Fool, what you know about Aesop, Bicasso, Eligh, the Grouch, Luckiam PSC, Murs, Scarub & Sunspot Jonz--AKA the Living Legends? One of the most respected crews in the whole of independent hiphop (shit, would you even know they had such a thing if it weren't for the Legends?) recently dropped their umpteenth release, the massive Classic. One particular standout is the bubbly "Good Fun," produced by our good ol' Beanone. The Legends are bringing their contrasting Califas cadences to the Showbox on April 27.
Local MC/poet Gabriel Teodros and Des Amis bring you "Word to the Wise," a new weekly showcase for local hiphop. The kickoff night is Thursday, April 21, featuring the new crew Step Cousins, comprising MCs Macklemore and Xperience. Macklemore--who you may remember as part of the local crew Elevated Elements--dropped his debut Open Your Eyes in 2001, and is currently enjoying some great exposure via that sublime time waster Myspace.com. Seriously, ask ya boy Tom, Mack got skills in spades. Look for his upcoming LP, The Language of My World, as well as a Step Cousins LP in the works.
The very next night, Decibel is presenting the Blue Scholars, Deceptikon, Ayinde Howell, Nordic Soul, and DJs Eddie, Sabzi, and Marc Sense… all at Chop Suey. A li'l bit of this, a li'l bit of that. And did you catch Scholars Geo and Sabz on the cover of West Coast Performer magazine?
Okay, I just peeped the no-less-than-bananas video for Sonny Bonoho's "Get Down," and dammit, so should you. If somehow you are unfamiliar with the crazy dude sporting COOGI sweaters and cowboy boots around town, get up to speed at www.billythefridge.com/video/sonny_bonoho.wmv. Then go cop his Out of State compilation album featuring (besides a host of local talent such as Bad Luk and Unexpected Arrival) rappers Lil Flip, Trina, and Joe Budden, among others… not to mention his upcoming LP, Life of a Backup Singer.
The saga of the once-credible Source Magazine continues as the most universally (dis)respected man in all of hiphop--yes, Source co-owner Ray Benzino--has been accused of sexual discrimination by former editor-in-chief Kim Osorio. Both "Zino Bonds" and cofounder Dave Mays have clapped back, calling bullshit on these charges and claiming "it is a fact that Ms. Osorio had sexual relations with a number of high-profile rap artists during her employment as editor-in-chief." Wow, a new low--and it didn't even have shit to do with Eminem. I'm just saying, as someone who was raised to believe in the mag's infallibility, this is real sad to see. XXL, while cool, has seriously become Interscope's li'l bitch, killing any claims of objectivity it could have ever had. Sigh… Oh well, there's still Murder Dog.
