Hot hip-hop slides in for summer

It's the first official weekend of summer, and there are a few sizzling hip-hop shows. Probably not a coincidence, as summer and hip-hop go together like ice cream and cones.

The Showbox has one of the first big local hip-hop shows of this summer, with Blue Scholars, Common Market and Gabriel Teodros performing today (9 p.m., $12). Those three are also joining forces for Mass Line, a label that will release local hip-hop records.

Teodros is one-third of Abyssinian Creole, along with Khingz and producer Kitone. The dynamic, jump-beat Abyssinian Creole (AC) has a big summer in store, with dates at the Capitol Hill Block Party and Bumbershoot. "Southside," from AC's "Sexy Beast," is a coming-of-age ode, set in Beacon Hill, Holly Park, Rainier Valley, Columbia City, about first-time break dancing, car jacking, class cutting, getting beat up and learning how to MC ... with shout-outs to Seattle's immigrants — Southeast Asians, Africans, Mexicans.

Blue Scholars and Common Market are classic hip-hop duos, rapper-plus-DJ. The DJ/producer that links the two is Alexei "Sabzi" Mohajerjasbi. Ryan "RA Scion" Abeo is on the microphone for Common Market, and George "Geologic" Quibuyen is the rhymer for Blue Scholars.

Blue Scholars was the first of the two to release a well-respected CD, but last fall Common Market came on strong with its powerhouse debut.

Abeo, whose hip-hop handle means "descendant of the sun god," was in the hospital Monday night, battling his longtime nemesis, Crohn's disease. Like a tough boxer, he planned to bounce out of his hospital bed in time for tonight's big bout/show.

Don't expect a "battle" between Blue Scholars and Common Market, two peace-pushing acts with similar philosophies.

"With us and Blue Scholars, there's common threads that run, but it's more than just a common thread — we're built on the same foundation," Abeo said. "I think our politics are in line, but it's not necessarily the same politics. There's nothing that separates the two groups — nothing divides us."

Born in Louisville, Ky., Abeo lived in Cincinnati, Florida, Greece and Africa before settling here five years ago. (His wife was raised in West Seattle.) Before coming here, he "knew about a (music) movement, but had no idea how rich it was. So many clubs here are really good about supporting the local music scene."

Abeo and Mohajerjasbi also shared a religion, the Baha'i Faith; while the CD is not overtly preaching, there is a spiritual groove to just about every cut.

The MC of Common Market hopes listeners come away with "a feeling of empowerment ... how one person or two people acting as an entity have chosen to effect change on society. I feel like there are tools within the project people can take to empower themselves, effect change on society."

Asked if there was one song from the album he could turn people on to, he pondered, then decided on "Doors," the last cut. "That defines for me this connection between hip-hop as a culture and my religion ... New York City is designated as the city of the covenant in the Baha'i Faith, and it's also the center of hip-hop."

Opening with the sound of a subway train, after the music kicks up "Doors" has RA Scion rapping, "My philosophy was born in a New York state of mind" and advising, "Bum rush the platform, doors are closin.' "

Then comes a mind-tripping line:

"to me/MC means mentor the child"

Other standout cuts on the strong CD are "Every Last One" and "Succor MC's."

• Godspeed brings live hip-hop to Fremont with a Nectar show on Saturday (9 p.m., $8).

Godspeed is a trio — producer Crispy with '70s beats, B-Flat spitting fast rhymes and Derriere singing smooth back-ups — that has been hustling shows all around the city.

Check out R&B-flavored jams like "Life Is What You Make It" and "Super Bad" at www.myspace.com/godspeed206 or www.godspeedrecords.com.

• Old school, anyone?

Check into Chop Suey, where Prince Paul — the early '90s MC who also produced De La Soul's legendary "3 Feet High and Rising" — kicks old and new jams on Saturday (9 p.m., $10).

• Another top-to-bottom showcase of local hip-hop: Unexpected Arrival, Macklemore, Grayskul and Cancer Rising are on the bill at El Corazon on Thursday (9 p.m., $10).

• Jeremy Enigk — the soaring singer from Sunny Day Real Estate and the Fire Theft — sings from his new solo album at Neumos on Wednesday (9 p.m., $12 advance, $15 day of show). Jen Wood, another of Seattle's talented singers, opens the show.

• Spencer Moody tunes up for a Murder City Devils reunion show — at the Capitol Hill Block Party next month — with a show at Belltown's Rendezvous on Tuesday (10:30 p.m., $5). It's a solo gig, but he has "guests" coming.

Tom Scanlon: tscanlon@seattletimes.com