Aceyalone

While Death Row Records was locking down West Coast rap in the ’90s, Aceyalone was quietly building an underground empire. As a co-founder of the Los Angeles-based Project Blowed, a record label and workshop dedicated to the fundamentals of hip-hop, he has contributed his scholarly brand of lyricism to a number of projects. Best known for his work with Abstract Rude (the A-Team, Haiku D’Etat) and Freestyle Fellowship, he recently joined forces with superproducer RJD2 for Magnificent City. None of his previous counterparts will be at his side during the Storm Tour, but Acey isn’t coming empty-handed. The Procussions, Wrekonize and Mayday complete what might be one of the best hip-hop lineups of the summer. <