A ONE-TWO HIP-HOP PUNCH

Ludacris performs Friday at Tullio Arena. Coolio to follow Saturday at Peccadillo’s.

PREVIEW by Dave Richards Staff writer

How often does this happen in Erie — two nationally known hip-hop performers, headlining the same weekend? Probably about as often as a 70-degree weekend in February.

Ludacris will perform Friday at Tullio Arena, the first hip-hop artist to headline there since Public Enemy and Third Bass teamed up in 1990. On Saturday, Coolio — the rapper with the coiling, Medusa-like dreads — will perform at Peccadillo’s.

Also, Black Entertainment Television personality Danella will host an After Party event with a New York DJ late Friday at the Booker T. Washington Center. Danella, who hosted radio shows in Washington and New York City before joining BET, has interviewed Ludacris often and says Erie will be in for a fun Friday.

“He’s a good performer. It’ll be a good show,” Danella said. “You know the cool thing about him is, he’s a good person — very downto-earth, funny. I love him as an entertainer, as well.”

Lee Smith, a DJ and assistant programmer for WERG-FM’s “Super Soul Saturday,” is excited about catching this concert, especially because local promoters are putting it on.
“I think it’s a great undertaking for Knightsound and 19th Street Productions,” Smith said. “I’m hoping they do well so they can segue into possibly doing some cross promotions where they bring in more mainstream R&B, combined with the hip-hop, that’ll attract a larger variety of audience.”

Ludacris emerged as an allaround entertainer in recent years by branching into acting and launching an XM radio show. After appearing in “2 Fast 2 Furious” and “Batman and Robin,” among other projects, he broke out in a big way in 2005.

He starred in two of the year’s most acclaimed films — Oscar winner “Crash” and “Hustle and Flow.” More recently, Ludacris appeared as Det. Fin’s murderous son in a March guest stint on “Law and Order: SVU.”

Ludacris is expected to bring several of his Disturbing tha Peace artists for Friday’s show, including Playa Circle, DJ JC, Lil’ Fate, and Field Mob, who sang with him on “Georgia.”
LIKE LUDACRIS, COOLIO DID not respond to interview requests from Showcase. However, expect this old-school rapper from Los Angeles’ Compton neighborhood to perform the songs that made him a breakout star in the 1990s.

Coolio reached No. 3 with his remake of Lakeside’s “Fantastic Voyage,” while the video showcased the crazy hairstyle that defines his look. Missy Elliott was impressed. She referenced his hair on 2005’s “Party Time”:

“Guys think I’m more important than the Super Bowl / When I’m done rapping, I’ll make your hair look like Coolio.”

Though he emerged from the West Coast gangsta scene, Coolio took a more pop-friendly, party-style approach, especially on singles, which helped him cross over to a wider audience. His popularity reached a peak with “Gangsta’s Paradise,” later parodied by Weird Al Yankovic.

“Paradise” — a brooding, serious track — was so starkly different from his previous hits that Coolio’s label released it first on a soundtrack. When the song unexpectedly took off, it became the centerpiece for his next CD, his biggest seller at three million plus.

“My Soul” followed in 1997, but produced no major pop hits. Coolio re-emerged with “El Cool Magnifico” in 2002. That CD featured an unlikely guest — Kenny Rogers on “Hustler,” a rap version of “The Gambler.” But it didn’t revive his career. Coolio also has plenty of TV and film credits. He next appears as Master Flow in “Retirement,” due out later this year.