Little Brother

If North Carolina's Little Brother acts like they own the Gypsy Tea Room on Thursday, the swagger will be well-deserved. The rap trio is riding high on critical buzz, Atlantic's major label support and their DJ, 9th Wonder, who has produced hot tracks for the likes of Jay-Z and Destiny's Child. Surprisingly, this modern-day résumé is thanks to a group whose sound reaches back to the golden era vibes of Pete Rock, but when rappers Phonte and Big Pooh trade rhymes on top of 9th's production, the result is a rare case of hype substantiated. See what fans like The Roots' ?uestlove have been ranting about before LB's new disc, The Minstrel Show, drops on September 13th, and show up early for hot local rap acts like Strange Fruit Project.