Few rappers are willing to expose their struggle to the degree of chronicling the pawnshop where they work or entertaining the notion of a fake MTV Cribs episodeboth of which the Everett rapper did in the comical video for his Bean One-produced track Take It To The Top. But if Ripynt, pronounced repent but also known as Cory Tate, has one shining characteristic, its the honesty of his underdog status. After all, it takes some brass balls to lead into your single saying Im not the greatest, but I do it like only the greats could. With an uncanny ability to write deeply personal songs in one instant and reply with a grimy, agile delivery the next, Ripynt is proving that the geographical gap between his hometown and the Seattle scene is less of an issue than originally feared. With Role One, Spekulation, tonefefinite. NICK FELDMAN
Wed., Feb. 9, 8 p.m., 2011
