Funky Homosapien has been widely regarded as one of the most original and consistently inventive artists in rap and hip-hop. The cousin of gangsta-rap godfather Ice Cube, Del (born Teren Delvon Jones in Oakland, Calif.) has long eschewed violence in favor of humor in his rhymes, even on his Cube-produced debut. Musically, he keeps things P-Funky, soulful and even jazzy, with his fourth album, 2000s Both Sides of the Brain, adding a liberal helping of video game samples to the mix. His next proper solo effort, Eleventh Hour, was a long time coming, finally dropping in March of this year. But Del didnt exactly go into hiding during the interim; he teamed with Dan the Automator and Kid Koala for 2000s acclaimed Deltron 3030 project, and soon after made a memorable appearance on the debut Gorillaz album, delivering the rap in the middle of the hit single Clint Eastwood. Hes also recorded prolifically with his celebrated underground rap crew, the Hieroglyphics.