Abstract Tribe Unique
South Central Thynk Taynk (PREORDER)

Originally released in 1998, “South Central Thynk Taynk” by Abstract Tribe Unique (Abstract Rude, Fat Jack, Zulu Butterfly Priest, Irie Lion King and DJ Drez) captured a pivotal moment in the Los Angeles underground scene – when young black artists were reinventing hip-hop from the ground up. With a blend of jazzy beats, spiritual insight and fiercely independent production, the album became an anthem to self-reliance and creative rebellion.

in 2026, Rhymesayers Entertainment is reissuing this long-unavailable classic as a deluxe 2xLP set and Digipak CD with a lyric booklet and bonus track, returning for a new generation. At the cultural center of the record is Project Blowed, a legendary L.A. crew founded by Abstract Rude and Aceyalone that spawned a series of rap innovators whose influence is still felt in global hip-hop today. While mainstream rap picked up on the West Coast G-funk boom, the Blowed crew took a different path – influenced by jazz, radical politics and Afrocentric futurism.

“South Central Thynk Taynk” is a multi-layered time capsule of this revolutionary period, combining Ab Rude’s profound lyricism with Fat Jack’s genre-bending production approach to create a poetic reflection on family, struggle and artistic purpose. This reissue features the track “L.A. Styles Back (Project Blowed Remix)” with a cross-generational lineup of heavyweights – Aceyalone, Myka 9, Medusa, Pigeon John, Blu, 2Mex, Ellay Khule, Riddlore and NGAFSH – underscoring how L.A.’s underground scene has remained a creative epicenter for decades. “South Central Thynk Taynk” is more than a cult artifact; it’s a living document of transformation, community and artistic power.