The Doppelgangaz : Live @ SOBs : NYC : 01/31/12 : Concert Review

Editor's Note: We'd like to welcome a new SYFFAL prick to the team. Will Kowall makes his debut here and once he proves he can give a handy better than Del (which isn'd diff), he will be branded a SYFFAL prick at our annual SYFFAL conference (this year being hosted in Branson, MO!)

You might not get a chance to hit up a brothel anytime soon, but you can get close by checking-in to a Doppelgangaz show.

If you’re unfamiliar with the group, here is a quick rundown. They produce their own beats, and choose not to break-up for cameo spots. One of the only features you can find them on to date is an instrumental they blessed Lil’ B with, and their recent album - “Lone Sharks” - is one of the most accessible modern independent hip-hop releases, finding young and old (Joel) heads alike preaching the “Doppel Gospel”. The Doppelgangaz spin a cultish underworld where they speak their own slang, drink 91% rubbing alcohol, sport cloaks, and frequent prostitutes. All of this done convincingly over catchy boom-bap loops with multi-syllabic punch lines often consisting of uniquely phrased lyrics that bring about lush images. Ie. “that’s how your love life get dicey / chicken rice and tripe all on the tight tee / pop an enzyte then paying the pipe fee /she sniffin’ lines of white over the skype screen.”

At S.O.B’s on Tuesday, this world that Doppel projects in their audio materialized to stage. The two MC’s, EP and Matter Ov Fact, came on draped in their classic black cloaks making microphone cock jokes - much like the various studio-chatter skits woven through “Lone Sharks” - before opening with “Get ‘Em.”

Half the time Matter Ov Fact’s face was nearly covered by his hood, which aided the impact of their myth. Pacing back and forth on stage with the aura of a dark wizard who is drunk and just wants to party with mortals, you can tell they don’t give a Fuck like nothing can touch them. They deliver their lines clear and expressively, and banter with the same humor as their songs, which make for entertaining transitions within the set. This includes bringing out a naked doll the size of a toddler and dry humping it on stage before “Like what Like me.”