Few artists understand the changing face of Hip Hop as well as Buggs Tha Rocka. Buggs is no mere street spitter, banking cred on marginal talent and inflated bravado. He’s a knowledgeable Hip Hop student, canny entrepreneur, gifted and erudite composer and savvy technology/social media guru, creating a buzz around his releases and then giving them away via his various outlets (buggstharocka.com, Bandcamp, etc.). That flexible formula has driven the success of his various solo efforts, and it will propel his latest album and possible breakthrough, Scattered Thoughts of an American Poet. “The type of Hip Hop I do has always focused on technicality and emotion,” Buggs says. “I take pride in being a wordsmith. That’s where the ‘American poet’ came from. And ‘scattered thoughts’ is really what it is. It’s everything I’ve been through, things I’m seeing in the news, a little bit of everything. My ups, my downs, my life in one CD. Instead of putting on a facade and an image, it’s really organic and natural.” It’s no stretch to characterize Scattered Thoughts as Buggs’ masterpiece, but he easily envisions scaling even greater heights with his next projects. For now, he’s content to bask in the glow of his latest and best creation. Scattered Thoughts is packed with Buggs’ patented flow, a contemplative stream of hyperconsciousness that displays his writing skill and his social/cultural awareness. The album’s dazzling aspect is the soundtrack that Buggs and his talented team — including Donte from MOOD, Moxy Monster, Tanya Morgan, Aida Chakra and Cool Kids’ Chuck Inglish, among others — have crafted to accompany his powerful lyrics, blending Jazz, R&B, Rock, Soul and Hip Hop into a hypnotic musical stew. The stylistic range on Scattered Thoughts exemplifies Buggs’ early musical environment and the eagerness and openness he brought to his musical tutelage.