Back in the day, MLK Day meant three-day weekends, class presentations, and relentlessly corny school assemblies—I recall one in particular that prominently featured interpretive dance. Now, it mostly just means three-day weekends. To celebrate yours in style, I suggest that the grown and sexy hit up Soul Gorilla's Body Rock at Chop Suey Sunday, January 15, featuring Mr. Supreme, Sabzi of Blue Scholars/Common Market, and Marc Sense on the decks. Among all the revelry—and the resultant laziness—do try to remember the reason some of you don't have to clock in for a day, a'ight?
Seattle-area rap fans are likely familiar with the popular Glitta and Madnmic showcase/battles—but not nearly as familiar as they are with the events' promoter, Tacoma native and Northwest man about town Sonny Thongoulay, sometimes called Kutcrome but better known by his nom de guerre Sonny Bonoho. Sonny is notorious for his wild stage shows and his equally unforgettable sartorial choices; the first time you see a dude with cornrows, pimp shades, cowboy boots, and a Coogi sweater, you're not likely to fuckin' forget him. What really sets dude aside, though, is a crazed, garbled rhyme style that doesn't sound remotely like anyone else; also, his original productions sport a mishmash of drum 'n' bass, bhangra, and dirty-South crunkedness that only accents the weirdness. To the skeptical first-time showgoers, Sonny's effect is often curiously, unexpectedly engaging—even if the crowd doesn't know what in the hell is going on, they're nonetheless drawn in. This very quality brought him to the regional finals of Amateur Night at the Apollo last year and scored him slots opening up for the likes of Snoop, BG, Master P, Devin the Dude, and Twista. After rocking countless bills throughout the land, and working on collaborations with such personages as E-40, Kurupt, and Humpty Hump of Digital Underground, Bonoho is presenting his new album, Life of a Backup Singer, with a CD release party at Chop Suey on Thursday, January 12. The event will be hosted by Bohagon of crunk kingpin Lil Jon's upstart BME Recordings, and features homegrown platinum producer Funkdaddy on the ones and twos. Come and check it out so you understand what the hell it is I'm talking about.
How'd your New Year's turn out? Me, I rang in midnight to the tune of "Stay Fly"—about a hundred fucking times; it's just that good. However, the man named Obie Trice—real name, no gimmicks—rung in his by getting shot in the face, in what is apparently a case of road rage, Motown style. Thankfully, Mr. Got Teeth is okay, and as of press time still has the slug under his skin. Now, I've always felt Trice was mad underrated, and often hoped he would find the success he so deserved, so I'm filled with a strange mix of gratification and sadness at the realization that this will doubtless do wonders for his sales this time around.
