After critical success on last year's The Weatherman [click to read], Evidence has a new recording contract, and a new direction he's taking with his music. The Dilated Peoples' frontman says his forthcoming Layover EP is built in the tradition of Ice Cube's Kill At Will, Pete Rock & CL Smooth's All Souled Out and Bone Thugs N' Harmony's Creepin On Ah Comeup, as a short body of work alluding to change in his career.

“Backpack’ sucked, then ‘backpack’ was cool, then ‘backpack’ sucked again, now ‘backpack’ is cool again,” said Evidence. “Alternative’ was wack now ‘alternative’ is better. All I know is I do what I do. I’m not ‘hipster,’ I’m not ‘gangsta.’ If it’s a backpack, I gotta buy one, ‘cause I don’t own one. I’m doing progressive hop. It’s a new genre. Put it in your iTunes.”

The Layover EP will be promoted by a mixtape of the same name, and released on Decon Records. The single "The Layover" can be heard [click to listen].

In related news, it was announced to HipHopDX that childhood friends Alchemist and Evidence have formed a group as The Step Brothers. Having worked together since the earliest releases from Dilated Peoples, the high school buddies and successful Hip Hop producers have worked together on many projects.

Stay tuned to HipHopDX for more information.