Dead Prez emcee stic.man rightly pegged DP “somewhere in between N.W.A. and P.E.” on the thumping “I’m a African” from their turn-of-the-millenium classic Let’s Get Free. The duo (completed by fellow lyricist M1) took the street-level rage of N.W.A., filtered it through the socio-political lens of Public Enemy, and finished it off with a touch of Native Tongues-crew Afrohumanism. Later on, their message became less focused (both lyrically or musically) and perhaps less powerful as it was on LGF (stic.man’s newer material, for example, mainly consists of him talking about staying clean and hitting the gym), but they still stand as one of the most effective and intelligent groups to emerge from the East Coast conscious rap renaissance of the late nineties/early aughts. Look forward to hearing well-known material along side newer joints off of their upcoming Information Age LP. With Project Lionheart, Fatal Lucciauno. TODD HAMM

Wed., Sept. 26, 8 p.m., 2012