Many Hip Hop heads have often compared this Oakland-native rapper/songstress to Lauryn Hill for the appropriate reasons. Her perspective of Hip Hop, albeit unique, Mystic is definitely one to express unadulterated truth and pure soul through her songs much like the great L’Boogie. The self-educated rapper keeps her sound diverse by alternating between soulful harmonizations, intelligent raps, and spoken word.

Although her 2001 underground masterpiece Cuts for Luck and Scars for Freedom stands as her sole body of work, Mystic’s larger than life music philosophy speaks for itself. Her album is a brilliant mesh of spirituality, lyricism and musicianship. On songs like the Grammy-nominated “W” with Planet Asia, she offers a sonic tour of the west coast. “The Gottas” finds her questioning rap’s images without morphing into a preacher, while on cuts like “The Life” and “Ghetto Birds” she takes the listener by the hand and walks them through familiar struggles. On the classic “Fatherless Child” she channels an emotional account of her father’s death from a heroin overdose.

It’s been three years since this beautiful rapper tintillated ears with her powerful addition to Hip Hop’s heavyweight catalog. Whether Mystic will ever record another album remains a mystery. But, she’ll always be revered for stepping up to assume the throne during Lauryn Hill’s Hip Hop sabbatical.

For now, the Bay Area femcee is helping out with Hurricane Katrina relief efforts.