Beatbox

By Ainé Ardon-Doley

Thursday is definitely the night of the week — goodness gracious! Pick one or two or all three and enjoy.
1. Slipstate is back with a nifty dose of live hip-hop from Arrakis Records’ Digs Darklighter, Adam12 and Uncle T battling alongside DJ Charlie Brownski. Also in the house, Bronx-born MC Oddateee brings his underground funk to the table, with dev79 and Rumore rockin’ a special collab set. Thu., March 21, 9 p.m.-2 a.m., $3, Aqualounge, 323 W. Girard Ave., www.slipstate.com .

2. Remember the Gathering? Why, sure you do! The monthly sound of the underground is back, jam-packed with b-boys and b-girls (and open linoleum for breakers). Hosted by Kilimanjaro and DJ M_ski on the wheels of steel. Thu., March 21, 9 p.m., $2, The Rotunda, 4012 Walnut St.

3. Straight out of the hip-hop history books, Naughty by Nature take the stage for a club throw-down at Transit. Thu., March 21, Transit, 600 Spring Garden St., 215-925-8878.

Moving on… KRU Records Presents "Starting Juicers: Vinyl Four," the fourth edition of this successful head-bobbin’ roundup. Hosted by Scand Vitale with live action from 40th Dimension, Reef and Sleep-E, Media 101, Digs Darklighter and Uncle T, Greedy Gretch, Flight Brothers (R-SON and Adlib), Starvin Marvin and DJ Saint B on the wheels of steel. Fri., March 22, 10 p.m.-2 a.m., $5, $7 without flier, La Tazza, 108 Chestnut St., 215-922-7322.

Or test the poet in you at the annual Camden Poetry Slam. Poetry as a contact sport kicks off with featured word wrangler and national slam champ Roger Bonair-Agard. Fri., March, 22, 7:30 p.m., $6, $4 for students, free for members, $75 goes to the winner, Walt Whitman Cultural Arts Center, Second and Cooper sts., Camden, 856-964-8300.

Crisscrossing the nation in support of his sexy sophomore release, Ecstasy , the man many critics have compared to the beleaguered R. Kelly unleashes the passion! Now grab your loved one, or lusted one, and brace for a lil’ of Avant’s ecstasy. Fri., March 22, , 7 p.m., $20-$22, The Trocadero, 10th and Arch sts., 215-922-LIVE, www.thetroc.com.

The same crew that presents the monthly Bodyrock has given birth to a new jam, Rocksteady, a night of funky hip-hop. DJ Lil’ Dave and The Ill Vibe Collective DJs take over the decks. Sat., March 23, 10 p.m.-2 a.m., $5, Aqualounge, 323 W. Girard Ave.

In the reggae world, Damien "Jr. Gong" Marley takes the stage to prove himself worthy of his dad’s name (if this year’s Grammy wasn’t enough). Opening the show are the Ghetto Youth Crew and Nagasa and Children of Zion. Tue., March 26, 7 p.m., $16-$18, The Trocadero, 1003 Arch St.