OLD-SCHOOL NEW-SCHOOL

Blackalicious

by J. Gabriel Boylan

[ MONDAY, MAY 6 ]

Sacramento's Blackalicious was born of the same scene that gave rise to DJ Shadow and Latryx. Like those two they're not your average hip-hop band, and like their hometown, their music's just a bit outside the Bay Area's back-to-basics party-rap à la Jurassic 5, Hieroglyphics or Ozomatli. They've been around forever--their single "Swan Lake" was a huge underground hit back in 1994--and their first album, 2000's NIA, scored with Blackalicious' mix of Stevie Wonder soul breakdowns and quirky, even nerdily smart lyrical prowess. DJ Chief Xcel and MC Gift of Gab's latest record, Blazing Arrow, still bears their micro-indie stamp of the Quannum label, but has also been picked up by major label MCA. Part of the reason for this success is that Blackalicious doesn't get too political, preferring their Afrocentrisim to emerge in the soul groan of Hammond grooves and guest appearances by the likes of Gil Scott-Heron and Ben Harper. Gift of Gab's rhymes can tend toward the gimmicky, but his flows display a knack for musicality that suggests a heavy influence from Philly soul and Motown. It's precisely the kind of organic, foot-stomping Gap-ad groove that the Philadelphonic Jam Session was made for.
9pm. $10. Khyber, 56 S. Second St. 215.238.5888