A common misconception, at least among the older generations, is that hip-hop is angry and hard, even negative. Oakland hip-hop crew Zion I proved on their recent stop in Victoria that this is simply not the case. In fact, their smooth performance in front of a generous Wednesday night crowd at Club 9one9 was all positive, all the time.
MC Baba Zumbi was in fine form, spinning his rhymes and using elaborately orchestrated hand and facial gestures to pump up the crowd while DJ Amplive mixed his patented style of sci-fi-inspired beats and a few dubstep breaks to keep things funky.
Playing cuts from their latest album, Shadowboxing, as well material from their classics Mind Over Matter and True & Livin, the core duo, with help from freestyle rapper Deuce Eclipse (who, by the way, sported the raddest ponytail braids ever) powered through a one-hour set of uplifting, dance-friendly hip-hop. A good portion of the crowd was busting some pretty impressive dance moves while the rest nodded and swayed in approval.
Behind the decks, Amplive is a beat-master, for sure, but his style is so rooted in his love for sci-fi and his ongoing interest in drum and bass and dubstep that he really sounds like no other turntablist out there.
Eclipse was the best surprise of the night with his rapid-fire delivery and sunny stage presence. This guy was a rhyme-spitting teddy bear just waiting to be power-hugged.
But the true star of the show was Zumbi, all smiles and posi-vibe up there, bringing to mind a mix of Jurassic 5’s MC Chali 2na and Public Enemy’s Chuck D, both in personality and raw skill. His love for the smooth rap stylings of A Tribe Called Quest and De La Soul was evident in his delivery, but the most impressive part was that his rhymes and command of the stage measured up against his own inspirers. And that’s some pretty cool shit.
San Francisco rapper A1 provided a strong opening set of intelligent rhymes and a hella-fun freestyle session that can only be described as “what’s in your pockets?”
This was a night of hip-hop that, had detractors been witness to it, should have changed some of those silly misconceptions about a form of music that can be truly inspirational.