Brooklyn hip hop trio T-Weaponz may be making a play for mainstream love, but the group has its roots firmly planted in underground rap.

Once known as Tomorrowz Weaponz, T-Weaponz is comprised of brothers Hector (Arkitekt) and G. Medina (IzReal) and high school homie José Padilla (Psalmz). The Nuyoricans met in the '90s but didn't make their debut until 2003, when they released BlackOut, an eight-song EP of gritty NY hip hop. Two years later, the trio shifted to more club-friendly sound, scoring a minor hit with Mira Mira, a thumping Spanglish track featuring Notch and Pitbull. In 2006, the group dropped the single Dem Boyz, a Dirty South-influenced banger that debuted at No. 7 on Billboard's Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles chart.

T-Weaponz's full-length debut, Just Begun, was released late last year. The album has a more commercial if sometimes political sound (think Tupac) and includes previous hits like "Mira Mira" and "Dem Boyz." Their latest single, "XtraOrdinary," featuring Latina rapper Diamonique, is an anxious track with buzzing synths, crisp '80s handclaps and a melody reminsicent of 50 Cent's "Just A Lil Bit."

Arkitekt, IzReal and Psalmz are currently preparing for the upcoming RICAN Tour, a five-city Puerto Rican Parade concert tour that is scheduled to hit New York, Chicago and Philadelphia.

See: myspace.com/tweaponz

Fresh Prince meets Saved by The Bell. That's how 21-year-old Natalia Cappuccini, aka Verse, describes her brand of feel-good hip-pop.

Born Natalia Keery-Fisher to a Jamaican father and Uruguayan mother, Cappuccini started acting at age six, appearing on several TV and radio shows in the United Kingdom, including the BBC sitcom All About Me and radio opera The Archers.

In 2005, two years after signing a deal with dance label All Around The World, the actress-turned-rapper released a single, Don't Play Nice, under the name Verbalicious. On the bravado-filled rap jam, Cappuccini sounds and looks like the Disney channel version of another petite British MC, Lady Sovereign.

Alas, Verbalicious' debut album, Don't Play Nice, Get Over It!, was shelved last year but Cappuccini bounced back by simultaneously going independent and dropping the tough-girl front. Earlier this year, she re-emerged as the friendlier Verbz – later changing her name to Verse – releasing Shopaholic and "Swagerrific," two Gwen Stefani-meets-Kid Sister tracks that had bloggers like Perez Hilton swooning.

On the very first entry of her MySpace blog, Verse is confident she's finally hitting the right notes: "I don't have a deal, but all that's about to CHANGE."

see: myspace.com/dontplayniceverbal

Updated: August 12, 2008.