What happens when a rapper outgrows the "Lil" in his name?
He drops it and starts using his full name.
So if you are at the Rialto Theatre Wednesday, make sure to address Lil' Flip as Flip Gates.
Flip is the first of three rap shows next week at the Rialto, 318 E. Congress St.
Twiztid and Kottonmouth Kings are next Thursday, and Andre Nickatina is on tap for May 25 in what promises to be three very diverse nights that showcase hip-hop and rap's wide spectrum.
Here is what to expect:
Lil' Flip, aka Flip Gates, with Mims and Rampage
• When: 8 p.m. Wednesday.
• Who: With so many albums and mixtapes, it's hard to keep count which is which. The Houston rapper has been in the game for 15 years and pulled out two hit songs "Game Over" and "Sunshine." Look for his newest album, "Ahead of My Time 1.5," dropping soon.
People are also reading…
• Music style: Head bopping hip-hop with a focus on making money.
• Tickets: $24 in advance, $28 the day of show.
Twiztid and Kottonmouth Kings with Blaze and Big B
• When: 7:30 p.m. next Thursday.
• Who: If clowns give you the heebee-jeebees, then think twice about watching Twiztid. The 15-year veteran Detroit-based duo performs in full scary clown regalia including black, white and red face paint that will remind you of slasher films.
Twiztid's best-selling songs - including "We Don't Die," "Whoop Whoop" and "Spiderwebs" - don't sound nearly as scary as the twosome appears.
The pair's newest album, "Abominations," is set to drop later this year or in early 2013.
The Kottonmouth Kings are a California-based group with 18 years of rapping to its credit.
You may know the group from the soundtrack of "Scream 2" with the track "Suburban Life."
We get the group a couple months before it releases "The Sunrise Sessions" on July 19.
• Music style: Twiztid has a dark vibe to it. Beware of cursing. Kottonmouth Kings' beats are never the same. It could go from hard rap to chill rap. Don't be surprised if you hear about marijuana in the lyrics.
• Tickets: $25 in advance, $28 the day of show.
Andre Nickatina with Mumbls
• When: 8 p.m. May 25.
• Who: Nickatina, aka Dre Dog, has two decades of rapping under his belt. With awards like Bay Area Artist of the Year and Album of the Year for "Bullets, Blunts, N Ah Big Bank Roll," this guy is unstoppable. Hit songs include "A Yo," "Conversation With a Devil" and "Jungle."
•Music style: Nickatina dances to a different beat, or raps. You will find him rapping about everything from cars to money over a layer of feel-good beats.
•Tickets: $20 in advance, $25 the day of show.
Tickets available online at www.rialtotheatre.com or by calling 740-1000.
Alyssa Reilly is a University of Arizona student who is an apprentice at the Star. Contact her at 573-4117 or at starapprentice@azstarnet.com
