Yea Big + Kid Static

The last time Yea Big + Kid Static came through town, the Chicago indie-rock emcees rocked the floor from the beginning — literally: The duo cleared a circle in the middle of the crowd for the performance, ensuring that everyone in the room knew they were in for an interesting show. It's rare that a rap group is both tight and funny (most groups seem to skew one way or the other), but on that night these boys had it all: smooth rhymes, funny stories and solid prerecorded beats — in short, everything you would expect from a professional touring duo, but without the pretension. Most important, both guys seemed serious about putting on a good show — but kept it loose enough so it felt like a nice, classic "Yo mama's so fat..." joke wouldn't seem out of place.