While we got the album Lord Steppington from the Step Brothers and Directors of Photography from Dilated Peoples back in 2014, it’s been seven years since we got a proper solo album from emcee/producer Evidence. Not to worry, though, because he’s finally back to close out his Weather series of albums with Weather or Not.

The series started with his first solo album, The Weatherman, released in 2007, and then continued through 2011’s Cats & Dogs. For the final chapter in this part of his career, Evidence doesn’t really try anything unexpected or different. That’s fine, though, because as both a solo artist and as a member of Dilated Peoples, Evidence has carved out his own niche in the hip hop community over the past twenty years because he’s been incredibly consistent. He’s not one for vocal acrobatics or crazy beats, it’s always been about steady, solid production and a clear and direct flow for Ev. And that’s what we get with Weather or Not. With beats from usual suspects like The Alchemist, DJ Premier, Nottz, DJ Babu, and guest spots from emcees like Slug and Rakaa, there is a lot in place to get Evidence in his comfort zone to deliver the goods. When you’ve been around as long as Evidence has, and you’re not known for being flashy with the beats or the rhymes, there’s got to be another aspect that listeners cling to, which is Evidence’s ability to mix in a little bit of shit talking and clever punchlines alongside some extremely honest and vulnerable rhymes about his own life, trying to maintain a living as an independent artist as the music industry changes around him. One of the most moving parts of the album is when he opens up about finally starting a family later in his career, only to have his wife face a serious battle with cancer, causing him to put his career on hold for a while. It’s that kind of openness that has allowed listeners to connect with Evidence and form a bond with his music over the years.

Weather or Not isn’t going to surprise you if you’ve been listening to his music over the past twenty years, but there’s something to be said for consistency. Evidence has been a staple of the Los Angeles hip hop scene for all this time because he’s been delivering his own style of quality hip hop at the same level this whole time.