For some folks, underground hip-hop is a relatively new thing. But West Coast MC Aceyalone has been blowing minds and breaking down scene barriers since the mid-'90s, when he was one of very few California rappers bucking the gangsta stereotype. The man has worked with everyone from the Antipop Consortium crew to Definitive Jux mainmen El-P and RJD2. Cred aside, the guy positively smokes — he was in town a few years back to support the legendary Prince Paul and ended up being far and away the highlight of an otherwise disappointing show in which Paul did very little actual performing. This time around, Aceyalone is headlining a more traditional and wholly worthwhile underground hip-hop bill that also includes the eclectic, long-running Ugly Duckling along with The Procussions, Wrekonize and others.
This article appears in Jun 28 – Jul 4, 2006.