Hip-Hop is dead?

Ain't no party like a Spank Rock party cause a Spank Rock party don't stop!

There was a lot to take in at yesterday's Neighborhood Festival at Exposition Park. Some good [Steve Aoki, DJ Am, and Chromeo's all too brief set]; Some bad [Mickey Avalon's "I know people therefore I will go on right before the headliners, though I don't deserve to" set. More on that later]; And some merely okay [Har Mar Superstar and Flosstradmus' repeat performance from their Echoplex show a few weeks back].

And then there was that one act who stole the show. One act that I will from this day forward stan for like it's my motherfucking job. Yes, I'm talking about Spank Rock, Santo Gold, and Amanda Blank.

I can count the number of great Hip-Hop acts I have seen live on one hand, and in each case the shows were well worth the price of admission: Mos Def at Bowdoin College, Busta Rhymes at the Area 2 tour, various Roots shows, and that one Smoking Grooves tour with Cee-Lo, Outkast, Raphael Saddiq and I forget who else from a few years back. But 9 times out of 10, I ain't got time for a rap show. I ain't got time for hypemen, weed carriers, and attractive chicks from around the way populating the stage. Or a rapper who chooses to shout at me and overextend himself midway through his set. Now don't get me wrong, I know not all rap shows run like this, but too often they do and that's why I stick to the CD and call it a day.

But not with Spank Rock and their cronies. These voices need to be heard, both live and on wax. Though they stood on a stage in the middle of Exposition Park, the vibe and presentation of the show felt less like an outdoor festival, and more like a late 70's basement party in the South Bronx. [Their attire, straight out of those Jada Pinkett episodes of A Different World definitely aided in giving off that vibe as well.] Taking their time riding the beat, tinkering with what one would consider hip-hop music while pushing the vocals and lyrics forward, the fellas Spank, Amanda Blank, and Santo Gold moved with the strength of ten men, resulting in a show that engaged the audience, and came off way more intimate than it probably intended to. And best of all, it didn't take itself too seriously. Cause ain't nothing wrong with having a sense of humor.

The only downside to their set was its placement and its lenghth. Same goes for Chromeo. Chromeo - Spank Rock- The Faint. Not too bad right? Instead just when I was getting my groove back, Chromeo's feel good set came to an end [I swear P-Thugg's and Dave 1's stage presence and performance gets better each and every time]. And after nearly losing myself to Spank Rock's and Amanda Blank's Bump, BAM! GAME OVER. Time for Mickey Avalon, who, I kid you not, could not get me to move my feet. And I'm not one of those people who hate on Mickey Avalon just to hate on Mickey Avalon. I just wasn't feeling it, unlike the large crowd swallowing his every word, or the guy next to me who was literally shouting every lyric and calling out for MY DICK at the end of every song. I peaced out to the bathroom after song three [thankfully he had yet to strip and get his simulated fuck on with a female dancer] and then said 'Fuck it' and called it a night.

Damn. I kind of wanted to see The Faint's set.

Oh well.