May 3–10, 2001

music

The Beat Box

Hip-hop happenings

Pile on the Totempoll. Every first and third Thursday local musicians, performance artists and DJs will strut their stuff at this bi-monthly series. Philly’s reigning poet laureate, Ursula Rucker, kicks her spectacular vernacular this Thursday, May 3, 5-9 p.m., at the Ellen Powell Tiberino Museum, 3819 Hamilton Street, 215-382-2003. A $5 donation to the museum is all it’ll cost.

In the first in a monthly series of old-school nights, Transit hosts the big dogs — Run DMC. Yes, they just cut an album with more guests than The Marriott but they’ll kill "My Adidas" to make up for it. DJs will also lay down the mix on the main floor, the substation and in the Executive suite. Advance tickets available at Optical Blast, 620 S. Sixth St. Fri. May 4, 600 Spring Garden St., transitnightclub.com, 215-925-8878, 10 p.m-3:30 a.m., $20.

Now ain’t it tasty over at Filo’s on Saturday nights these days? Subbing for DJ ?uestlove is the one and only DJ Miz making it melt in your mouth, not in your hand. Check the locale: Sat., May 5, 9 p.m.-2 a.m., Filo’s, 408 South Second St., 215-238-0151, $5. Or you can celebrate Cinco de Mayo over at the bodyrockin’ Aqualounge with Lil’ Dave. Get knee-deep in funk, hip-hop, classics and cultcha! DJ Somatik and the Ill Vibe Collective keep it movin’. Sat., May 5, 323 W. Girard Ave., lildave@hotmail.com, 9 p.m.-2 a.m., $5.

Wanna do it in the park? It’s The Open Deck Sessions — a series of outdoor events nurturing the emerging Philly DJ explosion. Founded and hosted by DJs PS3 and Joey Blanco, the series is a chance to lay down a set on the decks, be seen, heard and speak "DJ" on a lazy Sunday afternoon. Featured spinsters will include DJ Lorne and Joey Blanco rotating classic soul, house and hip-hop for the season opener. Open tables sign-ups begin at 12 p.m. and the decks open up every first Sunday of the month from May to September. Sun., May 6, 1-9 p.m., The Ellen Powell Tiberino Museum, 3819 Hamilton Street, 215-382-2003, $5 donation, rain date May 13.

Mama always said stay in school. Hip Hop 101 and Michael Coard present DMC of Run DMC plus Lyricist Lounge founder and producer Danny Castro. Be on alert for some not-so-surprising guests. And don’t forget to ask DMC about his solo project. Wed., May 9, 7-9 p.m., Temple University, 107 Anderson Hall, 1114 Berks St., MichaelCoard@msn.com, free!

—Ainé Ardron-Doley

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