Concert Board brings hip-hop to Tufts

If you were lucky enough to be attending this year's Hip-Hop show, you will have plenty to dance about. Besides getting up early enough to get tickets in the first half hour in which they sold out, you will have a chance to see two of Tufts Concert Board's greatest recent picks in person.

Highly-respected lyricist Talib Kweli and native Boston artist Akrobatik will be making their Dewick debut on campus this Wednesday at 9 p.m.

According to Jordan Kolasinski, head Concert Board coordinator, Talib Kweli was the top pick for this year's hip-hop show. He said that Concert Board is thrilled that the famous artist will be appearing. Underground hip-hop performer, Akrobatik, will also appear.

Talib Kweli is a different kind of rapper -- he doesn't talk about hoes, pimps and 24-inch rims. Instead, he speaks about relationships, social problems, and segregation.

Talib Kweli released his first solo album after collaborating with famous rapper "Mos Def" in Black Star and second with producer Hi-Tek in the duo Talib Kweli and Hi-Tek.

Talib Kweli, however, has some new beat makers, which include Kayne West and DJ Quik, who are amongst the hottest and most creatively viable in the game. Although there was a fear was that their slicker and generally more aggressive styles would spoil the honesty and intimacy that has been essential to Talib Kweli's success, Talib Kweli is still the embodiment of that which good hip-hop represents.

"I wanna write a way/ I want it right here/ I want to write brave words to fight fear.../ My words apply the pressure to make the bleeding stop," Talib Kweli raps on "Stand to the Side."

Maybe this reflects something about what he feels hip-hop should accomplish, what it should talk about, and what it shouldn't talk about. Either way, it will be very interesting to see how this Brooklyn, New York native handles a crowd of Red Sox fans.

At least we know Akrobatik will handle his audience well. Akrobatik describes himself as "a regular brother from inner-city Boston." Like Talib Kweli, Akrobatik writes a lot more about life, "There are so many things in the world to address that I find it futile to waste too much time on meaningless battle raps."

His music has been influenced by rappers such as, Run DMC, Kool Moe Dee, and LL Cool J.

In between Akrobatik's and Talib Kweli's sets there will be some local talent. In Kolasinski's words, the interlude will be provided by, "... a 16-year-old white kid from Davis Square named Daniel Smith who beat boxes." He is supposed to be very good, and was first discovered by a camp counselor.

The Concert Board works hard to put on five eagerly anticipated major music events per year. They include "Rocktober," the fall rock show, the hip-hop show, jazz show, and "Battle of the Bands," which allows Tufts bands to compete to be the Spring Fling opener. The Concert Board's piece de resistance is the end-of-the year Spring Fling, which was unfortunately rained out last year.