Family Tree Tour Reveals Talent of New Generation

About halfway through the smoothly run Family Tree tour stop Saturday at a boisterous House of Blues, one of the night’s emcees declared, “This is the new generation of this music [hip-hop] here tonight.”

Indeed, the new generation, which composed most of the seven-act bill, represented itself admirably throughout. In fact, several of the younger acts threatened to upstage headliners Phife Dog (of A Tribe Called Quest) and Slum Village, the organizers of the tour.

Dansen Park kicked off the three-hour bill with a 15-minute set that included their interpretation of the Lovin’ Spoonful’s “Summertime in the City.” Though the quintet’s lyrics elsewhere lacked creativity, the rhymes were delivered with passion and flair.

Following an ambient, spacey intro that would’ve done the Orb proud, the wild-haired Tech 9, whose psychedelic mannerisms conjured up the memory of a young George Clinton, led a quartet that riled up the audience with superb choreography and colorful, fluid raps.

Given that he was making his L.A. debut, Dwele had every right to be nervous. But the 22-year-old soul singer displayed his versatility, playing guitar and keyboards in only four songs, as well as a smooth vocal style.

L.A. rapper-singer Mystic declared herself an act to watch with her debut album, “Cuts for Luck and Scars for Freedom.” Playing before hometown fans, she led a band through a half-hour set that showed off her socially conscious side and soulful grooves.

Phife Dog then took the energy level even higher. Joined by MC Jarobi and a turntablist, he used his rapid-fire rhymes and such familiar samples as Lou Reed’s “Walk on the Wild Side” to work the crowd effortlessly. The place reached a fever pitch when he tapped into his A Tribe Called Quest past halfway through his set.

Slum Village seemed a bit anticlimactic after all that, but the interplay between their trio of rappers closed out what had already been an impressive night on yet another high point.