In, what we believe is his first Nashville date ever, Kool Keith brings his beloved and acclaimed brand of hip hop to the Basement East tonight. He’ll be joined by eclectic New Jersey based Jewish rapper Kosha Dillz, who will get things started at 9 p.m. Grab your $15 tickets while they last, and head below for a full preview of what should be a great night of hip hop.
KOOL KEITH
Hailing from The Bronx, Kool Keith, who’s also made music under monikers such as Dr. Octagon, Dr. Dooom, Keith Korg, Mr. Nogatco, and more, got his start in the ’80s as a cofounder of Ultramagnetic MCs, achieving some early recognition before branching off to kickstart an eclectic and celebrated solo career beginning 20 years ago with debut LP Dr. Octagonecologyst. One of the most unique and eccentric figures in hop hop, Keith is known for his alter-ego personalities, surreal musical and visual thematic focus, raunchy, abstract, and humorous lyrical style, and penchant for internal-rhyme delivery, all of which would become more widely adopted in hop hop many years after Keith paved the way. While many rappers of the ’80s and ’90s have struggled to maintain a fresh and contemporary style, Kool Keith, who has always straddled the line between the mainstream and underground worlds of hip hop, and has frequently crossed genre lines for high-profile collaborations and appearances, has managed to always keep his sound edgy and modern, most recently culminating in refined, stylish, and conceptual new LP Feature Magnetic. One of the most interesting and diverse rappers of all time, a Kool Keith show in Nashville would be a must-see no matter what, but the fact that it’s at The Basement East makes this one of our top picks of the winter!
KOSHA DILLZ
Jewish rapper from New Jersey? We couldn’t think of any better out of left-field pairing to compliment Kool Keith’s uniqueness than Kosha Dillz. Born to Israeli immigrant parents, Dillz’ early exposure to hip hop came from Bar Mitzvah dances, prompting him to pursue rhyming in the flourishing underground New York hip hop scene of the late ’90s and early ’00s. His debut solo LP, Beverly Dillz, arrived in ’09, and, in recent years, Kosha has shared the stage with big names like Snoop Dogg, Cage the Elephant, and Ghostface Killah, collaborated with RZA and Matisyahu, nabbed a placement in a Super Bowl commercial, and more. Taking inspiration from old school hip hop flow, Kosha Dillz is perfectly suited to get this show started!
Kool Keith and Kosha Dillz will perform Sunday, Dec. 11 at The Basement East. The show is 21+, begins at 9 p.m. (doors at 8 p.m.), and tickets are available to purchase for $15.
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