It was a little over a week ago now that we hipped you to Dem Southernfolkz by offering up a free download of the title track from the group's debut LP, The Message.

Well, it looks like we're not the the only ones digging on the Dallas hip-hop trio's sound. Our sister paper down in Houston is digging the act, too. Today, on their music blog, our colleagues crowned the guys their Artists of the Week--a delegation normally reserved for Houston's hometown artists--and they even had a little Q&A with the guys in DSFZ. Check it out:

HP: Seeing as how one of you is currently serving in Iraq , how do you all feel about the war? What's it like over there?

DSFZ: Our hearts go out to all those who served, and are currently serving, their country. We also would like to take the time to send a special shout-out to those who fight daily battles in the streets of America, Africa, Europe and around the globe.

Being overseas in a war is like wearing a double suede and leather woolly mammoth winter jumpsuit with hot blue steel-toe boots and a No-Drip Triple Wet Curl... get the picture? It's nothing to glorify. There are people dying daily: Americans, Iraqis, Afghans. We in the free world take for granted the little things like soap, hot water, fast food, parents and freedom of speech and choice.

Fairly powerful stuff for a Q&A. Read the whole thing here.

Us? We're waiting on baited breath for Big Ben (aka Thomas Benjamin) to return safely from serving in Iraq so we can see these guys live. At that point, we'll give you the whole scoop on DSFZ.

For now, though, DSFZ fans, you'll just have to revel in the fact that the armpit of our state thinks DSFZ is pretty cool. Which, I guess, is a compliment. To DSFZ. Not Houston. Houston sucks. Just to be clear. --Pete Freedman