ON THE FLOOR
Rawtee and Freaky Flow
Smoker’s Delight T
he city of Los Angeles, California, known for its relaxed cannabis culture and vibrant dance music scene, invited over
50 artist to perform at its 6th annual 420 edition of I Love LA, Southern California’s premier smoker’s bass music event. With the two forces behind the event, Tonz of Drumz and Ghetto Life, having been entertaining junglists, hip- hop aficionados and cannabis enthusiasts for over a decade, DJ Mag US headed to The Airliner nightclub in historic downtown Lincoln Heights to check out the festivities.
Our GPS guides us to The Airliner, a venue with deep roots in Los Angeles, hosting various events from the bass driven Low End Theory night to art showings. Parking on a busy side street in front of an old church, we make our way around the corner to be met by velvet ropes at the entrance before walking into the middle of a packed downstairs bar, patrons ordering from the club’s kitchen - serving up seasoned fries and bacon wrapped hot dogs - in front of a bass music selector.
Surviving a dark hallway, we find an open air dancefloor lined with couches and over 60 people mingling alongside live art installations that glow in the dark with multiple colors. Resident DJ Pablo Hassan’s house grooves radiate throughout the back of the venue. As we make our way upstairs, we can smell the pungent flowers burning from the occupants of the smoker’s patio where an active crowd is chatting about their next anticipated DJ set. Met with a cloud of haze, the 420 festivities are defiantly underway. To the side of the patio, group photos are being taken with an I Love LA themed backdrop and professional lighting.
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djmag.com
California celebrates the symbiotic relationship between weed and deep bass at the 6th annual 420 edition of ‘I Love LA’...
Cutting through, we make our way to the small door that leads to the grand bass room. A crowded bar on the right gives way to light technician Gideon 360 , mixing lazers to rapid percussion and booming bass from back to back DJs Scooba & Construct. After dropping Jayline and Ian Dee’s ‘Pelham Skank’, the packed room goes bonkers.
The action leads up to a legendary back to back with APX1 and Circuit, backed by a slew of lyrical talent including Smog’s Kemst, MC Werd, Mickey Flair, MC Agez and a surprise appearance by MC Questionmark. After dropping banger after banger, APX1, aka Aron Perez, affectionately nicknamed “The cookie monster”, hands out the event’s special ‘OG cookies’ by the truck load. It’s one of the crowd’s most anticipated moments and a customary activity at this 420 themed event, as well as every I Love LA party through out the entire year.
This year’s celebration hosts special UK guests Chris Bad Habit, Digitally Mashed and Final Conflict showcasing the new forward thinking sound of future jungle. The trio is currently on tour in the United States. We chat with Digitally Mashed, who describes the event as a, “top, top day and night... Curious? and APX1 throw a top party.” Event founder Curious? goes on to tell us, “We’re just doing what we love.”
Freaky Flow, aka Stephen Grey, brings an all vinyl, jungle infused set, mixing it up with classics like The Pharcyde’s ‘Passin Me By’ which has the entire room vibing and singing along. His world renowned scratching skills ensure the whole place is arms up from start to finish. DJ Mag US grab a word with the impressive turntabalist: “I Love LA did it again!” he enthuses. “Killer crowd. Glad to see junglists still in full swing in Los
Angeles.” Afterwards Rawtee keeps the crowd satisfied with a flowing dubplate selection for one solid hour with a hard edged set.
Downstairs in the lounge, Respect drum and bass weekly resident Drone entertains a solid wall of people, slamming TC’s ‘Ho Bass VIP’ backed by the support of MCs Snype, Type and Woes. With the patrons bouncing from wall to wall, Blang and live vocalist Lyrical Luna set up shop next, soon getting the downstairs area swaying to the sweet sounds of d&b.
Closing the night upstairs, Toxic and OVC bring their full on drum and bass heaters for a strong finish to the very busy and exciting day to night event. The amount of local support and effort put into this event is evidence that the Los Angeles bass music scene thrives on unity. We can’t wait till next year, DJ Mag USA loves LA! AMANDA ROSS
MC Questionmark
MC Kemst
Neuropunk & Miniature Robots
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