Hiphopolis Now! hits Spokane
Hiphopolis Now! brings intelligent, socially conscious hip-hop music to Spokane starting tonight.
The four-day underground hip-hop summit lands tonight at The B-Side, 230 W. Riverside Ave., sponsored by Unified Groove Merchants and The Spokesman-Review’s “7” section.
B-Side owner Ben Cater organized the event to combat watered-down commercial hip-hop that he says floods mainstream media and creates a stereotype that the music is all about sex, money, drugs and guns.
“I am hoping Hiphopolis Now! will be an answer to the question that many people seem to have about the credibility of hip-hop as music or as an art form,” said Cater. “You won’t see any women in bikinis getting hosed down by guys in convertibles with more gold around their neck than Mr. T. There won’t be any wasted words on R&B love songs or explicit violence.”
Here’s an outline of events. All shows start at 9:30 p.m. Participants must be 21 or older.
•Tonight: Locals night featuring “Lyricist Lounge” style poetry slam and Freetime Synthetic with Quiz, ending with DJ Nealie Neal’s dance party.
•Friday: Regional rap show with Seattle’s Boom Bap Project, Eugene’s Ohmega Watts and Missoula’s James Two, and a break dancing competition featuring Spokane’s Tangled Roots.
•Saturday: Saturday night live hip-hop, featuring Eleven Eyes and Crown City Rockers. The show opens with a freestyle competition supported by DJ Parafyn, closes with DJ Supervillain’s dance party. The rap contest is restricted to the first 20 entrants. Sign up by 9:30 p.m. Saturday.
•Sunday: Hiphoplis Now!’s anchor features lyrically enlightening hip-hop from Portland’s finest party rockers, Lifesavas, plus politically fueled raps by The Coup. Deejay James Pants opens the night with a beat set and closes with a dance party.
Valley police investigate drive-by shooting
Spokane Valley police were investigating a drive-by shooting Wednesday in which a home on East Main Avenue was shot at five times.
The man who was the intended target has been involved in three other drive-by shootings during the last six months at other addresses, Spokane Valley police spokesman Cpl. Dave Reagan said. The repeat victim is living with his mother at the location where neighbors heard the shots about 6:50 a.m. Wednesday.
The house in the 11200 block of East Main was hit with two of the bullets, but no people were struck, Reagan said. The victim refuses to cooperate with police.
The only information provided by witnesses was that a dark-colored van may have been involved, Reagan said. Police recovered five spent .32-caliber bullet casings from the street. Bullets struck a post in front of the home and the garage.
Anyone with information is asked to call 242-8477.
Illinois fugitive arrested at Valley motel
Spokane Valley police arrested an Illinois fugitive early Wednesday at the Red Top Motel.
Kevin S. Garnsey, 27, was wanted by the Galesburg Police Department on three counts of burglary and by the Warren County Sheriff’s Office for predatory criminal sexual assault and on two counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse.
Police went to the motel at 7217 E. Trent Ave. Wednesday after learning that an Illinois man was staying there who might be wanted, Spokane Valley police spokesman Cpl. Dave Reagan said. An officer confirmed the man’s fugitive status after running a check on a car’s Illinois license plates.
Garnsey opened the motel room door when the officer knocked, peeked through, then tried to slam it shut, Reagan said. After a short struggle, the officer was able to put the man in handcuffs.
Another man in the same motel room, Kevin Hopstad, 43, was arrested on two Washington state felony warrants for forgery, Reagan said. Both men were booked into Spokane County Jail.
Street work planned today for Hamilton Street
Crews will be grinding and patching Hamilton Street today between Cataldo and Springfield avenues on Spokane’s North Side.
Drivers may experience slowdowns and lane restrictions on Hamilton near Gonzaga University.
The work will take place today only if weather permits.