The Soul Rebels With Rakim + Black Thought / Pharoahe Monch + Roy Hargrove at Brooklyn Bowl

Rap icons Rakim, Black Thought, Pharoahe Monch and Afrika Bambaataa to appear as guest performers for The Soul Rebels’ three-day extravaganza at Brooklyn Bowl

Keeping in 2015’s trend of rap veterans (finally) getting their just due, The Soul Rebels, NOLA-based brass masters, are paying tribute to D’Angelo & Marvin Gaye (on the grand finale Saturday night) by including some of hip hop’s most revered figures.

Setting the run off is Pharoahe Monch, the Queens-based veteran best known for his “intelligent” lyrics, with an above-average, thoughtful, deeply intellectual and introspective  lyrical prowess (in other words, he’s not about money, guns, and hoes). You may know Pharoahe best from his early work with Organized Konfusion, as well as his now-legendary W.A.R. (We Are Renegades) project from 2010 or 2014’s P.T.S.D., regarded by many as the year’s best rap album. You can catch him alongside another of the genre’s most respected wordsmiths, Black Thought from the mighty Roots crew, on Thursday night.

Next, the man regarded as the “God MC,” Rakim. He got his start as one-half of the duo Eric B & Rakim (guess which half…GO AHEAD, GUESS!), and today, is regarded by many as the most influential hip hop MC of all time. Steve Huey of Allmusic said it best: “Rakim is near-universally acknowledged as one of the greatest MCs – perhaps the greatest – of all time within the hip-hop community.” To understand the greatness that is Rakim, you need to listen to “Don’t Sweat The Technique,” and then go out and buy (not download, you cheapskate…BUY) the album Paid in Full. Then, ask yourself if you could ever think of violating the greatness that is Rakim, and if so, what would possess you to do so, and what savages raised you, you non-thinking fake hip-hop fan! Then, shake your head clear of such insanity, and go see Rakim on Friday night along with veteran New York hip hop radio and club spinner, DJ Enuff!

Finally, let’s discuss Roy Hargrove. This Grammy-award winning jazz trumpeter is probably best known for playing with Wynton Marsalis & Herbie Hancock, as well as performing with the progressive jazz collective The Rh Factor. He does have some pretty respectable hip hop ties though, counting Common & Erykah Badu among the rap greats that he’s worked with. He’ll be performing with the Rebels for the grand finale Saturday night, paying tribute to D’Angelo and Marvin Gaye.

Tickets are a reasonably-priced $17 (about $50 for all three nights!) and they’re going fast. The show is presented by Okayplayer.

What: The Soul Rebels With Rakim + Black Thought/Pharoahe Monch + Roy Hargrove
When: February 26-28, 2015
Where: Brooklyn Bowl – 61 Wythe Avenue, Brooklyn
Price: $17 per show — visit THIS LINK to purchase your tickets