9.05.06: Hot97's Who's Next Live 8.30.06
WHO'S NEXT LIVE @ SOB'S - 8.30.06
Daz & Bossman
Written by David Pessah
Here in New York , we're constantly looking forward. We shoot from place to place, looking for the next big thing, trying to make the next big deal. Every month HOT 97's Who's Next Live event helps us in our quest, pointing us towards the rappers we haven't heard of yet, we may have slept on, or resurrecting our old heroes who've been lost in the mix. August's showcase covered all of these bases, as the night's top performers made the argument that the key to the future is often found on the past.
Here are the top 3 reasons you should have kicked it at SOB's on Wednesday, August 30th .
1. To Jump on Cloud 9
Everyone gets a little nostalgic sometimes. Skyzoo, the night's first performer, is no exception. At 23 years old, he grew up in Brooklyn when the NY hip-hop community was asking “who's the best MC—Biggie, Jay-Z, or Nas” as if they were the only three artists who mattered. All three were lauded for their clever narratives and smooth flows. That was back when lyrics mattered more than the beat. And Skyzoo's aim is to take us back there.
Cloud 9 is Skyzoo's forthcoming mixtape, to be released SEPT. 12. The tracks were all completed during an intense three-day collabo with the Wu-affiliated producer 9 th Wonder, another old school revisionist. The result was epitomized live at SOB's on the first single “Way To Go.” The 9 th Wonder beat loops a sped-up soul sample over a minimalist drum shuffle like RZA used to do. Skyzoo's voice and flow sound like a compilation of his three idols. It's a spot on mix of what we've all been missing this past decade.
Sky's remaining tracks of the night helped to reinforce this point. He's yearning to be the next artist to rep NY, and when he drops lines like “I'm not Tom, but I own my space,” you want to champion his name and jump on Cloud 9.
2. To Take A tour of B-More:
Bossman is from Baltimore , and it was easy to tell. His old school Orioles throwback hat and the black and orange Bossman T's were the first clues, and he verbally let us know as soon as he stepped on stage. You may have slept on his self released 2004 album Law & Order , which is why he's releasing it again, this time on So-So Def Records. It may be a blast from the past for his B-More crowd, but he's shuffled up the track list and added some new bangers, and the end result is impressive.
Bossman, like Skyzoo, neglects the bling and thug clichés for narratives of overcoming drama and despair. On stage at SOB's his dark and energetic “Oh” brought us on a tour of B-More as he detailed his life through street corners and dicey situations. One of those dicey situations led to a recent loss of his baby, though he neglected to share the how and why. Bossman freestyled from the heart to vent his sadness, dedicating the song to the girl who has stuck by him through his struggles. It was a heart felt moment that reminded us that hip-hop has a special healing power.
3. To Rediscover Past Classics
The early 90's was a volatile time for West Coast hip-hop, especially for all those involved with Death Row Records. Daz was of one those, as a member of the Dogg Pound with Kurupt, and as Death Row's main producer after Dre fled the drama. Death Row created gangsta rap, sold ridiculous amounts of records, created many a timeless track, and then began to implode. Coastal beef between Bad Boy and other NY acts created turmoil and bloodshed, as did internal feuding which led to many acts leaving the label not on the best of terms. Eventually Daz left, Kurupt took control of much of Death Row, and the two became enemies.
All of that is now in the past, as the SOB's crowd witnessed Wednesday night. Surprise guest Kurupt shared the stage with Daz, in a city where they were once soldiers in a war against. Their performance showcased all the timeless material that came out of that era, as they partied through a medley of Death Row verses from songs of Dogg Food, Doggystle, and The Chronic . These were their greatest hits, but the set showed that they're still in the game. Daz's September 12 th release So So Gangsta , along with the throwback styles of Skyzoo and Bossman, proved that now more than even, the future of rap lies in rediscovering its past.
