As the RZA, Method Man, and Shaquille O’ Neal once declared: we don’t need no hook. The next POW Presents show sells itself, but it doesn’t mean that context isn’t welcomed.
The headliner is Daedelus — one of the most important and innovative producers of the last decade. His sound encompasses hip-hop, jazz, musique concrete, ambient, techno, bass, juke, and the occasional ethereal concept record about the Boxer Rebellion. He’s worked with MF Doom and Busdriver, Flying Lotus and The Gaslamp Killer, practically anyone connected to the futuristic underground LA music world. Before there was a Beat Scene, there was Daedelus to build the foundation, supply wax wings, and wield a Victorian Coat collection that would stunt on Paul McCartney in his prime.
If you’ve never seen him perform, the master of the Monome is one of the most creative, energetic, and ingenious live dance music DJs I’ve ever seen. Trust me on this.
Because I despise yawning through mediocre openers, we’ve booked openers who have no business being called openers. Boogie and Zeroh are two of the best rappers under 25 in city, state, coast, and country. They’re both Long Beach natives, so look for a makeshift stage prop of the VIP Records sign for both of them to float over.
If you’re unfamiliar with Boogie the Beast, our review of last year’s Thirst 48 explains why he’s one of the wittiest and unabashedly heartfelt rappers out. Every artists thinks they can’t be put in a box, but Boogie is one of the few who defies categorization: there are no LBC-raised Bloods who rep a Compton set while writing sensitive but somehow gritty concept albums about unrequited love, social media thirst, high school nostalgia, parenthood, and how much he hates it when girls call him bro. I also profiled him in the LA Weekly if you need more backstory.
As I’ve described Zeroh: “he’s like a Bhikkhu releasing music into the void to attract like-minded energy (and make rent). His staccato flow zigzags like the Contra video-game code. His beats blend Low End Theory futurism with wearied soul and jazz loops. He’ll rap about quantum physics, ancient spirituality and sharpening his fangs. Somehow, he avoids over-the-top pretension.”
Live performances of the Blqbrd are rare, so this is not just going to be some perfunctory set of 16 bars strung against one another. There may even be a very special guest or two, to be announced later. Will it be Shaq-Fu? You’ll have to come through to find out.
