So amid the farce of the Obama/Trump beef on World Star Hip Hop and the ethering of Qaddafi's son and grandkids live on Hot 97, it appears that America's greatest bogeyman was taken out with a single ninja star straight to the eyeball, right before his corpse was shot into deep space. Go Murka! Hey, what's that? (Points to shirt, slaps the shit out of you.) Call me un-American, but when I can't tell the difference between the news and wrestling, I got questions. If you're not insulted by the story that's changed multiple times, by the ridiculous timing, by a million fucking things that have happened since 2001, then shit—I don't know what to tell you. Supersize that combo, crack open the newest issue of XXL Presents Guns & Ammo, or play Halo on Xbox Live with the rest of the rap Republicans. Okay, even still, my tinfoil do-rag aside, I don't celebrate empire nor do I celebrate death, even that of my enemies. Do you really feel like celebrating?

Well fuck it then, kick up your heels at your choice of live hoedowns during this very busy week. Wednesday, May 11, at Chop Suey, you can catch good-time Pigeon John with the rascally NW supergroup the Chicharones, plus our own eccentric soul Sonny Boohoo. Down the hill at Memos that night, Southern survivor Curren$y makes his return, before an engagement at Bellingham's Wild Buffalo the following eve. Thursday, May 12, at Nectar, you should take in Huntsville beast Jackie Chain, whom I first heard on G-Side's 2008 LP Starshipz and Rocketz, the album that introduced me to Alabama's Slow Motion Sounds/Paper Route Records. In fact, the collective first imprinted Alabama on my personal rap map way before Yelawolf captured the hearts and minds of a nation. Swang low, sweet chariot. If you like your beats a little more fucked, though, check Chop Suey on that same night for raucous Aussies the Death Set and their Beastie-ish (think somewhere between their initial hardcore incarnation and License to Ill) fusing of punk, electronic, and hiphop styles, along with Vice Records artists Win Win (that would be XXXChange from Spankrock, Devlin of Baltimore's Devlin & Darko, and visual dude Ghostdad) and my regularly occurring conflict of interest, Mash Hall. Local pop/R&B duo Steelo headlines a Japan benefit at the White Rabbit (formerly Tost, duh) with Black Stax, Ayo.O, and SK on Sunday, May 15. QN5 heads should go spaz appropriately that same night at the Crocodile to the Cunninlynguists (good group, terribly hokey name), Homeboy Sandman, Tonedeff, and the local atmospherics of Blue Sky Black Death. On Tuesday, May 17, Stop Biting at Lo-Fi is a special beat-makers edition devoted to flipping tracks from soul brother number one James Brown.

Most of these rappers are arrogant assholes... I fear I'm the same, just a little more bashful. Get with that new three-song EP from Notion (www.notioning.com), produced by hard-grinding (just check the credits!) producer MTK; improvement is evident here, as it's definitely Notion's best and best-sounding work to date, with the top-grade beats doing a real service to the MC's high rasp and smart narratives (plus a guest shot from Chev for the win). recommended