When the Cali-Comm 2001 tour made its way to Milwaukee’s Rave last Saturday night, there was a slight scent of desperation in the air. Neither of the headliners (Souls of Mischief and the Pharcyde) had released any new material in well over a year, and there were enough opening acts to test the patience of the throng of hip-hop heads in attendance.
Most of the performers on the bill seemed to be in the Marlon Brando stage of their respective careers — having kept a relatively low-profile in recent years, doing uncharacteristic or flat-out bizarre collaborations and resurfacing with new material just often enough to keep themselves from fading into obscurity. It may not be the early ’90s anymore for these artists, but Saturday’s show proved that they can bust with the best of them in the new millennium.
Former Kool Keith cohort Motion Man attempted to warm the crowd up, but was largely ignored by an audience that was still learning to ride a bike when he was the top of his game.
The oft-disguised Kutmasta Kurt then led a parade of rappers on stage, the first of which was one half of the San Francisco-based Cali Agents, Rasco. Rasco can best be likened to a young Busta Rhymes, only with a little less charisma and a lot more raw talent. His stage show was just as rugged and unpolished as his delivery, but under the further tutelage of fellow Bay-area emcees, his potential is boundless.
The same can be said for Rasco’s partner in crime, Planet Asia. One of the most instantly recognizable and highly respected emcees on the West Coast scene, Planet Asia kept heads bobbing hard, especially with his and Rasco’s performance of the Cali Agents’ “How the West Was Won.”
Pep Love was up next to represent the Hieroglyphics Imperium on the other side of the Bay. His debut album opened to mixed reviews earlier this summer, with his normally slick, battle-rap-laden verses replaced by philosophical musings and flighty production. He broke out the Evidence-produced “Fight Club” in an attempt to energize the crowd, but his polysyllabic prose elicited little response. Whatever momentum he could muster was killed off when, in the middle of his set, Pep awkwardly asked for a moment of silence for the victims of 9/11.
Fellow Hiero-heads Souls of Mischief followed with a rapid-fire combination of new school and old, including “That’s When Ya Lost” and “Medication.” Souls’ popularity grew out of the same tradition that made the Pharcyde a left-field hit a decade ago, and they showed that they’ve retained most of their teenage charm. Their tetchy, grown-up sound of the present day only served to add more character to the performance of their breakthrough hit, “93 ‘Til Infinity.”
Once again only two members deep, the Pharcyde capped the evening off with a quick set of Bizarre Ride favorites. After a disgraceful showing in Milwaukee last spring, Imani and Booty Brown kept the tone light and wistful this time around with “Ya Mama,” “Soul Flower” and the sing-along classic “Passin’ Me By.” The night ended on a high note when Souls of Mischief joined the Pharcyde for a hot track off their short-lived collaborative effort, Monty Python.
Cali-Comm can’t compete with the Up in Smokes of today, partly because its artists’ music is without gimmick and partly because its headliners are looking more and more dated with every passing musical trend. But to the hordes of gangly white-boys nationwide who made this music the soundtrack to their adolescent lives, the Souls of Mischief and Pharcyde will be a welcome ticket for a long time to come.
