A Pulsing, Percussive Celebration of L.A. Hip-Hop

Anyone who still thinks Los Angeles hip-hop fails to stretch beyond gangster rap should have been at the House of Blues on Wednesday. The Alkaholik family--a loose collective of L.A. based-rap acts--delivered more than 90 minutes of riveting hard-core music to an eager audience.

Whereas most popular California rap artists have focused on gangster topics, this clan prefers to rap about its microphone supremacy and good times.

Its music strays from the relaxed, keyboard-dominated instrumentation favored by West Coast artists in favor of the prominent drum patterns and in-your-face production usually associated with underground New York hip-hop.

Headliner Xzibit, whose “40 Dayz & 40 Nightz” is one of the most underrated hip-hop albums of the year, commanded attention as soon as he stormed the stage. Joined by four comrades who, like him, were dressed in SWAT uniforms, the rapper acted as drill sergeant, leading his platoon through spirited renditions of his underground hits, including “What U See Is What U Get” and “Los Angeles Times.”

Surprise guest King T, a pioneering Compton rapper who discovered both Xzibit and opening act tha Alkaholiks, reveled in the warm response he received during his brief performance during Xzibit’s set. Platinum rapper DMX also took the stage and delivered a fiery rap about his sexual prowess.

Tha Alkaholiks doused the crowd with beer and led call-and-response chants with the audience during such favorites as “Only When I’m Drunk” and “Last Call.”

But they present their humorous, beer-heavy rhymes with a lightheartedness that should temper any negative association their name would bring.

Ras Kass, who was also billed, did not perform. A club spokesman said he arrived too late to play his scheduled set time.