Urban Underground: PekLat and Poetic S. of DobaDoza

In my quest to find hip-hop in this vast city, a friend told me of a weekly Friday event dubbed Urban Underground. Held at the famous Airliner in Chinatown, this event focuses on the true progressive spirit of hip-hop music. With two stages in full effect and some of the most innovative minds on the turntables and on the mic, this event will resonate like an 808 drum kick. Serving up sonic delights, the resident selektas (DJs) play the new soon-to-be classics, funk, breaks, dancehall and jungle music. With this myriad of sound, it is a guaranteed that you will experience the full gambit of emotions when on the dance floor. An added bonus is the early open mic. With a chance of luck one can witness the next star in his or her budding stages (i.e., Lyricist Lounge, Black Lily). Tonight, two female MCs from the group DobaDoza, PekLat and Poetic S., will be taking the stage for two sets (one upstairs and one down). They have performed at women’s benefits, anti-war protests and rallies, immigration rights movements and Brown Berets events from the Bay to Los Angeles. These seasoned veterans of the underground bring a dynamic energy to the stage and capture the ear with their powerful words about our world and the issues that women have to deal with on a day-to-day basis. Every other month Urban Underground holds the Beatdown, a battle for MCs, producers and b-boys hosted by POW Shadows with a panel of guest judges. I was told that if you have any interest in hip-hop, whether you’re trying to get on stage or you just want to hear cutting edge music, this is the place to be. - Kehinde "Doxx" Cunningham