MEAR ONE is a contemporary American artist based in Los Angeles. Having been labeled as “The Michelangelo of Graffiti” and “The Salvador Dali of Hip-Hop” he is considered by many to be Los Angeles’ most prolific graffiti artist. When he invited me to his birthday celebration I was honored. When I was told that Gaslamp Killer and Afrika Bambaataa would be spinning the ones-and-twos, I was geeking.
Held every Wednesday at The Airliner in Lincoln Heights is a club called “Low End Theory”. Currently they have a DJ residency of Nobody, D-Styles, Gaslamp Killer and Daddy Kev. Throw Afrika Bambaataa into the mix, and you’ve got an evening of hip-hop music that shouldn’t be missed.
When I got to the venue, the line to get in was already 50 deep, and the doors hadn’t opened yet. Thankfully, I was going in with the birthday boy and his crew. We made our way upstairs to the second floor, outdoor patio which overlooks the stage where the featured DJ’s would be spinning. Drinks were served, artistic discussion ensued and pictures were taken.
I made my way downstairs when Gaslamp Killer was setting up. As soon as he started spinning, I knew it was going to be a ridiculously curated set. Starting it off with some cumbria from Quantic (I mean, to me, that was pretty out-of-the-box mind blowing), I was extremely impressed with what he was able to mix in.
As soon as Gaslamp Killer finished his set, the patio started buzzing with anticipation. He took to the mic to announce his giddiness about having Afrika Bambaataa perform. After all, we area talking about one of the godfathers of hip-hop. An ambassador of hip-hop culture, whose message has always been a positive one.
When Afrika Bambaataa took the stage, the audience roared with approval. It was an honor to be there watching him spin his magic.
#DKLPHOTOS 