The Native Tongues veteran is gearing up for his first full length since 2006, the forthcoming From The Black Pool Of Genius. Before the album is released in Spring 2010, Dres has decided to whet Black Sheep fans' appetites with From The Black Pool of Genius: The Prelude, a five song EP to be released on December 1st, 2009.

The Prelude finds Dres showcasing his extraordinary skills without appearing to break a sweat. He manages to sound effortless while walking a lyrical tightrope- wielding his uniquely bouncy flow while addressing serious, deeply thought-out issues. Dres, one of the most experienced and insightful voices in hip-hop today, is using the album as a means of communicating what he believes the meaning of hip-hop truly is. "I once heard a poet say that 'hip hop backward is 'pih poh (people)'- the way I see it, many artists are a lot more hip-hop than they ever realized. I would dare to say that any artist over time, regardless of genre, that makes music for the 'pih poh'... is hip-hop." This type of inclusive, outside the box thinking is a hallmark of Black Sheep's music and is very much on display on From The Black Pool of Genius.

As for the title of the album, Dres explains that, "'Black Pool' doesn't refer to black people. It refers to the color black's unique ability to absorb light. This deep, vast pool of soul, of artistic insight; although it's not always understood, the light it reflects back to the 'pih-poh' is necessary."