Guerilla 16 and The Perceptionists hit the ’Sco this past Friday in one of Oberlin’s best hip hop shows in the last few years. Oberlin College’s newest and perhaps only hip hop crew, Guerilla 16, opened in their first live performance with an impressive display, starting with “Guerilla Stomp,” an attention grabber that got the crowd pumped up and ready for more. The group, with MCs Iron Solomon, Mongoose, Catalyst and the Prophet Isaiah (and guest MC Tony Gramsci on the track “War”), has politically-charged but not overly-serious lyrics that really hit the spot with the Oberlin audience. With funky beats performed by sophomore Lewis Martinez, senior Max Hellermann, sophomore Isaiah Fortenberry and sophomore Kassa Overall (bass, guitar, keyboard and drums, respectively), Guerilla 16 offers the perfect mix of funk and hip hop to create a synthesis that is easy to dance to, but far from generic pop rap. They also had lyrical back up from sophomore John Orduna and freshman Elvis Francois as well as a trumpet solo from sophomore Theo Croker, further emphasizing the funk and jazz influence in their beats. The group was formed last semester by Mongoose and the Prophet Isaiah, the producer of all but one of their tracks. (Iron Solomon takes the honor for “Territorial Piss Marker.”) However, the members have known one another and collaborated for some time. Guerilla 16 shows some real promise as an underground hip hop crew and will be performing a number of times yet this semester.

Following a brief break, The Perceptionists came out with bass pounding and lyrics flying. Though all three members, Mr. Lif, Akrobatiks and DJ Fakts One, are long-time friends, collaborators and established hip hop artists, the Boston-based Perceptionists were just recently formed. They put up an incredibly engaging show, managing to entertain while being committed to thought provoking topics and lyrical commentary. Mr. Lif and Akrobatik are both known for their down-to-earth, no nonsense lyrical styles and the reasons for this were immediately clear during the show: while the group has their comical side (their new single, “The Razor,” talks about the New England Patriots’ invulnerability, with the chorus repeating “Ain’t nobody seein’ the Pats and that’s that,” which, while recently shown to be true, is also humorous), they are also very serious about the issues plaguing the inner-cities and America in general. One of their tracks, “Memorial Day,” a commentary on the current “War on Terror” and military activity in Iraq and Afghanistan, offers a no-holds-barred critique of George W. Bush and his administration’s policies. However, this is just the tip of the iceberg with The Perceptionists; the members of this power trio are also known for their serious commitment to furthering hip hop philosophy and the “search for Knowledge of Self.” Their current tour is in part promotion for their upcoming first album as a trio, titled Black Dialogue. The Perceptionists are fast receiving positive support from the hip hop community as three already-acclaimed solo artists coming together with a whole new feel.

This show was part of a long-standing drive, of which the members of Guerilla 16 have been an integral part, to fundraise for the upcoming Oberlin Hip Hop Conference 2005. Expect to see Guerilla 16 at least a couple more times this semester — they will be performing at the raffle for the Hip Hop Conference on Friday, Feb. 25 and again at the conference itself. They are also open to performing at parties in the interim, to supplement the fundraising effort. Look for the upcoming release of Black Dialogue on March 22; the Prophet Isaiah hopes that Guerilla 16 will try to have an album out by the Conference.