The Beatdown

Why the hubbub about mash-ups? By its very nature, classic hip-hop is a mash-up; the DJ utilizes the best elements of his vinyl-filled crates to create a new yet familiar musical experience. No DJ embodies the best of that sensibility like Z-Trip, who brings his party-rocking, chunky break approach to the Lizard Lounge on Friday, December 2. The Queens native's emphasis on blending elements, as opposed to just numbing the brain with wall-to-wall scratch techniques, sets him apart from so many tablists who come off as Yngwie Malmsteen on the wheels. He first turned heads with his knack for re-articulating classic rock in the hip-hop realm with "Rock Star" (the highlight from a 1997 DJ compilation, Return of the DJ Vol. II), in which he fused together "Eruption," "War Pigs" and "Iron Man" amongst other burnout classics. He remixed Rush's "Tom Sawyer" for the movie Small Soldiers and has recently shared stages with Linkin Park and the Rolling Stones, but he's not stuck to the crunchy riff--any and all grooves from the in-the-pocket spectrum are game, so long as they move bodies. On Friday, make sure to arrive early and see local jocks Los Hip-Hop Guys freak the wheels with style and finesse.