March 28-April 3, 2002

musicpicks

Antipop Consortium

Hip-Hop

Imagine poetry-spouting sons of Manhattan socio-militant rappers The Last Poets growing up on Bruce Haack after-school-special soundtracks and Jive electro-grooves like "Egyptian Lover." Now you get where Antipop rap pups Priest, Beans, M. Sayyid, and their production whiz E. Blaize are coming from. The trio's spittle-splattering raps -- as displayed on their two new enterprises The Ends Against The Middle EP and Arrhytmnia (Warp) -- isn't fearsome in topics or ferocious delivery. They ain't scary, that's the point. As gangsta rap took hold in the '90s, APC decided to get conscious and get stupid with a wack dramatic prose style equal parts stuttering drama and homey storytelling. So you'll be amazed at how coolly laconic and playful APC's magnified characterizations are. Brothers from another planet? Maybe.

Wed., April 3, 8 p.m., $10-12, with Kenneth Masters and Dept. of Rec., TLA, 334 South St., 215-336-2000, www.electricfactory.com.

—A.D. Amorosi

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