Feb. 21Alpha BlondyClub Paladium (615 N. 400 West) 9 p.m.$22.50
Alpha Blondy, or Seydou Kone, was named by the United Nations as Ambassador of Peace for Cte D’Ivoire in 2005 for his life-long attention to humanitarianism expressed in his internationally-recognized music. This marked the culmination of a long legacy of protest music from Blondy, beginning with his 1982 debut Jah Glory and its single “Brigadier Sabari,” railing against un-checked instances of police brutality. Blondy has traveled around the world with his reggae music to spread his optimistic message, be it promoting unity between the religions of Islam, Judaism and Christianity, or decrying apartheid in South Africa.
Feb. 21HieroglyphicsUnion Ballroom (200 S. Central Campus Drive)7 p.m.$17 ($6 for U students)
You can hardly discuss hip-hop without including mention of this Oakland-based artist collective. The Hiero family includes but is not limited to the self-sustaining solo projects of Pep Love, Del tha Funkee Homosapien, Casual, Domino and the mighty Souls of Mischief. The crew formally formed up in 1995 when many of its members were dropped from their respective record label obligations, allowing them to start up the independently owned and operated Hieroglyphics Imperium label. This healthy dose of creative control has ensured a veritable bottomless chest of funky cuts from Hieroglyphics, from its formative 3rd Eye Vision (1998) release to present.
Feb. 23Hey WillpowerThe Urban Lounge (241 S. 500 East)9 p.m.$10
After a late-night discussion revolving around their shared love for R&B/hip-pop (a la Mariah Carey), Will Schwartz and partner Tomo Yasuda conceived of the dance-inducing Hey Willpower. The group is a departure in sound from Schwartz’s other project, indie rock group Imperial Teen, and provides a much-needed outlet for him to channel his inner Mariah. True to the group’s ass-shaking mission, the band features two members who function as full-time dancers to enervate the crowd while promoting its eponymous debut.
Feb. 27SoleThe Urban Lounge (241 S. 500 East) 9 p.m.$8
One can’t mention Sole without the name of the label he helped conceive, black sheep, hip-hop pioneer, Anticon Records. Nor would it be appropriate to mention one of the most important thinkers of 21st century hip-hop without accounting for his innovative contribution to Deep Puddle Dynamics’ (Slug, Doseone, Alias, Sole) seminal 2000 release, The Taste of Rain? Why Kneel. Tracking Sole’s latest sporadic movements is as problematic as ever. He recently returned from a sojourn abroad to be with Arizona trio, the SkyRider Band, to record his latest release, a characteristically engaging record that fully lives up to the cult status that has built up around Tim Holland. Go to the show, have some fun, shake his hand. Just don’t ask him about the beef with El-P.