With a collective background that includes songwriting, rapping, acting and producing, the Willingboro, NJ-based trio of Robby Pardlo, Claudette Ortiz and Ryan Toby bring a lot to the table in the hip-hop group City High. Originally a duo, the then-18 Ortiz joined the group upon the recommendation of Wyclef Jean and has become an integral part of the trio. The group, reminiscent of Jean's group the Fugees, released their self-titled debut in 2001.

While lacking the depth and vision of the Fugee's work, the record made for an impressive debut. The subject matter covered a variety of topics. The first track, "What Would You Too," is a heart-wrenching tale of a woman who is forced to sell her body in order to take care of her kids. "If your son was at home crying all alone/on the bedroom floor cause he's hungry/and the only way to feed him is to sleep with a man for a little bit of money." Not all of the themes are as dire. "15 Will Get You 20" is a cleverly-titled, up-beat track that talks about the dangers of hooking up with underage girls. Pardlo showcases his remarkable vocal abilities on "Song For You" and reveals himself as the old soul of the group.

As Lauryn Hill did for the Fugees, Ortiz really makes the group work. Her beauty and smooth voice make her the ideal frontwoman for a hip-hop act. Her vocals can tug at your heart, as they do on "Best Friends," and "The Only One I Trust."

City High looks at themselves as the voice for all the people who felt estranged from popularity as youths and anyone who has ever felt like an outcast. The trio wrote a good portion of the material on City High, showing their musical talent extends further than just their physical abilities.