| Dilated Peoples | |
| Origin: | Los Angeles, California, US |
| Genre: | Hip hop |
| Years Active: | 1992–2017, 2022–present |
| Spinoffs: | Step Brothers |
| Current Members: | Evidence Rakaa Iriscience DJ Babu |
Dilated Peoples is an American Los Angeles-based hip hop trio, composed of rapper and record producer Evidence, rapper Rakaa, and Beat Junkies deejay and record producer DJ Babu.[1] The group is better known in the UK, where they reached the Top 40 of the UK Singles Chart with two tracks, "This Way" and "Worst Comes to Worst".[2] Their songs were featured in the 2003 video games and NBA Street Vol. 2, as well as .
Dilated Peoples began when DJ Babu (from the DJ crew Beat Junkies), Evidence, and Rakaa joined together in 1992 and released "Third Degree" (1997) on ABB Records, developing their material in the underground hip hop community. They had previously recorded an album titled Imagery, Battle Hymns & Political Poetry (1995) that was never released, although many fans still have it on bootlegged tapes. The group eventually signed with Capitol Records[3] and released The Platform (2000).
The second album, Expansion Team, was released in 2001[4] led by the Alchemist–produced "Worst Comes to Worst," which utilized a vocal sample from Mobb Deep's "Survival of the Fittest" and a musical sample from William Bell's "I Forgot to be Your Lover". Expansion Team debuted at number 8 on the US Billboard R&B Albums chart and number 36 on the Billboard 200.[5] The group's third album, Neighborhood Watch, was released in 2004 and debuted at number 55 on the Billboard 200, selling 143,000 copies in the United States.[6] In addition to the Kanye West-produced single, "This Way," it featured the singles "Who's Who?" and "Sorry? OK", which were also included as tracks on the and SSX 3 soundtracks, and peaked at number 35 on the UK Singles Chart.[2] The fourth album, 20/20, was released in 2006; the debut single, "Back Again", was featured on the Fight Night Round 3 soundtrack. This is the third EA Games soundtrack on which the group has been featured. "Back Again" is also featured on Sony's . In 2012, they collaborated with PlatinumGames to record the track "This is Madness" for the credits of the beat-'em-up video game, Anarchy Reigns. 20/20 was the group's "farewell" album on Capitol Records, ending a four album recording contract. They also work with the underground hip hop group, Global Warning, who originated in Anaheim.
Dilated Peoples are affiliated with fellow West Coast hip hop collective the Likwit Crew. Tha Alkaholiks appeared on The Platform on the track "Right On" and Expansion Team on "Heavy Rotation". The group also collaborated frequently with west coast emcees Defari and Amad Jamal (an Urban Umpires member) and helped to launch their careers. Defari made one appearance on each Dilated Peoples' album: "Ear Drums Pop (Remix)" on The Platform; "Defari Interlude" on Expansion Team; "Closed Session" on Neighborhood Watch; and "Olde English" on 20/20. Dilated Peoples also made multiple appearances on Defari's album Odds & Evens. Another Dilated associate is their long-time producer, the Alchemist, who produced five songs on The Platform, three songs on Expansion Team, four songs on Neighborhood Watch, and two songs on 20/20. Dilated Peoples were featured on a song on the Alchemists' 1st Infantry album. Rakaa has also made guest appearances on the songs "Trance Fat" on Looptroop's album, Good Things, "Zet 't Blauw" from Dutch rapper Jerome XL's album, De laatste dag and "Memory Fades" on St. Cule's album, American Beef.
| Year | Album | Peak chart positions | Certifications | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US R&B | SWI | UK | ||||||||
| 2000 | The Platform | 74 | 30 | — | 89 | ||||||
| 2001 | Expansion Team
| 36 | 8 | — | 55 | ||||||
| 2004 | Neighborhood Watch
| 55 | 16 | 91 | 96 | ||||||
| 2006 | 20/20
| 97 | 35 | 56 | 107 | ||||||
| 2014 | Directors of Photography
| 41 | 9 | 19 | — | ||||||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart. | |||||||||||
| Year | Song | Chart positions | Album | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US R&B | US Rap | UK | |||
| 1997 | "Third Degree" (featuring Defari) | — | — | — | — | non-album single |
| 1998 | "Work the Angles" | — | — | — | — | The Platform |
| 2000 | "No Retreat" (featuring B-Real) | — | — | 42 | — | |
| "The Platform" | — | — | 22 | 89 | ||
| 2001 | "Worst Comes to Worst" (featuring Guru) | — | 84 | — | 29 | Expansion Team |
| 2002 | "Downtown" | — | — | — | — | One Big Trip |
| 2004 | "This Way" (featuring Kanye West) | 78 | 41 | 22 | 35 | Neighborhood Watch |
| "Love & War" | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2005 | "Back Again" | — | 114 | — | 98 | 20/20 |
| 2006 | "You Can't Hide, You Can't Run" | — | — | — | — | |
| 2007 | "Spit It Clearly" | — | — | — | — | The Release Party |
| 2014 | "Good As Gone" | — | — | — | — | Directors of Photography |
| "Show Me the Way" (featuring Aloe Blacc) | — | — | — | — | ||
| Title | Year | Other performer(s) | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Major League" | 1998 | Rasco, Defari | Time Waits for No Man |
| "Rework the Angles" | 1999 | Sway & King Tech | This or That |
| "Long Awaited" | Lootpack | ||
| "Thieves" | 2003 | The Alchemist, Prodigy | The Cutting Room Floor |
| "Behold My Life (Remix)" | Defari | Odds & Evens | |
| "For the Record" | 2004 | The Alchemist | 1st Infantry |
| "No Brainer" | Mr. Complex | Twisted Mister | |
| "Live from Master Control, Pt. 2" | 2005 | Da Beatminerz, Chali 2na, Wordsworth | Fully Loaded w/ Statik |
| "Clowns" | 2006 | Defari | Street Music |
| "Dilated Agents" | Planet Asia, Rasco | The Medicine | |
| "Another X-Ecution" | 2007 | Roc Raida | Beats, Cuts and Skits |
| "Co-Operation" | Strong Arm Steady | Deep Hearted | |
| "Yellow & Grey (Remix)" | 2009 | Notes to Self | A Shot In the Dark |
| "I Am (Remix)" | Bekay | Hunger Pains | |
| "Believe That" | 2010 | Amad Jamal | Barely Hanging On: The Chronicles of a Brotha Like Rodney King |
| "Three Story Building" | Copywrite | The Life and Times of Peter Nelson | |
| "Battlaxe" | 2012 | Madchild, Bishop Lamont, D-Sisive | Dope Sick |
| "Back For You" | 2014 | Statik Selektah | What Goes Around |
| "The Kingdom That Worshipped the Dead" | 2015 | Jedi Mind Tricks | The Thief and the Fallen |
| "1st (Remix)" | 2016 | Torii Wolf | |
| "Way Ahead" | Snowgoons | Goon Bap | |