SOUTH SOUND HIP-HOP FROM SOMEONE WHO KNOWS IT >>>

He's back.

Only one MC from Tacoma has gotten big enough to where those two words mean anything. Not that he ever left us.

The MC I speak of has consistently been opening for the biggest national acts that hit Sea-Tac. He's one of the few Tacoma MCs who get good looks in Seattle. He does songs with big Seattle acts like Neema. He's brought up rappers like Motamouth Jones and Sawchosiz. He's been on most people's top five Tacoma MC list for years now.

He's Jay Barz, and he just blessed us with a new album, 420 Experienced: The Highs and the Lows.

To read Josh Rizeberg's full "What's the Word?" column click here.