Ever since I first profiled him in March 2008, I’ve watched Wizdom evolve from an MC concerned strictly with the personal to one capable of everything from cultural criticism to vivid travelogues. On his debut disc, ’07’s Book of Wizdom, he concentrated on introspective bio raps that combined humor with raw honesty. Indeed, he so thoroughly explored himself and all that was in his immediate orbit that I hoped he’d tackle other topics for his follow-up, lest he come off too concerned with self. I wasn’t disappointed.Wizdom’s second full-length, ’08’s Music: The Soul of the Man, a collaboration with D.C.-based producer Epidemmik, saw him shifting his focus to music itself, especially the politics of hip-hop, both as a business and an art form. That record had a number of stand-out tracks, but my favorite remains “N.A.W.,” featuring Grynch, which handled the often over-hyped perils of being a white rapper with–no pun intended–comedic color commentary. Given the thematic nature of his previous work, I wondered where Wiz would take us on his new EP, Bring it Back, available for free download here.As the EP’s title suggests, Wiz is taking a backwards glance, but it’s not a boo-hoo history lesson or a slog through territory he already settled on his debut. Rather, he’s cataloging the cultural moments that typified the ’80s and his own childhood (“Bring it Back” and “Those were the Days”), sans teary moments. Wiz is also settling down and having fun with his guests on a trio of battle raps, including Grynch (“Got Ya Numb”); Dyme Def’s Brainstorm and Sportin’ Life’s Spaceman (“Fly as We is”); and Everett’s Ripynt, who, on “Press Ya Luck,” gives yours truly a shout-out that should either have me watching my back or buying the guy a beer–I can’t tell. Bottom line: Wiz continues to progress and impress, which is all any of us scrawling on our cave walls can hope to do.