I entered Souls of Mischief’s 30th Anniversary of “93 Til Infinity” tour Saturday night at the A + R Bar. I took the 1 from On Tap at Bethel Center into the A+R Bar’s Downtown walking vicinity.

While pregaming off Bethel Road, I recommended Billy Woods’ new album while at the On Tap bar which was added into a friend’s phone upon recommendation. I said, “Billy Woods is Def Jux meets Earl Sweatshirt.”

After On tap, I ate Fresco Taco Bell off Kenny Rd. A food eater turns veggie items vegan at Taco Bell with their Fresco button. Fresco replaces many non-vegan ingredients with tomatoes.

I bumped Alchemist ft. Earl Sweatshirt, and Billy Woods with my Beats while looking at our city from a bus. Alchemist’s “RIP Tracy” song ain’t on the Billy Woods album. You can bump various songs from a cellphone.

At the door, I set my Futura lanyard, Beats, Iphone, and wallet in a tray. I didn’t have anything which set the alarm off.

The room was filled with people who like rap songs.

I had reviewed Souls of Mischief’s “Still Infinity” tour in 2013 at the Basement. Promowest’s Basement holds 350 people while A+R contains 400 people. 2023’s show showed Soul’s popularity increased by at least 50 people in the last decade. While I don’t know if my review helped that much…it didn’t work against the Bay Area legends. Both shows were well attended.

2013 celebrated the 20th anniversary of Souls of Mischief’s “93 Til Infinity” album. I wrote about SOM’s Oakland Hip Hop classic for a prominent graffiti publication, 12oz. 12oz’s article discussed Souls’ importance in Plan B, New Deal, 411 and other skateboard videos. 12oz removed their blog and sells shirts printed in Montana now.

For our Free Press review, I typed a familiar sentence: “Souls of Mischief along with Zoo York and Supreme solidified Hip Hop skateboarding’s existence 4 years after pro skater Natas Kaupus wore a P.E. shirt.”

I remembered Dante Ross placed a P.E. shirt for Def Jam while “Gleaming the Cube” released which brought skateboarders into the movie screen. Later, I found myself reading about Dante Ross’ new book instead of reviewing Souls of Mischief. Dante Ross is an A+R who assisted in exposing Souls Of Mischief’s Hieroglyphics crew everywhere. Souls of Mischief created classics with “93 til Infinity.“ While we are aware of Dante Ross’ book’s web presence and a review I wrote 10 years ago…

Souls of Mischief are important in music.

Souls of Mischief’s “93 Til Infinity” raps showed us pioneering Cold Crushes’ party rocking sing-song cadence in contemporary aesthetics. Souls’ raps added technical rhyme schemes with arrogant brags and guidance parables. Cold Crush are the group who Sugarhill Gang bit the lyrics from “Rapper Delight.” Souls stormed the stage at A+R Bar playing “That’s When Ya Lost” after a series of O-H…I-O  chants.

Is it bad journalism that I found myself rhyming with a classic?

Alls I know Saturday, I saw Souls of Mischief rap a hip hop classic with skills and charisma. Souls drilled into their catalog in manner which you knew our evening  was special…. Of all the rap songs ever written, we were hearing songs off “93 Til Infinity.”

We were hearing classic compositions.

Souls were backed by Breakbeat Lou. Breakbeat Lou is known for making “Ultimate Break Compilations” which were vinyl pressed databases of breaks for deejays and producers until Serato existed.

I don’t know if Serato rendered Breakbeat Lou only a performance deejay……but I do know an ethic with samples is that samples brought us a history of music.

As Souls annihilated the stage with our loved songs, I thought about learning about 70s jazz like Freddie Hubbard, Grover Washington Jr., Roy Ayers,  Ramsey Lewis, and others from “93 til Infinity.”

Breakbeat Lou layered “93 Til Infinity’s” peers Black Moon, Black Sheep and Gangstarr originals while Souls discussed the 50th year of our culture.

Ronnie Laws played for everyone while Souls dedicated the concert into the writers, breakers, and dejays. Soul’s informal live podcast remembered touring with Tribe Called Quest at the Newport.

I wrote those names because I know if I read Bomb Hip Hop, the Source, OTG, Mass Appeal, Rap Pages, URB or Rap Sheet….I wanted that information…

Souls asked Columbus if the Oakland collective could play stuff which wasn’t “93 Til…” A+R Bar responded with glee…. Souls played a song produced by Prince Paul.

We heard “You Never Knew” off of that Hieroglyphics record which Hiero released themselves at the start of the late 90’s indie movement while El-P,  Talib Kweli, and Yaasin Bey were emerging. Souls’ producer Domino was introduced in a moment of family familiarity. Domino produced “Let Em Know,” “Live and Let Live,” “Disseshowedo,” “What A Way To Go Out” and “93 Til infinity’s” outro.

Domino did backing vocals with “Batting Practice.” Souls rocked that joint but I didn’t look to see if Domino ad libbed.

Hiero’s show last song…. the ultimate “93 Til Infinity,” Hip Hop treat: “Cab Fare.” “Cab Fare” wasn’t on the “93 Til Infinity” album but you bumped “Cab Fare” from skate videos, and tapes. 

Souls used singles, and skate videos as a realm of exploration for unreleased music.

I caught a lyft and described Columbus’ Souls of Mischief show while an African immigrant listened. Souls’ show intensified Nas, Wu and De La Soul concert excitement.