Rap Critics: KRS One Live At The Roxy

Friday, January 25, 2008

KRS One Live At The Roxy

In today’s world of rap, the formula that once was adhered to by all those involved in the genre has been thrown totally out the window. The old guard of the Golden Age emcees has been sanctimoniously dumped, in favor of the new gunslingers. The young bucks of the rap game sneer loudly, showing disrespect to their musical elders with every repetitive hook they come up with. To make matters worse, many of the newbies of Hip-Hop show no interest in sitting in history class and learning more about their culture. Some of today’s superstars have gone as far as saying they refuse to listen to their older peers or their body of work.

While they occupy the stage now, the real question is if these rookie rappers can stand the test of time and become a true legend in the game. You see, in Hip-Hop, you really are only as good as your last record. It is very hard to get people to remember you, let alone a song you record in the past. It takes a real emcee to hold die hard Hip-Hop fans interest. That’s why there are only a handful of emcees that we include in the greatest of all time categories. I wish some of the new jacks were with me last weekend when I stepped into the legendary rock venue, The Roxy. You see, I was there for a live presentation of Hip-Hop history, being put on by the Teacher himself, The Blastmaster KRS-One.

Los Angeles is a busy town, so busy that on any given Friday, there are probably 4 rap groups of major interest, playing somewhere in the SoCal region. This was true last week as I turned down invitations to other venues, and headed out to Hollywood. While the other venues had quality performers, nothing compared to hearing KRS-One do his thing! Watching KRS-One live is like going to the gym, because by the time you leave the show, you will be drenched in sweat, and tired from all the jumping around and cheering. Lat week was no exception either. After the opening acts finished up their set, and Los Angeles favorite Ahmad Jamal got done with his incredible set, it was time to take it back to the essence. KRS One was in the building.

KRS ripped through his lengthy catalog of Hip-Hop hits, as the crowd went totally ape shit and let him know he was loved in LA. As I have friend in high places, I managed to find my way to the reserved tables and cop a squat. I was told that the table was for KRS One and his friends, but I could sit there until someone came up and wanted the seats. I imagined myself kicked back with Kris at his table, as the party onlookers swarmed the table, asking themselves “Whose the dread sitting with KRS?”

I would never see that dream realized, but I was just as surprised when I was told to move from the table for KRS-One’s guests. The show was already on, and I was standing up, pumping my fist and yelling to the music, so I didn’t mind moving. It didn’t hurt that the guest in question was Cypress Hill front man, B-Real. While I did manage to make a little small talk with him over the boom bap, I refrained from asking him if he still talked to Carmen Electra, or asking him to pass the funky Kush joint he was pulling on. As much as I wanted to have a story of the time I got high with B-Real, I was too involved watching the show and didn’t want to piss him off. We stood next to each other for most of the night, until KRS went into “Get Yourself Up”, and I hit the floor in my patented B-Boy slam dance and lost control for about 3 minutes. What can I say, that song goes way hard!!

After about an hour of pure Hip-Hop and a freestyle session with the emcees in the crowd, KRS exited stage left, and I hit the front door, a little tired, a little tipsy and full of Hip-Hop!

Oh yeah, he signed my hat too, although all you can make out of it is a K.

KRS One on Hannity