Formed on the campus of North Carolina Central University in Durham nearly a decade back, rap twosome Little Brother has established itself as one of the better alternative hip-hop acts in the land. MCs Phonte and Big Pooh both have distinctive voices marked by melodic flow and witty rhymes that range from aggressive to humorous to introspective. The wordplay is delivered over eclectic samples and lo-fi beats that recall rap's '80s golden era. Formerly signed to Atlantic, the major that released Little Brother's 2005 disc The Minstrel Show, the duo has since returned to the indie ranks. Interestingly, their 2007 album, Get Back, charted higher than any previous release (No. 18 on Billboard's Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums survey.)
Little Brother w/Laws/Motown Pride/Dynasty/DJ Deacon/DJ Sandman, 8 p.m. (doors), Fri., June 6, Crowbar, Ybor City, $20.
This article appears in Jun 4-10, 2008.