R.E.H.A.B. Projects ~ Dr. No’s Oxperiment Release ~ Los Angeles

R.E.H.A.B. Proejcts ~ 2324 Cotner Ave. West L.A., CA  90064

I rest my head all over this bitch and have a soft spot for the small neighborhood of West Los Angeles, mostly for it's lack of shit to do: scant nightlife, low-key Oaxcan and Japanese eateries, and an absence of manufactured, scruffy guys who dress like retarded three-year olds and their model girlfriends. Alas, things change constantly in big cities, but fortunately there are some small, yet super-fly parties going on in the streets surrounding the 405 at R.E.H.A.B. Projects(Real Experiences in Hip-hop and Beats).

Rehab is a record store that also serves as a positive community hangout for graf writers, b-boys n' girls, Djs, MCs, and devotees (they got Street Fighter). It's also the main campus of Scratch Academy which turns beat-heads into beat-miners into beat-makers within months. The Academy's faculty includes some of the illest DJs to rock a crowd, including my old pal Jahi Sundance, who began work at Scratch Academy with the late, great Jam Master Jay, founder of this selectah's school, pero no estaba en la casa.

Tuesday night's jam saw the release of Dr. No's Oxperiment album on the flawless Stone's Throw label. We big up the 805 daily and No's clique represents Oxnard. He sat for a blunted interview in which he broke down his production techniques and shouted out a few friends, including L.A.-grown Alchemist and his experiences chilling with the late J Dilla and Mad Lib. Dr. No's funked-up sound collages and beats are not only banging, but ahead of their time. Cop the new album.

The vibe at REHAB was great. Freestyle ciphers spilled all over the driveway and across the street, as creative hip-hop heads traded pounds, cards, and knowledge over sets from the Train Wreck Crew, while slurping down free vodka and Red Bulls. Rehab has cool events on the regular, they recenty hosted Pharoe Monch's release party, too. Be on the lookout Los Angeles, for this positive place and what they might be up to next.