Legendary Hip-Hop Night Funky Cornbread Returns to Tempe on Thursday

The folks behind The Blunt Club are going old school this week edition of the long-running hip-hop affair -- way old school. The turntablists inside the Yucca Tap Room will spin things all the way back to the early Aughts on Thursday, March 13, in order to recreate the vibe and swagger of bygone hip-hop event Funky Cornbread for one night only.

Launched in 2000 at the old Nita's Hideaway by the venerable Z-Trip, the onetime weekly was one of the more memorable joints in local nightlife lore and featured the iconic local mixmaster performing alongside his turntablist associates Tricky T and Tige Fresh, as well as such notable guests as the legendary DJ Shadow.

As Z-Trip told New Times back in those days, the event offered a mélange of jazz, funk, and "crowd-rockin' shit," as well as loads of hip-hop coming from the decks. "You're gonna get your kinda dancey, real fun shit, but you're also gonna get your deep, soulful shit, and you're gonna get your underground shit in the mix, too," he stated.

In other words, it was the shit.

According to Tricky T, a protégé of Z-Trip, the night was quite epic.

"The vibe was amazing," he says. "It was started based on the idea of us playing the type of stuff that we don't get a chance to play at other gigs. Playing whatever we wanted, no genre limits, just good music."

Funky Cornbread's mix of art, hip-hop, and even b-boys (as members of the Furious Styles Crew also came out to perform) also made it a forerunner of sorts to The Blunt Club.

Tricky T and Tige will attempt to invoke the spirit and the sounds of the night on Thursday in honor of Funky Cornbread's 14th anniversary. And while Z-Trip isn't scheduled to appear, his associates will carry on in his honor.

Kristofer Klark (a.k.a. Creed Chameleon) will debut his new project CNR Boy and both Dummperfoo and Zeroh will offer live art. The party starts at 8 p.m. Admission is free.

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