Weekend wrap
by DARCY MACDONALD
June 2, 2011
There’s something about a Sunday night rap concert. A sleepy, weekend-spent crowd, despite itself, lazily makes its way off the couch to catch a top-notch act that, the night previous, has completely levelled New York or Toronto or Boston or Burlington. This being hip hop, shit starts to pop off a little later than hoped, but by the time things get going, everyone is buzzing simply ’cause we earned the show we came to see.
So it was at le Belmont last Sunday when Meridian, Mississippi’s loudest, proudest son Big K.R.I.T. proved to his first Montreal audience that any and all accounts of his being one of hip hop’s brightest new lights are entirely unexaggerated. Harlem’s Smoke DZA and a hot list of local talent got the crowd on its feet for K.R.I.T. and hype man Big Sant, whose set wasn’t too short, wasn’t too long and had us home at a decent hour when all was said and done. Like church, no one wants to do it every week, but once in a while, it’s good for the soul.
Still and all, you can’t compete with Saturday as the ideal night to hit the town, at least not this week. There are no fewer than four parties to choose from, two back-to-back at the same venue, and while I can recommend each as a can’t-miss good time, you will have to decide who gets your entertainment dollar.
PaxArt puts Montreal on display Saturday at the Rialto when Jonathan Emile, David Hodges, the Franco Proietti Morph-Tet, Velvet Trench Vibes, Commodore 84 and more get together to showcase some of the best the city has to offer, all for an easy 10 bucks.
Meanwhile at les Bobards, live band Groundfood back a host of dope local MCs to cover the greats at the 90s Hip Hop Classics Revival, back by popular demand for a third installment.
Finally, at le Belmont after Aloe Blacc’s set, Dipset producer Aarab Muzik shares the decks with Lunice and Guilty. The events are separate, though Blacc fans are invited to stick around at no extra charge. ■
RESPECT TO GIL SCOTT-HERON… BLOCKCLOCKER@GMAIL.COM
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