Go back to 2005-06 in yo mind. What you'll find is hip-hop hustlers still selling their new releases out of the trunks of their rides. The only online promo action is MySpace. There's no Facebook, Twitter, Reverbnation or 253hiphop.com. It was just music and grind.

These days were ruled by Jay Barz, Island Trybe and Mr. Von. - names still on top of the game. It's a testament to their brands that they are still top spitters though the game has changed.

This month we welcome back Tacoma's own "Flame-Thrower," Mr. Von. While most artists worry about staying on top of the scene, which forces them to release mixtapes and singles every few months so their popularity won't dry out, Mr. Von took a different approach. He released a legit, big-time studio album in 2005-06. This album gave Mr. Von all the big-time local shows and regional status a local MC could want.

Then Mr. Von went straight back to the lab for six years! He steadily and patiently created a top-level, very accomplished, full-length album titled This Thing of Ours. The record features guest verses from Jay Barz, Crooked I, Certified (Spokane) and Latin Rose bringing buttery heat on the hooks.

All production on the album is done by Mr. Von's in-house producer, Lajoel. This is what makes Mr. Von's album standout. Lajoel is a musically gifted producer with a third eye for detail. The music on Mr. Von's album is just that, music, as opposed to a bunch of dope beats from area producers. Mr. Von is an adept MC. He has a rapper's voice. It's not low; it's not high; it's not fast; it just sounds like a man who has been rapping his whole life and is damn good at it.

Here's what Mr. Von had to say about his project, "It's been a lifetime ago since my last album. The album title is not just a name. It's a way of life. It's a mob term for made guys. Hip-hop is our thing. We created it. We gotta rep' it right."

This Thing of Ours is available at all digital music download sites.