So this is springtime? Man, if Biz Markie saw this shit, he'd hop his ass back in his golf cart and peace us the hell out!
Take in some (mostly) homespun flavor at Nectar on Friday, May 30âthe Giant Panda crew are celebrating the release of their second LP, Electric Laser! If you ain't hip, GP's West Coast party-rockin' style exists somewhere between the fun-loving freaks of Ugly Duckling and the dusty-fingered everyman coolout vibe of People Under the Stairs (no shock, seeing as GP is on Tres Records, headed up by PUTS's Thes One). The Panda are damn near a local act, tooâMCs Newman and Maanumental are both Garfield grads and both rep the town lovely. Laser is a fun-loving, earnest, old-school-flavored treat that pumps much in the vein of their excellent debut set, Fly School Reunion. It's not all fun and games though; rather than happy-go-lucky, it's just honest, as on the confessional antihomophobia track "Pop." Before the Panda take over, though, catch a soulful set from Iguales and some jams from the talented local triplet GodSpeed.
On Monday, June 2, you don't wanna miss the Fresh Rhymes and Videotape tour at Neumo's, topped off by Evidence, Rakaa, and DJ Babu from the world-famous Beat Junkies, because when their powers combine, you get none other than... Dilated Peoples! Dilated have been putting it down for like 500 million albums now, garnering respect worldwide for their L.A. b-boy boom-bap, not to mention their riotous live show; last time I saw these guys, I realized just how long I'd been a fan of theirs. When Babu dropped the needle of the single that made them instant underground sensations (the Kutmaster Kurtâproduced "Work the Angles"), I lost my mind like the teenage rap fanatic I forgot I used to be. Reeeal talk. (Good luck, R. Kelly!)
But that's not all! You also get Dilated's longtime homey, former member of the Whooliganz, the dude who made Prodigy "Keep It Thoro." I'm talking about the man, the myth, the incredible producer/so-so occasional rapper they call the Alchemist! But wait, there's more! How about the keystone of the ineffable Freestyle Fellowship and Project Blowed family, the one and only Aceyalone! Will he perform anything from his first two albums? Good lord, I hope so. Order now and we'll throw in (for no additional charge) 88-Keys, the dope producer for Black Star, Mos Def, J-Live, and Musiq Soulchild. Keys is rapping these days (maybe he always has been!), and this fall he'll release an album called The Death of Adam that is being executive-produced by that unabashed former backpacker Kanye West. The stuff on his MySpace captured my interest for sure, with a variety of sounds (from gritty, dusty blaps to Kenna-sounding epic synth-rock) and a Guilty Simpson guest shot. I will definitely keep 'em peeled for Keys in the future. Be just like me and follow suit! 
