Why Bootsy and DJ Quik Playing Together Makes A Lot of Funkin' Sense

Are you ready for some surefire funk before the 4th? This Thursday, DJ Quik and Bootsy Collins play The Observatory in Santa Ana. That's right, the self-professed “Godzilla-toned high minister of the all-powerful 'one'” and the “Way 2 Fonky 1” are combining forces for a one night only megashow whose sheer funkiness may outfunk all previous foreseen funky levels of funkitude. In short, it's a night to give a funk about.

Obvious funk puns out of the way, Collins and Quik on the same bill is a pretty incredible cause for celebration. Both immortal icons in their field whose signature styles have influenced generations while still maintaining a perpetual relevancy in every era they've encountered. Collins, rightfully hailed the one who “put the bass in your face” is the go-to gentleman for sheer funk. Quik not only was one of the pioneering funk-based hip-hop producers of the west coast, but quickly (no pun intended…OK somewhat intended) built upon that G-Funk sound to incorporate elements of jazz and later whatever he could get his hands on. Quik devotees know of him taking a brief clip of a musician in the background from an episode of Andrew Zimmerman's Bizarre Foods and turning it into a collaboration with Kurupt that became one of the most memorable songs of its era. If you have the slightest shred of funk in your DVR, Quik will find it.

]

It's worth noting that DJ Quik has channeled Collins before throughout his career. Quik used an interpolation of Collins' bass work as part of Parliament on “Agony of Defeet” for Snoop Dogg's 1999 track “Buss'n Rocks.” While the album it appears on, No Limit Top Dogg, predates Snoop's much funkier Malice in Wonderland by over a decade, the levels of funk he would hit later on are hinted at. Coincidentally, Collins and Quik would both contribute to Malice in Wonderland, albeit on separate tracks.

The parallels of both of their careers are pretty interesting to look at as well, considering how many classic records with iconic artists that they were a part of. Collins played early in his career for roughly a year with James Brown, with his work audible on singles like “Get Up! (I Feel Like Being A) Sex Machine.” Of course, we all he would later become most famous for his aforementioned work in Parliament. Quik himself was all over a bevy of '90s west coast records, most notably 2Pac's and a handful of Death Row releases. But what really links them both, outside of sheer funkiness, is their longevity. For Collins, he's continued to have success everywhere from popping up on the '90s classic “Groove is in the Heart” to making a 2006 Christmas album. Quik has also entered that tier of perpetually consistent rap legends (of which his peers are E-40, Scarface, and that's really it) by continually releasing satisfying albums, including last year's The Midnight Life.

Thursday is your chance to see two once-in-a-lifetime artists share the stage representing a half-century of classic material. It's your patriotic duty to go funk yourself.

Bootsy Collins and DJ Quick perform at the Observatory on Thursday, July 2. For tickets and show info, click here.

See also:
The Top 10 Rappers in OC
10 More of OC's Best Rappers
Top Five Female Emcees in OC

Follow us on Twitter at @OCWeeklyMusic and like us on Facebook at Heard Mentality.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *