A hip-hop wisenheimer, Mac Lethal has successfully toggled between dual careers as a sardonic rapper and as a social media and television personality.
His 2007 album 11:11, released by the prestigious Minneapolis label Rhymesayers, is considered the artistic and commercial pinnacle of Mac's career as a serious rapper, in which he once vied with Tech N9ne for the title of most popular rapper in Kansas City. The record's closing track, "Sun Storm," is a profane but heartfelt love letter to his home town:
Lethal has since achieved a different sort of fame with novelty songs like 2011's speed-rap demonstration "White Kid Raps Fast!" and the grammar-minded "You're vs. Your." He's also hosted the MTV program "Binge Thinking."
His show at the Riot Room on Friday is likely to include renditions of material from his extensive discography as well as ample social commentary, with Kansas City rapper Steddy P among the opening acts.
Mac Lethal, with Loogey, Ish1da, DJ Nick Fury, and Steddy P., 8 p.m. (doors open at 7) Friday, August 4 at the Riot Room, 4048 Broadway, Kansas City, Missouri, 64111.
KCUR contributor Bill Brownlee blogs about Kansas City's jazz scene at Plastic Sax.
