Typical Cats (album)

Typical Cats is the eponymous debut album by the Chicago-based underground hip-hop group Typical Cats, released in 2001 on Gallery Recordings. The album features the trio of rappers Qwel, Qwazaar, and Denizen Kane, along with DJ Natural and production from DJ Meaty Ogre, Qwel, and others.

The album is known for its intricate lyricism, complex rhyme schemes, and boom-bap production style, characteristic of Chicago's independent hip-hop scene in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Themes explored within the album include social commentary, introspective observations on life and the music industry, and celebrations of the culture of hip-hop.

Typical Cats received positive critical reception upon its release and has since become regarded as a classic album within the underground hip-hop genre. Its influence can be heard in the work of subsequent Chicago hip-hop artists. Key tracks from the album include "Easy", "The Broke Shop", and "Peace 95." The album helped to solidify Typical Cats' reputation as a significant force within the independent hip-hop movement.