Up Close with DJ Quik
Hip-Hop Royalty Returns to S.B. April 5
At 42, DJ Quik boasts a résumé that’s both star-studded and history-filled. Like so many of his fellow hip-hop comrades, Quik began his rise by way of the mixtape in the mid 1980s. By the ’90s he had signed with a label, released a chart-topping debut (1991’s Quik Is the Name), and begun his record producing career. In the years since, Quik has aligned himself with everyone from Suge Knight, Tupac, and Snoop Dogg to Dr. Dre, Jay-Z, and Kurupt, lending his eclectic ear and love for funk and soul to every album he touches. Talking accolades, Quick’s credits include hip-hop history makers like Pac’s All Eyez on Me, Snoop’s Tha Doggfather, and Jay’s The Black Album; meanwhile, his career-spanning production history continues to inch toward the 100-album mark.
In recent years, Quik’s kept plenty busy, too, releasing an eighth solo album in 2011 (The Book of David), working alongside Kurupt for a second collaboration album (a sequel to 2009’s BlaQKout), and helping finalize the long-delayed Dr. Dre release Detox. “He’s a perfectionist and almost a perfectionist to a fault,” Quik said of Dre in a recent interview with the Herald Sun. “But that’s what defines him. That’s what made him who he is. He’s iconic in that way. He don’t just let things slide because his pride and his career is riding on it.”
When he’s not in the studio, though, Quik is on the road, and this Thursday, April 5, he returns to S.B. to perform. Armed with a repertoire of hits dating back to the early ’90s, Quik’s live show is nothing if not nostalgia-driven. Expect a solid mix of newer cuts and old-school jams, including “Born and Raised in Compton,” “Tonite,” and “Pitch on a Party.” More importantly, though, fans can expect a performance that harkens back to West Coast hip-hop’s Golden Age. Quik has taught and learned from the best, and his specific brand of ’80s-inspired beats, quick-witted lyricism, R&B refrains, and soul samples makes for a live act that’s light on the hype, heavy on the talent.
DJ Quik performs a 21+ show at SOhO Restaurant & Music Club (1221 State St.) on Thursday, April 5, at 9 p.m. Call 965-8676 or visit clubmercy.com for tickets.
