Rock Candy

Tha Rock Underground Hip Hop Show went down last night at the Rev Room in Little Rock. MC’ed by Shea Marie, a member of the headlining act Grim Muzik, the show featured a round-up of some of the A-state’s finest lyricists and performers all track-backed by DJ Smoky, a recognizable regular on the River Market scene.

Highlights:

The Sunny Side Click performed crowd favorites “Ya Sick” and “Catch Me at Da Spot.”

The Caddy Kittys, an in-your-face, all-girl group, who – in between playful “meows” – scratched away at topics that their male counterparts have typically claimed: getting high, getting paid and getting laid. The women (pictured above) held their own on the catchy song “Always Trappin’” (“Have you ever seen a b**** on a grind, steady hustlin’ all the time keepin’ money on her mind now, always trappin’ now, pistol packin’ now”). They’re rowdy and aggressive, street-smart and ambitious. They performed “Nine Lacs Bacc,” on which they requested their Sweets rolled tight, music up high, and top laid back. And, on “Don’t Bump Me,” they advised against stepping on their feet on the dance floor. You get the feeling that they’ll tell you exactly what they want, and, whatever it is, you’ll give it to them.

Tall, skinny Pimp Slap, with help from a big friend, delivered his self-promoting single “Pimp Slap,” on which he claims he’s the “king of the empire known as Little Rock.” On “What’s Up,” he gave a nod to every big name in Rock Town: Big Keys, Playa Mal, Playboy Shane, 607 and Jermain Taylor. His new album “Freshman of tha Year” is out now.

Finally, after several so-so rap duos, it was time for Grim Muzik, a label/music collective supporting several individual Arkansas artists – YK, Doughboy, Virdman, Playa Spade, Platinum Black, among others. At last night’s show, six or seven rappers joined Shea Marie on stage. In call-and-response fashion, they chanted “Who Do’s It?” and the crowd replied: “Grim Muzik.” Everybody put their “As” in the air during their breezy jam “Riding in the A-state.” A short set, they gave us “Boy Looka Here,” “Boss Bytch,” and one or two others before calling it a night.