Philadelphia Weekly

MUSIC

Critic's Pick: Tayyib Ali + Gilbere Forte’ 

Add Comment | Comments: 0 | Posted Jul. 27, 2011

“Skateboards and weed smoke’s all I know/ Young rebels is who we are/ Soon to be superstars,” spits Philly’s Tayyib Ali on “Do It” from Keystone State Of Mind, a DatPiff mixtape he dropped in April. The 18-year-old’s   super braggadocios, but his fire-and-ice combo backs it up, not to mention he’s recently been working with Diplo and Cisco Adler in the studio. There’s an extreme urgency in Ali’s rhymes that comes when an artist is about to blow up. The same goes for 24-year-old Philly crusher Gilbere Forte’ whose “Black Chukkas,” a shoe-homage akin to Run DMC’s “My Adidas” and the Pack’s “Vans,” exploded the Internet last year. His flow is hard, all heat, and he must not sleep because he’s popping up everyday with players like Freeway, Sean Rose, Tyga and Pusha T. Check out his free Philadelphia Freshman mixtape, get to the TLA tonight, and bear witness as Philly’s next superstars ignite. (Elliott Sharp) 

Thurs., July 28, 7pm. $19. With Chris Webby. Theatre of the Living Arts, 334 South St. 215.922.1011. livenation.com