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Death By Texas: Day Two

Posted 03/16/2007 at 8:26 AM  |  7 comment/s

For the next 5 days Sean Fennessey will be blogging from Austin TX's South By Southwest Music Festival.

If Day One was a wash, Day Two was a triumph of perserverance and fortitude. Things started slowly with indie rock in the afternoon (isn't that the name of a Harold Pinter play?) where I saw Black Lips scuzz out and smash Budweiser cans over their heads at the Fader Fort for thirty fuming minutes. Then a short trip over to Emo's revealed one of the best young bands I've seen in a while in Tokyo Police Club. Terrible name, for sure, and their lead singer looks about 13 years old, but their set was tight and raucous and a good companion to the sweltering heat. I didn't pack for 80 degree weather. Back to the Fader Fort, shit-rock iPod-sellers the Fratellis did an Ambien-worthy acoustic set that served as good schmooze time for all involved but the band. Publicists, journalists, brand managers, hangers-on, models and CEOs sat under the tent drinking free booze and pretending to like each other -- the Fader tent is always a fairly fascinating scene.

The day was for night though, and the night of March 15 was winning. I left dinner at local Mexican spot Iron Cactus early to ensure entrance to the UGK showcase, promoted and organized by the estimable Matt Sonzala, of HoustonSoReal fame. UGK were scheduled for a 1 A.M. set, and the lineup began slowly with XX Zotic, a boring Lil' Kim wannabe who performed with two scantily clad backup dancers. The just-arriving crowd seemed unimpressed with her gyrations. After that KB da Kidnappa, the self-proclaimed "only n$%*a that'll bring a python on stage and say 'F**k Bush'," came on stage with a python and said "F**k Bush." KB sounds like a journeyman with straight ahead angry Southern flow. But there was little denying the spectacle of a 10-foot yellow python (wearing a platinum chain) hanging from his neck. Behind KB stood five men who looked like they wanted to rap, but simply couldn't, whether due to sheer unability or fear of the snake is still unclear.

Then everything came together. Texas rap pioneer and Geto Boys member Willie D was just scheduled to introduce his new group, Huntzville, but Willie, donning a grown pinstripe buttoned-down shirt and a pair of chinos -- he looked like a bodybuilding accountant -- ripped the stage for more than thirty minutes all by himself, pacing back and forth like a man possessed. He did Geto Boys classics like "Mind Playin' Tricks On Me" (performing all three verses and dropping to his knees, in an act of perspective shift, for Bushwick Bill's part), "Read These Nikes" and "Gangsta of Love" and several cuts from his first two classic solo albums including "I Want Some Pussy" and "Bald Headed Hoes." Every song was foul and funny and felt like it'd been recorded yesterday. It's a wonder Willie isn't namechecked as much as other MCs of his generation, like Big Daddy Kane and Scarface and Too $hort. He's still charismatic. (Though he does live part-time in former Soviet Union territory now, so that may explain it.) At set's end he called up three random audience mebers to rap with him. Curiously, all three volunteers were frat boy-looking white kids and all three spit a funny, Willie-referencing, "White Rapper Show"-dissing verse, and each lit the crowd up. Hardy-har, after their verses, Willie revealed the kids were his group, Huntzville, which turned out to be some sort of apocalyptic concoction, wherein these suburban kids rap exactly like Willie D. Almost every song they performed was about fellatio. Thing is, they were pretty good. Willie spent their entire set watching them like a prideful father, grinning and ocassionally joining in on choruses. Strange stuff.

After Willie, a collection of young Texas MCs, including UGK Records artists MDDLFNGZ, Vicious, and up-and-coming producer Cory Mo, performed short, underwhelming sets. I'd been at the show for more than three hours at this point, and drinking since 11:30 AM, Lone Star beer began to taste like battery acid. Cory's set was energetic (sadly, no "If It Ain't Me"), but more an homage to Texas rap's past than anything too fresh. And the UGK Records camp are a bunch of lookalikes, approximating what they think UGK want them to be. Eminently forgettable.

Then, after some cajoling by Sonzala, the UnderGround Kingz took the stage.

UGK are among the most complete rap groups of all time -- fierce, intricate, intelligent, feeling and funky. Without hyperbole, they were incredible on this small stage at The Fox and The Hound. Even the night's DJ, Austin's DJ Grip, was goofily excited about the prospect of seeing Bun B and Pimp C onstage together. But they're far from pop and a lack of accessibility rarely washes with rap fans at SXSW -- mostly because they're not really rap fans. The crowd, thankfully, was full of Texas residents -- people in Austin exclusively to see Bun B and Pimp C, who according to Sonzala, haven't performed in Texas since Pimp was released from prison last Christmas. The crowd, who recited song after song, were perfectly in unison.

"Return" "Murder" "Diamonds & Wood" "Front, Back and Side to Side" "Pocket Full of Stones" "Trill Ass Nigga" "Let Me See It" Three 6 Mafia's "Sippin' On Some Syrup" Jay-Z's "Big Pimpin'" Bun B's "Draped Up" Pimp C's "Knockin' Doorz Down"

UGK performed every one of those songs, among 4 or 5 more, during an hour-long set and while Pimp began the night slowly (he dropped a couple bars on "Diamonds & Wood") Bun was psychotically focused all night. During Bun's furious verse on "Return" ("Surprise Surprise, I'm gettin' Chinese Eyes!"), sweat pouring down his face, Pimp almost fell down, amazed at his partner's presence. He offered $100,000 to anyone that "can rap like my patna." No one took him up on the offer. And then they slinked off into the night. '

JIVE Records: You can release their album now.

Twas a time when SXSW meant little to rap fans. Tonight was a good barometer for change.

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