Kweli on the decks
Known world wide as a prolific hip-hop wordsmith, Talib Kweli will bring his crate of records and take on Detroit with the 1’s and 2’s.
At Plan B Nightclub Thursday night, the talented Brooklyn, New York rapper will rock the party on the decks for a rare three-hour DJ set.
“First of all, I have to respect the profession of DJing,” Kweli tells MMX this week about his DJ gig in the D. “When someone hires me to DJ there is a celebrity factor involved because I haven't done it enough for my DJ skills to be the selling point.”
Brought to you by Public Media Group, you can expect a mix of hip-hop, old school, R&B and funk – but that’s not all.
“When I take an offer, I have to bring something extra,” Kweli says. “So I DJ and host. I play some of my favorites, I perform some of yours. In Detroit, I will be bringing Res and Graph who are in the group Idle Warship with me.”
The east coast hipster dance group Idle Warship has released two albums and are slated to perform with Kweli, but there are other surprises for the night that are still under wraps.
“He’s kind of putting together a performance where he’s not going to be sitting behind the table the whole night playing records,” says Jeremy Deputat of Public Media Group. “He feels that he has this opportunity to maybe do some new material, and he likes to use Detroit as a testing ground because he feels like if it’s wack, we’re going to tell him it’s wack, and if we like it, we’ll tell him that too.”
“This is only going to be the third time ever that he’s ever been billed at a party to do something other than MC,” Deputat says. “It’s going to be special.”
9 p.m. Thursday, Plan B Nightclub, 205 W. Congress, Detroit, 313.226.1200. $15 advance tickets available at Burn Rubber, 202 W. Fourth St. in Royal Oak and Spectacles, 230 E. Grand River in Detroit. 18 +
Laugh Your A** Off
Kicking off a new weekly event, LMAO Theatre Thursdays is coming to downtown's Prive Ultralounge.
“The vibe I'm trying to create is a Second City/’Chappelle Show’ with some stand-up comedy mixed in there,” says Michael McDaniel, chief operating officer for ShoTown Productions, Inc. who also co-hosts with Comedian Mike Bonner at the Hard Rock Café’s Tickle Me Tuesdays and The Basement Groove Show with Sky Covington every Wednesday.
Over the next month, Comedian Joe Blount from Jamie Foxx's Laffapalooza will be in attendance along with DJ Spud, comedians John Tortalott and Cool Aide from Hot 102.7 FM. and sketch comedy troupe Schitz & Gigglez.
7 p.m.-2 a.m. Thursday, Prive, 155 Congress, Detroit, 313.965.6560. $5 before 9:30 p.m., 21+
They tried to make me go to rehab…
A bit of stigma is often attached to rehab, but Sunday nights at the White Rhino are a completely different story.
Owner Al Mackey offers a wide variety of options when it comes to shaking off the weekend hangovers and preparing for the start of a new work week during White Rhino’s Rehab Sunday.
“We like to have a lot of different things going for people,” Mackey says. “Free popcorn, an extensive food menu -- we like things big. We try to keep people here from leaving.”
Don’t be mislead by the word rehab. Going for about a year, Rehab Sundays feature $15 pitchers of Tequila Sunrise, Long Island Iced Tea, strawberry daiquiris and pina coladas. Emergency Room specials include $4 blueberry bombs, 22 oz. Bloody Marys and $.99 tacos, which Mackey says are great for absorbing the alcohol.
If Redford's too far to drive for your Sunday fix, Mackey plans to open a new location in Melvindale in the next couple weeks.
Sunday, White Rhino, 26721 W. 7 Mile Rd., Redford, 313-541-1044.
Cruise for a cause
An evening cruise on the Detroit River with dinner, an open bar and entertainment by Michigan’s own Kimmie Horne this Tuesday will help feed metro Detroit's homebound seniors during the holiday season.
The first Detroit Area Agency on Aging summer cruise benefits the Holiday Meals on Wheels, part of the agency’s meal program that feeds thousands of the area's seniors.
"People should attend this event because they are saving the lives of homebound seniors who may otherwise go hungry if they don't receive this one meal on the holiday,” says Andrea Johnson, director of the Detroit Area Agency on Aging Fund Development.
“Not only are their donations providing some nutrition, but they are helping to provide company for seniors who may not have anyone visit them on the holiday other than the volunteers who deliver the meals.”
About 300 people are expected to attend.
6 p.m.-10:30 p.m. Tuesday, Ovation Yacht departing from Atwater Street at the GM Wintergarden between Beaubien and Randolph, 313.446.4444, ext. 5213 or 313.396.5582. $75
Ese Esan’s nightlife column is live every Wednesday at detroit.metromix.com and inside the Detroit Free Press' "Play" magazine on Thursdays. Email her at eesan@metromix.com
