Music Box: Chali 2na

By Aaron Davis (for JHWeekly.com)Jackson Hole, Wyo. - When an artist has been there and done that, its time to dig in and figure out an oblique approach to market and inspire the fan base.Chicago native and former Jurassic 5 emcee, the rapid-firing Chali 2na, has helped bridge the gap between the hip-hop community and the jam-festival circuit in recent years. Known for his trademark baritone voice, he has collaborated with Galactic, Ozomatli, Long Beach Dub Allstars, and dubstep star Rusko, all the while playing numerous festivals including Bonnaroo and Lollapalooza.In the early 2000s, Jurassic 5 was instrumental in distinguishing itself from the ghetto hip-hop that had saturated the mainstream, veering away from negative black stereotypes and instead opting towards the old school. Jurassic 5 boasted four emcees and its last album, Feedback, was released in 2006.“We were historians. We were trying to preserve a certain aspect of it. It got lost,” Chali told Pique magazine last week. “That technology era that was kicking in to where people weren’t necessarily paying attention to what was happening in the past, it was just whatever they were exposed to when they first got into that sound.”Since the split of J5, Chali has released a couple of “mix tapes,” which featured his collaborations with groups like Linkin Park, as well as 2009’s solo album, Fish Outta Water. And while the current state of the music industry has some veteran artists wondering where they fit in and how to do it without a major label backing them, Chali has figured a new vehicle with his forthcoming album, aptly titled Against the Current.“I didn’t want to fall in line with exactly what was going on, hence the title,” Chali said. “It’s a volatile world in the music game right now. Nothing is traditional. Nothing is happening like it used to. It’s been definitely baffling, just coming from my perspective of age. Just watching things change in your face is like watching David Blaine or Criss Angel for the first time.”While details are fairly sketchy, Against the Current will be released in five online increments, essentially five EPs to equal an LP. Each installment, Chali said, will be influenced from different genres of music with the last being straight hip-hop.While it’s unclear what his live band will entail, the current tour is billed as “Chali 2na & the House of Vibe.” One thing is for sure—with 20 years of experience in the industry, this emcee has every tool to put on a great show as a solo artist. Evolving with the genre is what it’s all about, and for Chali, embracing the current environment stays true to an old set of roots.“The one thing that’s been consistent with hip-hop is it’s always going to reflect what’s going on around it,” he said. “It’s going to talk about what people don’t want to talk about. It’s going to reflect the current state of the kids that are participating within it. You have a lot of hipster cats, new cats and swag addicts and things of that nature who were born into a world that was already filled with hip-hop, that was already filled with computers and things. You have a different generation with a different grasp on reality, and a different reality because of it.”Chali 2na, 10 p.m., Tuesday, at the Knotty Pine in Victor. $15. 208-787-2866.  tags: jackson hole show music musician live band singer songwriter nightlife concerts wyoming center arts photographer planet teton venues screen door porch boondocks guitar cd reviews