"Hip-hop as a genre still flies in the face of convention decades into its existence because it generally favors the unpolished. Historically, the music is the result of a bunch of broke kids lacking equipment and having to turn things that play music (e.g., records & turntables, tapes & stereos) into things that make music. Who has room for polish when your entire studio is a boombox?

Rapper Vernon Bridges may not be selling tapes dubbed from his boombox. But his album, B.U.M. (Bastards Unmastered Masterpieces), is a prime example of music that benefits from being unpolished. He's practically flaunting it in the title: This is an unmastered album made by lowly bastards that turns out to be a masterpiece -- or at least something extra dope.

Bridges has been rapping for several years, but he only just made a splash on the local scene last year when he dropped a video for the incredible "The Sixth World," in which he sports what could be dyed eggshells on his nose while exploring ancient Atlantis, his possible extraterrestrial origins and Mayanism. Months later, he released the superb Wrought of Chaos, an album full of psychedelic rhymes and lush with atmospheric instrumentals from producer Infinity Gauntlet." Quan Vu, founder and editor of local music blog sdRAPS.com. <https://www.nbcsandiego.com/sounddiego/vernon-bridges-bum/1956434/>