September 4-10, 2003

beat box

compiled by Ainé Ardron-Doley

First Friday looks good for hip-hop as the nine-man wreckiní crew known as Prophets of the Ghetto tear up the small stage. Fri., Sept. 5, 9 p.m.-2 a.m., $7, Tritone, 1508 South St.,

. In more POG news, tune in to 103.9 FM "The Beat" for the Prophetsí new "classics" radio show, The Realness, Sundays, 11 p.m.-midnight. Back to Friday: Shimmy across the dilapidated Ben Franklin Bridge for the Elements of Style, a special sonic combination of hip-hop, soul, funk and jazz produced by Larry Fowler Jr. and directed by Ozzie Jones. On the turntables, itís DJs Evil Tracy, Razor Ramone (ahh, watch out -- Day of the Poet will be back in effect soon) and Mr. Cisum. Instrumentalists holding court include Jamil K. Alexander on guitar, Will Brock on keys, Rick Tate on the sax and Jay Kayhill on the congos. Special appearance by ex-Roots microphone ruler, Malik B. Donít doubt the man. Fri., Sept. 5, 8 p.m., $6-$10, Walt Whitman Arts Center, 101 Cooper St., Camden N.J.,

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Hoodstock 2003 boasts over 12 hours of fun, but still, how will 30-odd artists have time to properly throw down on the mic? Here’s a sampling of the few we have space to name: Brand Nubian’s Sadat X (love that voice), Critically Acclaimed, Doujah Raze, Reef The Lost Cause, Kenneth Masters, Icon The Mic King and Dave Ghetto. Hosting the festivities is Phillyhiphop.com founder/king Funk Wizard Snow. The turntables will be spinning all day at the hands of Sesion 31 (Fredy Blast, Skeme Richards and Primetime), The Originals (Trueself, Pac Midi, RzaWrek and Shizzy Raw), Ambush, Meddafore, Jus Def and a special surprise celeb DJ will tear down four Technic 1200s! Yes, there will be food, vendors and even some R&B and comedy! Sat., Sept. 6 (rain date: Sat., Sept. 13), 11 a.m.-midnight, $5-$7, all ages, Wall Street Outdoor Entertainment Complex, 1431-1439 N. 52nd St. (between Media and Master), 610-457-3493,

Kenneth Masters and DJ Cramski perform live alongside Plastic Little, Upgrade Project and Sucka MCs. The long-awaited debut LP from K-Mass, The Science of Style and Substance, is said to be on the horizon. Wed., Sept. 10, 9 p.m., $7, The Khyber, 56 S. Second St., 215-238-5888.

And lastly, how banginí was the triple album release show with Outerspace, The Last Emperor and Jedi Mind Tricks at North By Northwest? You had to be there.

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