Abstract Tribe Unique feat. Abstract Rude

w/Chillin Villain Empire, Hiphop Kclan, Cypher Seven, Rumble Pack, Onry Ozzborn, Sleep

Sat June 21 at Chop Suey, doors 5 pm, $10 adv, all ages.

Abstract Rude's rhymes stir something spiritual in my otherwise barren faith in the preternatural. When I mention this to him, he has a simple explanation: "The first time I picked up a microphone was in a Baptist church.... My roots are in gospel and soul--all that stuff is real spiritual."

Stemming from Good Life open-mic nights in Los Angeles' Leimert Park, the Project Blowed camp of L.A. underground hiphop has long been a talent mine. Respected emcees like Aceyalone, Medusa, T-Love, and Busdriver all developed their skills there. It's also where Abstract Rude sharpened his own cut-baritone style and soulful, clever lyricism. "Freestyle Fellowship and CVE [Chillin Villain Empire] are the Good Life OGs, and all the Afterlife cats and me came into it at the same time. Our tight-knitness comes from our allegiance to style and innovation; we all kinda tweak off people pushing the envelope," he explains.

Abstract Tribe Unique are a party of four--Ab Rude on the mic, Fat Jack making core beats, Zulu and Irie on dancing duties--and together, they're on some deeper shit. Ab says, "ATU has always been an audio-visual concept, because we really started as just Tribe Unique, a dance crew. My emcee talents sharpened and emerged as the whole hiphop industry started focusing on the rapper up front. But Tribe Unique always kept that whole vibe going, the mentality of hiphop with dance."

Like many of the Good Life/Project Blowed emcees, ATU are hiphop veterans, and it's incredible that they've been able to stay afloat for so long. ATU's longevity comes from two points: their dedication to hiphop, and their artistic malleability. "I'm Abstract, meaning I'm on some creative vibe, but I'm also Rude: I was born and raised in the streets in South Central, so don't think I can't relate on your level," he says. "I can do a vast range of everything. I can go from hiphop to rock to alternative to jazz, reggae dancehall, freestyle, then drop-of-a-dime to beatboxing and back again," he laughs. "But you can't be a jack-of-all-trades and master of none. That's why the emcee is what I really put out there."