by Bryan Gibel
Daily Lobo
Albuquerque underground hip-hop fans rarely get a chance to see well-known rap acts, much less for free.
But, on Friday, anyone over 21 can catch a free show with Akil of Jurassic 5 at Burt's Tiki Lounge, at 313 Gold Ave. S.W.
Akil said he'll perform solo work he's been writing while not recording or touring with Jurassic 5.
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"I've got a project called My Collection of Expressions," Akil said. "It's a collection of all the things that didn't necessarily fit within the J5 format. I'm expressing the other sides of myself."
Akil is a legendary MC and a hip-hop pioneer, and his performance at Burt's is crucial for Albuquerque's hip-hop scene, said Phillip "Flux" Torres, a local MC producing the concert.
Jurassic 5 released Feedback in 2006, but is not currently working together, Akil said.
"Right now we're on hiatus," he said. "Everyone is doing their own thing. We need some time away from each other to regroup and rethink what we want to do as a group."
Torres said having Akil is a blessing for the Tiki Lounge.
"He's not someone you would normally see at a venue like Burt's, because we usually don't bring out big acts like that," he said. "He's going to throw a dope show, performance-wise and lyrically."
Jurassic 5, formed in Los Angeles in 1994, is renowned for its soulful beats, positive lyrics and harmonized raps, Torres said.
Hip-hop artists from Atlanta - Quanstar, D Labrie and Metrognome - will also perform.
But don't expect to hear crunk music just because they're from the South, Quanstar said.
"It's strictly old-school hip-hop," he said. "We've played Albuquerque before, and it's always off the chain. We're going to bring it, have a party and enjoy ourselves - hip-hop style."
Torres said many people don't see Burt's as a hip-hop venue, even though it is home to Vinyl and Verses, a Wednesday night hip-hop show.
He said he's trying to change that by booking acts like Akil.
"A lot of people who haven't been to Burt's to check out hip-hop on Wednesday nights don't know that it transforms into an underground hip-hop venue that is unique to Albuquerque," Torres said. "If people come out and show support, we'll be able to keep getting national acts to smaller venues like the Tiki Lounge."
Akil of Jurassic 5
Friday, 9 p.m.
Burt's Tiki Lounge
313 Gold Ave. S.W.
Free
