From EPMD to Backyard, the CIAA Gives Fans the Business

The normal Charlotte hip-hop crowd skews woefully young, as in Young Jocs and Jeezys. Yet, with the art form now more than 30 years old, give or take a few years depending on how far you lived from the Bronx, it stands to reason that there more than a few adult hip-hop heads who aren't getting any live show love.

That's where Charlotteans should take a break from building banks and trains to thank the CIAA for choosing our fair city to host the annual historically black college tourney. This year's event brought no fewer than 80 different parties and live music venues. Chief among them were many notable hip-hop shows that went light on the pop and heavy on the grown and sexy.

Friday night's EPMD show brought together two of the architect's of the New York sound as they reunite after more than seven years apart. Erik Sermon and Parrish Smith (EPMD), now Queen city residents, brought a stripped down show to Amos' Southend that delighted fans who remember walkmans and boomboxes. The crowd was set with free, classic style fisherman caps distributed to some in attendance by the promoters, courtesy of Crown Royal. Light on the bling and dressed in requisite old school gutter wear - Timberland boots and black hoodies - the brothers in rhyme ripped through memorable joints from "You Gots to Chill" to "So What Ya Sayin" to "Please listen to my demo".

Still energetic with solid voices not marred by, uh, "extra-curricular" activities Erik and Parrish skimmed over a few classics as called out by the audience. However, no one could be disappointed as they made time for unannounced guests Kid Capri and Keith Murray to hit the stage.