KRS-One brings hip-hop wisdom and high-energy set to Rock Hall and Lock 3 Park

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Hip-hop legend KRS-One will bring his lyrical fire and cultural insight to Northeast Ohio this weekend, with two events that showcase both his intellect and performance prowess.

At 7 p.m. on Friday, July 25, the emcee known as “The Teacha” will present an abridged version of his talk, “An Introduction to Hip Hop”, at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s Foster Theater. Tickets are $15, or $10 for Rock Hall members. Go to rockhall.com for more information.

KRS-One said he has enjoyed a long and fruitful relationship with the Rock Hall. He originally wanted to deliver the full four-hour version of his talk but was asked to condense it. Still, he and the Rock Hall have discussed bringing the full version — and possibly a symposium — in the future so he can “really break this thing down,” as he does at The Temple of Hip Hop. Founded in 1996 and inspired by the late-’80s Stop the Violence Movement and the all-star track “Self-Destruction,” the Temple is a hip-hop culture preservation society and educational facility based on Ludlow Street in Newark, New Jersey.

“We consider ourselves culture keepers. We consider ourselves cultural architects. We’ve been at this preservation of hip hop for a minute, one of which is just steering hip hop’s global image away from commercial exploitation, the commercial exploitation of it,” the Bronx native said.

“We don’t frown on it. We all make money from exploiting some aspect of hip hop. But we kind of act as a balancing entity in hip hop’s global history,” he added.

While hip-hop classes are now offered in colleges and other institutions, KRS-One believes many of them focus too narrowly on “rap music bios” rather than the core elements and culture that empowered those artists.

“Who empowers the next generation, who gives knowledge to the next generation based on hip hop that actually helps you live longer and better, or avoid problems and troubles?” he said.

Just 24 hours after dropping knowledge at the Rock Hall, KRS-One — also known as “The Blastmaster,” a moniker that stands for “Knowledge Reigns Supreme Over Nearly Everyone” — will take the stage at Lock 3 Park in Akron at 7 p.m. on Saturday, July 26. He’ll be joined by turntable legend DJ Cash Money and his rap partner Marvelous, best known for their humorous tracks “Ugly People Be Quiet” and “Find An Ugly Woman.” Also performing are local hip-hop band Red Rose Panic and DJ Forrest Getemgump.

Tickets for the show start at $20 for general admission and $35 for reserved seating. They’re available at the door, at the Akron Civic Theatre box office, or online at Ticketmaster.com (additional fees apply).

This will be KRS-One’s second performance at Lock 3 Park. He first appeared there in 2009, brought in by local promoters Keepers of the Art, sharing the stage with fellow NYC legend Big Daddy Kane and Buckshot of Black Moon. He returned to Akron in 2020 for a show at Musica with The Jungle Brothers.

For this latest performance, KRS-One promises “straight savagery.”

“I come with like 40 records in, like 30, 25 minutes. I think we do 40 songs,” he said from New York a few days before driving to Cleveland.

“It’s a barrage of just hip hop classics non-stop. It’s out of control. DJ Cash Money’s going to be there. Cash Money has my show in his computer, you know. So whenever we meet up, it’s just like putting a glove on hand. It’s just, ‘Yo, just go to track three and hit start,’ that’s it,” he said.

That “barrage” will likely include many of his ’80s and ’90s classics from his Boogie Down Productions days — the group he co-founded with the late DJ Scott La Rock in 1985 — as well as solo hits like “My Philosophy,” “MCs Act Like They Don’t Know,” the safe-sex anthem “Jimmy,” the Blondie-sampling “Step Into a World (Rapture’s Delight),” and the iconic “Sound of Da Police,” whose hook — “Whoop! Whoop! That’s the sound of da police!” — has been widely sampled and featured in numerous films and TV shows.

While many of his Gen-X peers and the Millennial rap stars he influenced are content to tour on legacy status, KRS-One, who turns 60 in August, continues to record. He released a new album, “The Temple of Hip Hop Global Awareness,” this past spring.

He recently returned from a 37-city international tour that included stops in Europe, Morocco, and Canada, where he performed and promoted the Temple’s mission. Though his live sets may not feature many new tracks, his passion remains undiminished.

“I’m at my apex. I am at the top of my game. Yes, I am,” he said confidently.

“As I speak to you right now, I’m at the top of my game as far as lyrics are concerned. Beats are concerned, rocking parties are concerned — this kind of thing.”

KRS-One said he still has plenty to teach and always something to say. He doesn’t make music to chase hits or chart placements, but to speak to his peers and fans who value substance over slogans.

“I know who I’m rhyming for. I’m doing this for my fan base. That’s one half. The other half is the fact that if you don’t keep speaking, you do wind up becoming irrelevant or forgotten. And I bring this up, not only because it’s important, but it’s also another one of my motivators for myself.”