Quannum / Solesides Reunion Showcase Featuring DJ Shadow, Latyrx, Blackalicious & Life Savers

TEF: Yo Erk. What do you get when you combine the Bible of college radio (CMJ New Music Monthly), a rather dope hip-hop crew who does a reunion showcase about once a year (Quannum / Solesides), a swanky-as-fuck club in one of the hippest cities in the world (Bimbo’s, SF), a whole shitload of rich white kids and about fifty real hip-hop heads — Thug-E-Fresh included?

E&J: I don’t know, why don’t you tell me.

TEF: An over-expensed hip-hop show filled with industry types and hipsters alike, as well as DJ Shadow jockers and Quannum dickriders.

E&J: C’mon man, it wasn’t all that bad. Besides, Quannum has been one of the pioneers of this independent hip-hop movement that you’ve been down with for the past decade. On top of that, they’re one of the best live hip-hop acts ever — I mean, what other crew could pull off a two-hour set?

TEF: Fuck that, I’ll put down money that over 50 percent of the people at the show have never been to a real hip-hop show in their life — music festivals, amphitheatres, and The Roots don’t count. And why is Solesides performing for the CMJ new music conference? They’ve been putting out records since fuckin ’92.

E&J: Okay, okay, so you’re only down for the dingy small venue "underground" hip-hop shows with no white kids around huh?

TEF: Naw, I like white b-boys. They’re easy to make fun of, and they just consider it "putting in work" before they’re fully accepted. But what I’m really saying is that there’s no limos pulling up in front of the club and all the cars parked around the venue aren’t all 1999 models and up at the shows I go to.

E&J: Alright, point taken! Lets talk about this show, I noticed you weren’t feeling the house DJ.

TEF: Don’t get me started, that son-of-a-bitch acted like he had nothing in his crate but Gangstarr and Native Tongues records, and who taught these kids how to dance? When I get my groove on I find it rather hard to rock back and forth like an epileptic dick sucker. Oh, and by the way, fuck dancehall over hip-hop beats, too.

E&J: Careful. I think we’re hitting the maximum on the people you’re allowed to offend.

TEF: I hate you, you suck.

E&J: Whatever, man. Now the first performance was by the newest addition to the Quannum crew, the Life Savers. Life Savers consisted of a DJ and 3 MCs, one of whom is Versityll, who came to Chico recently performing as hype support and background vocals for Blackalicious. Tight beats and above-par lyrics. I think we’ll be hearing more about them soon.

TEF: Jurassic 5 biters: Latyrx put J5 on the map four years ago, letting the fledgling L.A. crew open for them, now a harmonic rap sound for Quannum to claim.

E&J: Yeah there was a bunch of synchronized rhyming, but they were still pretty cool. But Latyrx and Blackalicious, that shit was off the hook.

TEF: It looks as though Josh, a.k.a. DJ Shadow, has already spent some of his MCA recording deal money (freshly inked last week; Universal distribution — The Roots, Eminem, Limp Bizkit, oh my!) Fools came pimped out in tuxedos, Shadow and Chief Xcell rockin’ black while Gift of Gab, Lateef, and a no longer fat, pudgy rappin’ Lyrics Born all wore white tuxedos. They had fools baffled for an hour doing all pre-Quannum material. Shit was hella! tight.

E&J: Yep, and after a five minute break to take off the bling bling, jiggy gear they came out to rock the crowd for another hour in their street clothes. To the dismay of many trendy hipster-hoppers, DJ Shadow and Chief X-cell only traded off scratching and playing beats for their respective crews, and the turntablism was kept to a minimum.

TEF: Shit gives me a headache anyways.

E&J: Shut up. If you had a favorite song from any of the groups performing chances are it was performed flawlessly; they even played rare stuff we had never seen performed live before.

TEF: Bastards didn’t do "40 oz for breakfast."

E&J: Quit your bitching. Overall it was a dope show, right?

TEF: Bet.

E&J: Alright then, peace, love and good hip-hop. Any last words Thug-E?

TEF: Yeah, fuck all you trendy ass fair-weather hip-hoppers. Real hip-hop doesn’t need you, so jump off our bandwagon before I push you off. Hate me now before I’m dead. Sincerely yours,

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