Live: Kottonmouth Kings, (hed)p.e.
Ah, Kottonmouth Kings. An unlikely success story that shows the sensational underground that the populace thrive for despite the gate keepers of our daily lives seem to keep shut. While these gate keepers spend more time trying to salvage what remains of tattered industries, the Kings are out there continuing to earn a living after hundreds and hundreds of live shows and a million albums sold.
They recently swung by Rams Head Live with the ridiculously talented Tech N9ne and (hed)p.e. in tow, and it was my first time catching them despite following them for about as long as the last time I’ve seen (hed)p.e. live. In other words, around the time Y2K was bringing the world to its knees.
(hed)p.e. have more and more developed into a harder edged act then yester-year, diving more and more into the Suburban Noize family and DIY ethics. The major label polish has worn off and the rough more in-your-face act has been left. Focusing primarily on new material, the set showed that the group have not lost their touch, while putting out some of the most punishing material of the career that is not for the faint of heart.
Tech N9ne, what can I say. Heard the name, first time hearing and seeing him. Awesome and entertaining. If you are going to go to a rap show, let this be it. Hands down.
And then there are the headliners, Kottonmounth Kings. While one would suspect the whole pot schtick would wear thin, but it has not for the packed crowd, and since I generally take it in light doses as to avoid overkill, the same goes for me as well. A giant blunt backdrop, equipped with smoke and all adorned the stage as the group ran through familiar tracks ranging from “Daydreaming Fazes” to “Bump”, up to more recent selections from No. 7. The energy continued throughout the evening and the crowd kept pace.
Overall, the Kottonmouth Kings are keeping the dream alive and on their own terms. They’ve succeeded in both making it in the first place and the longevity that eludes so many artists.