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Busdriver, Abstract Rude

Will C., Raheem Jamal, & The Wunder Twins of Rap

September 14, 2009

Middle East Upstairs, Cambridge, MA

It’s somewhat rare that one single hip-hop show can present a roster of four fantastic acts, with zero “filler” openers, all in one night. It’s ever more rare when these four acts all represent some different spectrum of hip-hop. Well, that is basically what went down in Cambridge, MA at the Middle East Upstairs. Technically, Busdriver was the headlining act, but it was really a show that spotlighted everyone involved.

First up was Boston’s own Will C., who just released his excellent full-length album, Evil In The Mirror, this summer. He was backed by another one of Boston’s best: Raheem Jamal (of Project Move, and Electric fame). They laid down mostly tracks from Will C.’s album, with a Raheem solo cut thrown in the mix as well. As a duo they actually functioned very well, playing off of each other on hooks and various lines. Needless to say, it’s always good to see local acts who know how to rock a stage, and lay down a dope song.

Next on stage was The Wunder Twins of Rap. I had previously seen these two emcees, and one DJ, open earlier this summer, and I was very impressed with what I saw. This particular performance only built upon my initial impression. They traded lines with each other, giving nods to the golden age of rap (you might think of them as possessing a Beastie Boys-like style), all the while shouting out wack emcees who rap for all the wrong reasons. The crowd even got involved on various chants (their hooks generally are kept to basic calls like “He’s dope!”).

Abstract Rude was next up. He dropped an album, Rejuvenation, on Rhymesayers earlier this year, which was met with mixed reviews. Certain fans seemed a little bit thrown, while others loved the new music. He opened up with “Hip Hop Ryde”, in which he declared that he was about to take the audience on a hip-hop ride, and he did not disappoint. The majority of his set consisted of songs from this album, while still making time for a few older songs from Abstract Tribe Unique and Haiku D’etat as well. Regardless of what people feel about the recorded album, there is absolutely no denying Abstract Rude’s stage presence. There is something very mysterious about his on-stage performance. First and foremost, he is a poet, and makes certain that he comes across as such, which means for the most part, his show is mostly devoid of any high-octane stunts or crazy dances. Rather, the emphasis is placed on the music. Abstract Rude has a power to convey words and ideas (notably of the most positive kind) to his listeners, that is uncommon in many rappers, especially in the live element. So while there was no sweat-pouring performance, Abstract Rude coasted pleasantly on mellow tunes, groovy enough to get your head nodding, but subtle enough to let his messages rise to the surface. Highlights of his set included songs from his latest album, “Rejuvenation”, “Nuff Fire”, and “Sadly Ever After”.

After three terrific acts, it was time for Busdriver. Busdriver is known for being a bit eccentric with his brand of hip-hop, mashing genres left and right. This brand of experimental hip-hop can be heard in his albums, including his most recent release, Jhelli Beam. However, in order to understand the full extent of his creativity, one must see him live. He was backed by a one-man music machine who was working an MPC and playing guitar on a few songs as well. But the star was clearly Busdriver. Unlike Abstract Rude, Busdriver brings an immense amount of showmanship to the stage, hopping around in a spastic manner. Not only was he responsible for rapping (for which he had one microphone), but he also used a second microphone to input shrieks and screams into a device that sampled it, only to have it further distorted by knobs and pedals galore. As if that wasn’t enough, Busdriver was working his own MPCs as well. There was definitely a hint of improvisation going on, and at times it seemed like a bit more of a noise rock, or ambient concert rather than hip-hop. But just when it seemed like Busdriver was about to go over the edge, he threw hip-hop right back in everyone’s faces with his quick-fire, tongue-twisting lyrics that physically just don’t seem possible. When all was said and done (and I do mean all), Busdriver and Abstract Rude had obliterated any shreds of doubt about their superb musical talents, and proved that different styles of hip-hop can come together perfectly on one common stage.

This entry was posted on Monday, September 21st, 2009 at 8:45 am and is filed under Concert Reviews. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.