Back in the “golden age” of hip-hop in the late 1980s and early 1990s, Long Island boasted some of the most idiosyncratic, forward-thinking rap artists in the entire country. While Public Enemy and De La Soul became internationally lauded acts, others never found the same exposure.
Two of these acts, Uniondale/North Amityville’s Leaders of the New School and Freeport’s Son of Bazerk get another turn at the mic in a reunion concert Thursday night in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
“What links [these artists] is that they’re very creative,” said organizer Jesse Serwer. “There was nothing that sounded like any of these groups.”
Serwer described Leaders of the New School, which would eventually launch Busta Rhymes to prominence, as a “very playful group, very lighthearted.” Son of Bezerk’s old-school soul showmanship vibe is backed by “pastiche” sampling that could swing from hard rock guitar solos to reggae rhythms.
Serwer said the concert, which also features some Long Island DJs, will be more akin to a “family reunion.” The show starts at 9 p.m. Thursday at the Knitting Factory on Metropolitan Avenue in Brooklyn. Door tickets are $15.
