Quanum MCs Rock the Spot @ SF’s DNA Lounge

by Meathooks

Thursday Feb. 24, 2005

If you have read any of the recent books documenting the history of hip-hop, including Jeff Chang’s Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop, you were reminded of the importance of the live show. The MCs’ interaction with their DJ was a determining factor and was looked at very critically by their peers. From block parties to uptown social gatherings, the live element remained key for any significant hip-hop act. It’s all about hearing groups like Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five or Grand Wizard Theodore with Melle Mel rocking out live in order to fully appreciate both, the inventiveness and power that hip-hop encompassed in its early days. Granted, things have changed, but these standards still hold true for some who value this heritage.

Skip forward almost 30 years later and reaffirming their own place in Bay Area hip-hop history, Quanum’s Gift of Gab, Lateef and Lyrics Born took the stage on Thursday, February 24 at San Francisco’s DNA Lounge to eagerly awaiting fans who hoped to see, first hand, today’s live hip-hop at it’s finest. Needless to say, no one in the crowd was disappointed. The show featured top-notch performances by Non-Phixion’s Sabac and Daly City’s Mike Relm, among others, which framed the night perfectly for the Quanum collective to do their thing. One by one, each MC came out to roaring applause and began spitting their verses with incomparable intensity. Once all on stage, the fact became apparent that it was a treat to see all three of these artists at the pinnacle of their careers. Whether it’s Gift of Gab or Lyrics Born’s solid debut efforts or Lateef’s recent Maroons project, one can’t ignore the distance this group has traveled in order to be where they are now.

Throughout the night, they showcased their solo accomplishments intertwined with earlier group collaborations. Flowing in and out of songs from all four Blackalicious releases, the Quanum Spectrum LP and both, the Latyrix album and Muzapper’s EP, the show managed to present almost 15 years of non-stop musical dedication. For that reason alone, seeing these MCs is worth it every time, but add an unusually tight live performance and you have a true musical experience. The same experience that was once a necessary attribute is now all but gone from hip-hop’s live arena. In all honesty, no other group presents their music with this level of professionalism in hip-hop today.

The show packaged each MC, backup singers including Joyo Valarde, and Mike Relm on deck as receptive elements, which needed to all be in tune in order to function properly. As one element would dim, the other would shine brighter, remaining complementary rather than intrusive or overbearing. Songs like “Storm Warning” and “Latyrix” served as perfect examples of this, highlighting Lateef and Lyrics Born’s complementary chemistry. Lyrics Born, himself, went on to duet with Joyo Valarde on “Calling Out”, also performing new unreleased material. His cadence commanded over the audience as Joyo’s voice floated over his lyrics. Lateef did his part with songs off of his new release with Chief Excel, who was noticeably absent, in between older tracks, but it was Gift of Gab who served as the foundation of the show. Without overshadowing the others, Gab ran through old Blackalicious tunes with passion.

He went in and out of a cappella and synchronized with Mike Relm as he performed “Rock The Spot” to an over joyous crowd. It’s Gift of Gab who, with Chief Excel and Lateef, has really molded the idea of what a Quanum show should be. As Blackalicious, they’ve toured relentlessly and have managed to craft their performance in order to engage the audience as much as possible. His experience truly shows and his own demeanor is that of a ringleader, top hat included, overseeing the orchestration.

Quanum has, literally, set the bar for all other groups to follow, but few are actually able to compete. With such different dynamics, be it Lateef’s B-boy-ness, Lyrics Born’s overt suaveness or Gift of Gab’s more subdued all-knowing persona, these MCs should be ego-tripping over themselves, but they manage to stay afloat by capitalizing on each other’s strengths. It is proof positive that the lessons from days of old are not lost on today’s artists. Lessons that emphasized on honing your skills in order to impress the crowd since they, too, are an equal part of the equation. Props to On The Corner Prod. For making this show happen, encouraging other promoters to step it up and to give their audience something more than mediocrity. Check them out for other quality live events and pick up the entire Quanum catalog for some fine-tuning.