Who: Onry Ozzborn, Candidt, Rudy and the Rhetoric, Xperience, Cancer Rising, Sonny

Who: Onry Ozzborn, Candidt, Rudy and the Rhetoric, Xperience, Cancer Rising, Sonny Bonoho and moreWhere: King CobraWhen: Thu., Aug. 21Onry Ozzborn serves hosting duties.Even if, like me, you were in Florida last week, trapped in deadline hell and your own inimitable iniquity and forced to grapple with the fickle Tropical Storm Fay and Gov. Charlie Crist’s roguish smile and tan-creamed cheeks, all of which was later capped off by a gruesome head cold and feelings of vague regret, you still shoulda showed up, like I did, to last night’s world-class showcase of local hip-hop talent. No ifs, ands, or buts.Candidt and co make you see what they say.If you didn’t, because I’m a kind and gentle soul, I’ve decided to provide a brief recap punctuated by my pal and ace picture-maker Paul Diamond’s gloriously angular photos.Rudy and the Rhetoric require ear muffs.The event’s raison d’etre was the release of The Gigantics’ Die Already disc. Produced by Onry Ozzborn of Grayskul fame and fortune, it features a football team of MCs, including, besides Mr. Ozzborn himself, Aesop Rock, Murs, Swollen, Boom Bap Project, Mr. Lif, and so many others I’m getting sweaty just thinking about typing out their names. Limited edition copies are available now, with a full nationwide pressing slated for Sept. 16. It took Mr. Ozzborn three years to make it, a testament not only to his artist stamina, but, me thinks, the difficulty of getting a bunch of rappers to do what you want. Because I was crippled by disease, I only stayed for the first three sets, and I’m glad I did. Candidt, who’s got a disc coming out in September, put on what amounted to a series of music videos, each of which was a visual representation of the songs he performed. I had my doubts about how this would play out–I feared it might come off like bad community theater–but he won me over from Jump Street. As my photographer pal Paul said, “It’s better than some dude standing up there with a mic,” which, I can assure you, is that morose bastard’s way of saying Candidt’s performance was good.Up next was Rudy and the Rhetoric. These guys look like your average suburban white kids–until they hit the stage and go all Harris and Klebold. Which, I can assure you, is a compliment in this case, too. MC Rhetoric’s eyes bug out like a rabid bat’s when he’s having what he labels a “rhymegasm,” and DJ/Producer Rudy–well, let’s just say his industrialized jambalaya of thrasher metal and electronica and hip-hop and fucking loud bass left my eardrums flopping on the deck. I’m still ringing, still dizzy, and still in awe.Feel the Xperience.Xperience rounded out my experience. He played the lone ranger with a mic, warming up the crowd with an impromptu rendition on an Outkast jam, the name of which escapes my achey-breaky head, before he dropped the hammer and huffed and puffed and straight up flowed over drum-heavy tracks. Good times, good times.Sunday, please hit up Chop Suey for another spectacular line-up of familiar faces, including Grayskul, Spaceman, Ripynt, and my new favorite local duo, Rudy and the Rhetoric. Bring ear plugs. Seriously.