Because the past two years have been spectacular for local hiphop,
Blue Scholars, the leaders of the new school, are ending the
year with a five-night spectacle. The phat carnival will have
lots of local acts (Dyme Def, J.Pinder, the Saturday Knights), as well
as acts from Vancouver and Portland (Swollen Members, Sirens
Echo, Sleep of Oldominion, Ohmega Watts). And now, a declaration: The
essence of Vancouver is pleasure, the essence of Seattle is
business, and the essence of Portland is culture. Peace.
(Neumo’s, 925 E Pike St, 709-9467. 8 pm, $15 adv/$50 for all shows,
all ages, through Dec 22. See www.thestranger.com/theprogram for more information.)

Charles Mudede—who writes about film, books, music, and his life in Rhodesia, Zimbabwe, the USA, and the UK for The Stranger—was born near a steel plant in Kwe Kwe, Zimbabwe. He has no memory...