From North to South, East to West, hip-hop has managed to produce a lengthy canon of venerable MCs. But even among the kings of the genre, the passionate, lyrical wisdom of KRS-ONE puts him in a class by himself. His transition from artist to icon spans over two decades, a slue of albums and published works that represent his complex perspective on every element of hip hop's anatomy. On the heels of last weekend's Hip Hop Leadership Conference, “The Techa” returns to the Cellar in downtown Long Beach for a lengthy rhyme session. And in an era of endless production gimmicks and ring tone rappers, it's nice to know that a legend is never too busy to stop by and get cerebral on your ass.
Fri., Jan. 9, 9 p.m., 2009
