LOS ANGELES, CA-
“Back in the day, when I was young, I’m not a kid anymore, but somedays, I sit and wish I was a kid again.” – Ahmad “Back In The Day”
Whenever I want to relive my younger days, I don’t have to wish for it. All I have to do is turn the radio dial to 93.5FM KDAY.
“Back In The Day”, I used to “bump” KDAY when it was 1580AM. Even though other FM stations were playing hip-hop at the time, KDAY played the “classic” hip hop of the time. Big Daddy Kane. EPMD. Kool Moe Dee. It was the only station, at the time, that played cuts by those legendary rhyme slingers.
Over time, the definition of “classic” evolves, and as we grow older, the stuff we grew up listening to becomes the “new classic”. I remember when Warren G’s “Regulate” dropped in 1994. I bought Bone Thugs-N-Harmony’s “E. 1999 Eternal” as soon as it went on sale I 1995. When I heard Wu-Tang Clan’s “Method Man”, I used “Methodman” as my Hotmail ID…. Hotmail. LOL. I’m now in my 40s, and with all of the Lil Waynes and Drakes and Migos in the world, I hold fast to my own classics and reminisce about simpler times when you could actually understand lyrics.
Now in its 8th year, KDAY hosted its annual Krush Groove music festival in Los Angeles at the Fabulous Forum. The line-up consisted of a “Who’s Who” of rappers who propelled hip-hop and rap to the forefront of the early 90s. Featuring performances by Ice Cube, Bone Thug-N-Harmony, Method Man and Redman it was an evening that hip-hop lovers of all generations could appreciate.
Due to traffic and prior commitments, we weren’t able to make it on site until after the festival was well underway. Mass Appeal, G Mode, Paper Boy and Mellow Man Ace performed earlier in the day kicking off the day’s festivities on the Bud Light Festival Stage outside. 2nd II None and Tha Dogg Pound (Kurupt and Daz Dilliger) reunited to kick off the festivities inside.
Krush Groove stalwart Warren G (he performed at last year’s festivities as well), took the stage solo to “Regulate” the mood of the crowd. Midway through his performance, he took a moment to acknowledge the contributions of one of hip-hop’s lesser known legends: The D.O.C. One of the most talented wordsmiths in the history of the rap game, The D.O.C. joined Warren G on stage to a round of thunderous applause. Just like Warren G honored The D.O.C., KDAY took it a step further to honor Warren G himself for his own contributions to the rap game with a “Hip Hop Honorz Krush Groove 2018” plaque.
DJ Quik was up next and his set was classic. DJ Quik is another reliable staple of the Krush Groove family (he has also performed at past Krush Grooves). With 10 albums and a host of production and featured credits in his holster, Quick brought banger after banger to the Krush Groove stage. Whether suggestively licking his microphone for the female fans or throwing out what appeared to be cold hard cash into the audience, his smooth flow and charismatic charm kept the crowd entertained.
Krush Groove brought some qualified east coast hip hop to stage with Method Man and Redman. Even those these friends only have one official album together, the critically acclaimed 1999 “Blackout!”, their chemistry on stage together is undeniable and watching them perform together is always a treat.
Their respective rap styles and creative lyricism complement each other to a tee. With Method Man’s gravelly growl and Redman’s punctuated punch, the two hit hard whether they perform with own materials or the works that they’ve collaborated on. Collectively, they are a two headed dragon that won’t stop spitting until the cassette runs out of tape, and provided for a wild ride of energy and spirit that definitely got the audience hyped.
Krush Groove brought in some mid-west hip-hop as well as Bone Thugs-N-Harmony (another Krush Groove favorite who also performed last year) took the stage.
What made this Bone Thugs performance particularly memorable was that all five of the original members showed up on stage. At first, only Wish Bone, Layzie Bone, Krayzie Bone and Flesh-n-Bone graced the stage. It wasn’t until sometime midway through their performance that Bizzy Bone joined the rest of the group to perform some of their all-time classic jams.
Over the years, members of the group have taken leaves of absences to work on solo project or been expelled for various reasons. But like Voltron, when all the pieces come together, they are able to unleash a fantastically spirited and energized set.
The evening’s headliner was the inimitable Ice Cube, and there’s no doubt as to the reason why he’s considered one of the best spokesman for the gangsta rap genre. His hard phrasing and unrelenting lyrics are about as tough as they come, and even with his fatherly comedic take in “Are We There Yet” film series, ain’t no one gonna step up to Cube to tell him he isn’t as gangsta as they come.
Cube dropped all of his popular solo hits for the Krush Groove crowd including the all-time favorite “Today Was A Good Day”. Ice Cube was also honored by KDAY with plaque memorializing his influence and contributions in hip hop, but the highlight of his performance was when Cube brought his Westside Connection partner in crime WC (pronounced “Dub-C”) to the stage to drop a few Westside Connection classics.
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BELOW IS A LIST OF ARTISTS THAT WE WERE ABLE TO CATCH AT 93.5 KDAY’S KRUSH GROOVE. CLICK ON THROUGH TO CHECK EVERYTHING OUT!
Like Voltron, All Five Member Of Bone Thugs-N-Harmony Come Together At Krush Groove
DJ Quik Brings His Expansive Repertoire To The Krush Groove Stage
