On Lyricist Lounge Tour, Intense Hip-Hop Moments in Spotlight

There is little in the way of a national club network for underground hip-hop artists, so the Lyricist Lounge Tour, which included a stop Saturday at the Palace, is a welcome development.

In its second year, the tour allows newcomers who have yet to release an album plus one established headliner to step into the spotlight in a 15-city trek.

Though most of the artists in the 2 1/2-hour show got over on their sheer intensity, rather than polished presentations, there was plenty of excitement.

Providing the strongest jolt was Da Outsidaz, a New Jersey collective anchored by Young Zee and Pace Won, both of whom have recorded with the Fugees. You would have thought these hard-core rappers had been touring for years after witnessing the ease with which they revved up the crowd.

New York’s Screwball and Los Angeles’ Self Scientific delved into social commentary during their respective sets, offering a rebellious spirit that has all but evaporated from mainstream hip-hop.

Equally intense but more on the carefree side of things, Punch and Words, a New York duo, delivered a slew of humorous one-liners that elicited a number of deserving “oohs” from the crowd. Carson’s Ras Kass hosted the event and delivered clever, politically-charged freestyle raps in-between performances. Red-hot Los Angeles rapper Xzibit also showed up, saluting both Ras Kass and the spirit of the tour.

Headliners EPMD ended the evening with a solid performance that highlighted their storied career.