In Print: Classic Hip-Hop Albums Performed Live, Wavves' Surf-Punk, and Rappers in the Shadow of Hyphy

By Ian S. Port Wed., Aug. 18 2010 at 8:04 AM

Categories: In Print

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The lineup for this year's Rock the Bells hip-hop festival has the likes of Snoop, Slick Rick, A Tribe Called Quest, Rakim and even the Wu-Tang Clan all performing classic hip-hop albums in their entirety. In our print edition this week, Tamara Palmer takes a look back at each album's considerable legacy, and explains a few things to look for during each one's performance.

Maybe it wasn't always cool to listen to your parent's records -- that didn't stop Wavves' Nathan Williams, whose new album wraps Beach Boys-y pop influences, years of indie-rock grit, and even a sprinkle of hip-hop into a fine surf-punk burrito. Mark Keresman digs apart Williams' deep influences, and writes that in a better world than ours, King of the Beach could be more than just an indie hit.

Up-and-coming S.F. rappers like Roach Gigz, who is featured on Messy Marv's new Thizz City compilation, were still in school when hyphy nearly blew up on the national scene -- and then didn't. Phillip Mlynar writes that Gigz and a new generation of S.F. rappers are trying to figure out how to succeed where hyphy failed -- and are finding their own way in an Internet age where the path to big-time hip-hop stardom is still largely unclear.

Bouncer this week mulls Prop. 8 at the Lone Palm, and we recommend shows from Jogger, Bad Brains, Nobunny, and Kenny "Dope" Gonzalez.

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