alchemist-produced track “Worst Comes to Worst.” This single helped them gain broader recognition, reaching the Top 40 of the UK Singles Chart. “Expansion Team” also performed well on the US charts, debuting at number 8 on the Billboard R&B Albums chart and number 36 on the Billboard 200. Their third album, “Neighborhood Watch,” released in 2004, featured the Kanye West-produced single “This Way,” which also charted in the UK and was included in video games like “Need for Speed: Underground” and “SSX 3.” The album debuted at number 55 on the Billboard 200, selling 143,000 copies in the United States.

Dilated Peoples continued their career with “20/20” in 2006, which marked the end of their four-album recording contract with Capitol Records. This album featured the single “Back Again,” included in the soundtracks for “Fight Night Round 3” and “MLB 06: The Show,” making it their third appearance on an EA Games soundtrack. In 2012, they contributed the track “This is Madness” to the video game “Anarchy Reigns.” They later released “Directors of Photography” in 2014 under Rhymesayers Entertainment and have been active from 1992–2017 and 2022–present, maintaining their presence in the hip hop landscape.