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Loren "Folklore" Cone

Heroes are conceived by circumstance, gestated through dedication, and received subjectively.  For scores of seventeen to thirty-seventeen-year-old universal b-boys, metropolitan socialites, and suburban partisans, paternal figures Zion I and The Grouch conjure a respectable voice of reason often muted by irresponsible—and nonsensical—rhyme.

A smattering of each demographic recently took in a free Thursday evening performance by the sojourners at Amoeba Records in San Francisco.  Selections from Heroes in the City of Dope and fan-favorite collaborative numbers like “Silly Putty” were most deftly performed to a cacophonous LRG-clad audience.  Zion addressed the crowd with resolute enthusiasm to compliment Grouch’s strategic reservation, the contrasting dynamic that is reflected in their respective styles on Heroes.

The inlet vicinity emcees get their mature gentleman on amidst Amp Live’s Cali-catered boom-clap calliope of 808s, 909s, and the sound of two or more hands rejoicing.  Subjects run the philosopher’s gamut, from John Candy movies (“Trains and Planes”) to John Hughes movies (“10 Fingers, 10 Toes, 10 lbs., 10 oz.”).  Zion and Grouch, though, are literary-reference caliber emcees scrutinizing the social retreat of technological advancement in the vein of Philip K. Dick on “Digital Dirt.”  In these contrived corner-cutting Myspace times, Grouch comes poignant as always with, “Before you structure stuff for the net to see / lack of human interaction’s a bad recipe.”  Utilizing their super-human capacities for common sense, the working-class heroes champion the dignity in the mundane, whilst popping their blue collars—savvy and swagger.  Scrape your fingernails on the chalkboard, young’n.