Hip hop comes to Pop Montreal

It’s back to school for September, kids – musical school, that is! Pop Montreal finally whipped out its entire package for 2013 this week.

Now last year, the multi-genre-pushing fest really outdid itself in terms of hip hop bookings. While every Pop can’t be rife with Lil Bs and Mr. Muthafukin’ eXquires and so forth, the big picture this fall is still looking like a bit o’-aiight for the head-nodders and booty shakers of all funky inclinations.

Stay tuned to The Shine in print (Sept. 19) and online for more details, but I thought I’d give readers a head start this week, pointing you toward interesting names and events more than dates and times for now. The schedule is live on the Pop site now for more info, meanwhile.

Cult MTL is pretty stoked to co-present the baritone flow of Jurassic 5-er and West Coast rap icon Chali2na at Cabaret Underworld, with his live three-piece and a pastiche of his most popular solo jawns and classic verses from a bit of everywhere.

In the “this happens once in your life” category, two P-Funk legends unite for the fight to party. Bernie Worrell, (whose Hammond hallucinations and Fender Rhodes trips fuel the classic G-Funk rap we all know and love) and James-Brown-certified funk trombonist Fred Wesley will free minds and asses alike at Cabaret du Mile-End.

On the outta-nowhere-tip, old-school indie rap nerd-heads take note that Anticon-ers Sole and Jel guarantee a good ol’fashioned pretentiously awkward, awesome evening at Il Motore with Saskatoon’s excellent, excellent producer/vocalist Factor and Chicago’s pretentiously awesome Serengeti, a relative Anticon newcomer who has a fuckin’ crew with Sufjan Stevens, jerks.

If you loved that, you’re gonna have to show serious ‘nads to keep a straight face and not throw your hands in the air for L.A. underground fave Subtitle, free at Parc de la Petite Italie.

Anyone who wants to slap me those last two listings can talk to me about it at Killer Mike. Yeah, you heard me: Killer Mike.

On the local tip,  A K U A, Alaclair Ensemble, Pierre Kwenders, the Narcicyst and Kid Koala all go Pop, showcasing here and there throughout the week (though Koala lives up to the “Kid” part of the name for a Kids Pop event).

The Shine also welcomes the return of now-NYC-dwelling DMC champ DJ Brace, who performs with none other than the Russian Percussion ‘imself DJ Vadim. And not that I have been sticking to the “S” section, but names like Simahlak, Sagewondah and Socalled are also putting the Montreal hip hop in Pop.

I’ll do a little more legwork for you lazy bastards as the week approaches, but the curious among you would do well to follow the dotted lines herein down the rabbit hole and consider your option for day passes and the like.

Here’s where to work your arms, legs and heads this week.

Saturday: Awwww sheeeit…M for Montreal gets an early lead on Pop with a free outdoor stage dubbed “M Ton Quartier,” ongoing in tandem throughout weekend-long block party OUMF with a stage at St-Denis and de Maisonneuve.

Saturday goes full-M with Ain’t No Love, Tommy Kruise, Lunice and a DJ set from Radio Radio pretty much x-ing out whatever else you were doing from 7 till 11 p.m.

Later that night it’s an Alaiz Invasion at le Belmont, with High-Klassified, Da-P, Dr. MaD, J.U.D., Rami and Musoni “broadcasting live from L.A.” This shit is all the way live.

Tuesday: 2 Live Crew at Cabaret Underworld. I repeat: 2 Live Crew. What am I supposed to say? Yeah, you heard me: fuckin’ 2 Live fuckin’ Crew.

Wednesday: Anyone who wants to slap me for this next one can refer above and catch me at Killer Mike. But word, I hate that bro-rap shit but gotta please ‘em all by mentioning that swollen member Madchild and staccato-flow Boston tough guy Slaine and a bunch of other lames are at Underworld, ‘sti. ■

 

@ShineCultMTL

shinecultmtl@gmail.com