Sankofa Unleashes Matured Hip-Hop Sound

Perhaps Sankofa can be best described by looking at its name. Sankofa is an Akan word that means "We must go back and reclaim our past so we can move forward, so we can understand why and how we came to be and who we are today."

Sankofa (the band, not the word) has changed its sound from a smooth slice of jazzy hip-hop to a thrusting rock-driven rap. But in keeping with Sankofa (the word, not the band), the members still have the same raw energy, rolling rhythms and inspired lyrics that won them past attention.

Old fans at Cat's Cradle were surprised to hear Sankofa's new sound, minus a keyboardist and boasting a roaring guitarist -- many stood around starring blankly and never really getting into the new beats. But newcomers and novices were twisting with the wailing guitar and shouting out in unison, "S-A-N-K-O-F-A."

It was like watching your little brother growing up. You have seen him getting bigger, you know that he is changing, but when you first see him smiling behind the wheel of a car, you just don't know what to think.

Thankfully, Sankofa has blossomed into a stronger, more talented, deeper band. Though the change is a hard thing to deal with, the end results are inspiring.

Crisp and speedy lead vocalist Stefan "MC Creem" Greenlee has steered away from outright militant lyrical stylings but is nevertheless energetic and political.

Bouncing around the stage, pouring out the fast and forceful "Rip MC," Greenlee proved that maturing doesn't mean you have to act old. His performance was charged with a smooth flow and characteristic hip-hop energy -- all topped with an MC's attitude. Think KRS1 in his early years.

But Greenlee's entire stage-roving, fast-paced funk was vitalized by the angelic female support. Jana Privette, vocalist for the newly formed Apple Juice Orchestra, was a paradox.

Her presence was a coy mix of cute and seductive while her voice veered between heavenly and haunting. Each note seethed with a distinctly female force and beautiful building energy. Privette was a perfect pairing for Greenlee's pumped-up performance.

She was a siren -- beautiful, seductive and wildly talented but with a deadly edge.

Their two individual contributions wove together in the chilling and emotional "Immortal," fading into melodic choruses backed by hypnotic guitar riffs and bridged rhythms. Stephan "The Apple Juice Kid" Levitan provided deep rhythms, throbbing with pulse-like persistence. Just across the stage but in his own world of rips, spins and cuts, DJ Pez (Lem Butler) twisted samples, scratches and screams into a head-bobbing background.

Levitan and Butler really had the chance to stretch and show their skills in the thrusting yet silky "One ... Two." At one point it seemed like a battle for background supremacy, but neither suffered and the rhythm never broke.

Despite the fact that the show was smooth, full and funky, Sankofa could never really pull the whole audience into the songs. Only in the over-the-top encore romp (shirt shedding included) did the audience get really hyped.

Maybe the audience just wasn't ready for the reshaped Sankofa -- or maybe the change was just too quick. Though Sankofa should be proud of its new, stronger sound, some cuts off Hip-Hop from the Briar Patch would have helped to ease the audience into the water.

But then again, why look back?

The Arts & Entertainment Editor can be reached at artsdesk@unc.edu.