The gift of gab is a powerful thing, especially if you happen to be a hip hop group. For US hip hop outfit Blackalicious the gift comes twofold: both in the flesh with lyricist Gift of Gab and also in the rhymes they lay down. Their lyrics tackle a wide range of issues, but what shines through in the words on their new album Blazing Arrow is an inspirational forward thinking message that just reflects life as what it is. Tracks like Feel that Way really sum up this vibe.

“Nia [their previous album] was about finding purpose,” says Gab. “Blazing Arrow is about conviction and faith and being able to walk a path and make that purpose manifest itself, having the strength to endure that path. Nia was forethought and Blazing Arrow is action, it’s an arrow in flight.”

What gives the album its authenticity - apart from the tight rhyming and diabolical beats - is the honesty and reality of the tunes; things that everyday people can relate to. Be it tougher battle styles or smoother more melodic funky numbers, Blackalicious span the lot.

“The rhymes I write are based upon my experience and where I’m at in my life, how I feel in life, where I would like to see my life go, and where I would like to see life in general go. I don’t really plan it out; it’s just the person that I happen to be. I just try to be who I am and be sincere and speak from the heart.”

“The balance is just like life. You can wake up early in the morning. You can be happy. You can talk to somebody you ain’t talked to in a long time - you can be introspective. Then something might happen that’ll make you mad. Then something might happen that’ll make you sad. Then something might happen that’ll make you happy. A lot of the writing is just based on where I am mentally and where the music takes me.”

The production and beats that back Gab’s lyrical prowess come courtesy of Chief Xcel’s - the studio wizard that forms the other half of Blackalicious. The Chief’s talents have seen him work with the likes of Latyrx, as well as providing musical inspiration and framework for Gab’s rhymes.

“I’m 100% the lyrics and [Chief Xcel] is 100% the music – a master chef never gives away his recipes,” laughs gab when quizzed on where the Chief sources his samples.

Blazing Arrow is definitely an evolution of the sound that the lads pushed with Nia, especially musically; something that Gab says was helped along by the diverse artists that they collaborated with. Everyone from Zack De Lad Rocha (Rage Against the Machine) to Cut Chemist (J5) to Ben Harper ventured into the Blackalicious studio.

“It definitely helped our sound to grow. One of the best ways you can grow as an artist is to work with other people – seeing other people’s processes and feeding off other peoples energy – I kind of equate it with travelling. You go out and you travel to somewhere you’ve never been and you feed off that energy and when you come back home you feel like you’ve grown as a person.”

“I believe that’s it’s all just music, it all comes from the same place and that’s the spirit.”

Blazing Arrow is out now. More guff @ www.blackalicious.com.