The second annual Paid Dues Festival is one of the very reasons hip-hop is alive and well in Southern California. The first installment of the hip-hop summer festivals from the Guerrilla Union crew continues to shine as a source of authentic rap music, as Murs follows Barack Obama’s lead and continues his run for hip-hop presidency. This is Mur's way of proving to the world that hip-hop is alive and well.
Paid Dues kicked off early at 2pm with Lucky I. Am hosting and introducing acts like Devin The Dude, Pigeon John, and Evidence with Alchemist to the crowd. Zion I and The Grouch lit the stage with Amp Live and Charlie 2Na holding them down as they rocked cuts from their Heroes In The City Of Dope CD. The energy was high as they did it big for Oakland. Cage came through with his Smut Peddlers style, rocking “Shoot Frank” and "Agent Orange" to a warm reception.
The Visionaries took over the stage as 2Mex, KeyKool, LMNO and the crew made the crowd drop and do crop circles all over the place. It was one of the night’s highlight performances, punctured with a nice boom bap session on the MPC by DJ Rhettmatic.
Mr. Lif dropped some heavy science and went for the Paid In Dues crowd’s jugular as he ripped his underground hits, bringing his conscious east coast style to the sunny Cali venue. Pure hip-hop talent graced the stage as BK representer Jean Grae rocked the crowd with a mic in one hand and her cup of vodka in the other, ripping through a 20 minute set with ease.
Brother Ali laid it down heavy with cuts from his upcoming album The Undisputed Truth, showing the crowd his Rhymesayers backed flow. Blackalicious brought musicians and background singers onstage to lift it up to their level, while Gift of Gab showed why many people consider him as one of the best emcees alive. His multi syllable rapid fire flow is off the charts and very important seeing he freestyles like that. The night was caped by performances by Sage Francis, and the show headliners Felt with Slug & Ant and Murs, who announced he was signed by Warner Brothers and will deliver a hip-hop classic on the major label very soon.
Article comments
1 - steven
I'm waiting for the We the People festival.
2 - Hollie King
my whole life ive been told that i got flavor in dance, but no one ever took any notice.. id like to get a job in the dance industie. my long life dream is to dance in music video clips, be on cd covers, dance in a movie!! if you could please help me get to my goal, i promise that you wouldnt regret helping me!!