Andy Cooper

* The MC for the Long Beach-based hip-hop group Ugly Duckling, whose record “Journey to Anywhere” was recently re-released by Emperor Norton Records.

A Mixed-Up Scene: As far as music places in Long Beach, it’s kind of a contradiction in terms. But there’s a place here called Live Bait and it’s on PCH and Loynes Avenue, and they do different stuff every night. Tuesdays they have an event called Cabana, and Fridays they have an event called Blown Celebs, that my partner Dizzy is involved in. I don’t know what Blown Celebs means, but they’ve had some groups like People Under the Stairs, Fathead and L.A. Symphony. At Cabana, we’ve played there, and Jurassic 5, Visionaries and Dilated Peoples have been there. So, that’s like the only viable Long Beach hip-hop thing you can go to.

Faux Mayan Ambience: I’m a big, big fan of Mexican food, and I’ve got this spot on Atlantic Avenue called El Patio. You can barely see your way around because it’s so dark inside. I think they keep it dark because they have all these papier-mache-like Mayan temple-looking objects and if it was too bright, you would see that they were very fake. But in the dark they still look sort of commanding. They make a good carne asada and bean burrito.

Where Our DJ Shops: For indie-rock and hip-hop records and just a good variety, Fingerprints in Long Beach on 2nd Street is good. Or if you want vintage stuff, the store where our DJ shops is Bagatelle Records on Atlantic Avenue in downtown Long Beach. It’s a bit pricey, but that’s because it’s the best stuff in the world. They don’t fool around with reissues there.

Underground Hip-Hop: We’ve played almost everywhere in L.A. over our little span as a group. But one of the clubs that I think is the coolest is the Root Down. They do that every Thursday night at Gabah on Melrose. We’ve played there and Cut Chemist DJs there and guys from the Breakestra play there, so it’s a real underground hip-hop mix with the funk and soul crowd, people who like to dance and get down and listen to James Brown.

Free Show: On Friday mornings in Long Beach on the Pine Street Promenade, there’s a farmers market with fresh fruit and people selling incense and all that kind of junk. They’ve got free music every week and usually it’s something halfway decent, blues or zydeco. But if you like watching homeless people dance, then there’s no better entertainment. I’m not just talking about homeless people who are struggling on the street, I’m talking about crazy people. There’s like some 70-year-old guy down there poplocking.

The Girl From Ipanema: I just had a top-notch experience at this place in Long Beach called Tony’s. It’s a French-dip pastrami place, but the owner is Brazilian. Monday and Wednesday nights, they teach Brazilian drumming and dancing, Saturday night is samba music, and Sunday afternoon is bossa nova. So, that’s my pick of the week, Sunday afternoon bossa nova at Tony’s.