It’s been a little over two years since hyphy-heavyweight Keak da Sneak was nearly murdered in Richmond. The man was shot no less than eight times. “Can’t kill hyphy!” were his words two months later, as he dropped Withdrawl, his first album in five years. After recovering from the shooting, Keak, landed behind bars on a weapons-possession charge. However, the rapper is free, optimistic and continuing to rock shows despite serious mobility issues stemming from the targeted attack. “I’m so blessed,” he told CBS San Francisco in October of last year.

Keak da Sneak
Sun, 8pm, $22+
BackBar SoFA, San Jose

One of the strangest pop stars of the 2010s, Riff Raff has cut a jagged neon line through rap, country and reality TV and has even dabbled in professional wrestling. Though the Houston performer began honing his outlandish persona in the late 2000s—appearing on MTV’s From G’s to Gents with the network’s logo tattooed on his neck—he attained mainstream success around 2014 after signing to Diplo’s Mad Decent label and releasing his debut LP, Neon Icon. Known for his over-the-top boasts and wacky wordplay, Riff is currently touring behind his third and fourth full-length albums, Pink Python and Cranberry Vampire, both released in 2019.

Riff Raff
Sun, 8pm, $22
BackBar SoFA, San Jose

Born in Mobile, Alabama, OMB Peezy grew up in Sacramento and has recently been making a name for himself as part of the North Bay’s vibrant hip-hop scene. Signed to E-40’s Sick Wid It Records and 300 Entertainment, the Richmond-based rapper is in tight with other rising Yay Area talent, like Nef the Pharaoh and SOB X RBE. The 22-year-old comes to San Jose this weekend in the wake of his latest single, “Struggle,” which features veteran Baton Rouge emcee Boosie Badazz.

OMB Peezy
Fri, 8pm, $25
BackBar SoFa, San Jose

For a certain generation of San Jose denizens, the name 5606 brings back a lot of memories. Starting at the end of the 20th century, the downtown pop-punk band was a staple at just about every venue around the South Bay: the Campbell Gaslighter, the Chemical Free Zone, San Jose Skate, the Church and every spot in between.

But then, in 2016, after 17 years as a band, the seemingly unstoppable group ground suddenly to a halt.

“What happened was I hurt my back pretty badly,” says Eric Ventimiglia.

The band’s singer, guitarist and primary songwriter, Ventimiglia tried to carry on with what he knew was a serious injury. But there’s a reason that lower back pain is the No. 1 cause of disability worldwide. Soon the musician found the pain insurmountable.

“It just progressively got worse and worse. It got to the point where I couldn’t even hold a guitar.”

While Ventimiglia recovered, the band’s members took some time for personal growth. There were marriages (two). Jobs. Moments of self-reflection. And, of course, physical therapy.

Now, after the band’s longest-ever hiatus, 5606 is ready to start performing again. With an upcoming show at BackBar (the first for the band in more than a year and a half), the band’s return to live performance comes with a renewed approach to releasing music.

“Rather than releasing a 10-song or 12-song record, we’re going to do a new single and a new video every six to eight weeks,” Ventimiglia says, citing the relative attention span of Spotify listeners as the idea’s genesis. “That way we always have something fresh coming out for our fans, so they can digest each song one at a time.”

This new release campaign began in November with “Ride Along,” a humble pop-punk jam about cruising “down the 405” with a carload of friends. It’s got all the hallmarks of a 5606 song: a little bit Dookie, a little bit Enema of the State, plus some soaring breakdowns reminiscent of New Found Glory.

Now back to full health, Ventimiglia says his main goal is to set an example for others.

“If we can inspire a couple more people to follow their passions and their dreams, in whatever medium it is, then I’m happy.”

5606
Mar 2, 8pm $5
BackBar SoFA, San Jose

Anerae Brown is not the only rapper to keep a career afloat from behind bars. However, the dedication and ingenuity Brown demonstrated while serving a 31-year sentence for first degree murder are certainly notable. Over the course of his 26 years in prison, he released 12 albums, recording grainy flows over a payphone. His talent and gangbanging backstory helped make him an underground hip-hop legend. On parole and living in Oakland since late 2018, the man better known as X-Raided is touring again—out to prove that his both truly reformed and truly deserving of his celebrity.

X-Raided
Fri, 8:30pm, $22+
BackBar SoFa, San Jose

The short bio on El Guapo’s Facebook page goes a long way toward explaining the band’s aesthetic: “We were sent here by the gods of rock to destroy cities and melt faces.” Indeed. Formerly known as The Red Phantom, this San Jose experimental metal outfit deals out spastic bursts of heavy guitars and lively drums, bringing the heat on their monstrous 2015 album, Whips Chains Whistles Yo​-​yo’s, Dracula Riding Around on a Tricycle Giving me the Finger—which thrashes and bashes its way through nine Tera Melos-esque instrumental assaults, all punctuated by horror flick audio samples. Watsonville jazz-punk duo aurora beam open the show.

El Guapo
Sat, 9pm, Free
BackBar SoFa, San Jose

Though he may not be recognized by a large national audience, Keak Da Sneak is a legend among Bay Area hip-hop heads and is an influential force within rap music, broadly speaking. A pioneer of the hyphy sound, Keak’s trademark gravelly vocals and stuttering delivery are instantly identifiable, while his infectious turns of phrase—most notably “fo sheezy”—have been picked up by larger names across the genre. The emcee has had a turbulent couple years. He was nearly killed in a 2016 shooting, and his 2017 album Withdrawal speaks to his struggles with substance abuse. Nonetheless, he continues to shine.

Keak Da Sneak
Fri, 8:45pm, $25
BackBar SoFa, San Jose

For more than a decade now, San Jose promoter, hip-hop head and all around awesome dude, Andrew Moyco (a.k.a. AudioDru) has been organizing The Cypher. It’s been a place for local emcees and turntablists to strut their stuff and test their bars. It’s also hosted Open Mike Eagle, Hieroglyphics, Sirah, Kung Fu Vampire and Dirtbag Dan. Unfortunately, all things must pass. Moyco hasn’t ruled out continuing to host The Cypher on a monthly or quarterly basis, but for now the final party is slated for this week. The Doppelgangaz headline.

The Final Cypher
Wed, 9pm, $10
BackBar SoFa, San Jose

Listening to his band’s new music, Gabriel Maciel says he can’t help but hear the difference. “I can just tell, there seems to be more motivation and passion,” says the founder, guitarist and lead singer for San Jose indie trio The Trims.

Eight years after the release of their first full-length album, We Cried For Fun, the band is excited to celebrate their new sound and new 10-song collection, Julian Street, with a record release show set for June 22 at the BackBar SoFa.

Written by Maciel and drummer Billy Brady, the album finds The Trims in a creative sweet spot—one that reminds Maciel of the very beginnings of the band’s journey. On Julian Street the band experiments with synths and new rhythms, while Maciel incorporates a number of influences into his singing—early 2000s alternative bands, classic ’70s rock and old Spanish romantic melodies.

“If you want to lift weights it’s on here,” he says. “If you want to love someone, it’s on here. If you’re sad that you lost someone, it’s on here. If you’re feeling hopeful, it’s on here.”

On Julian Street The Trims take listeners on a journey through loaded punk riffs (“Turn Out The Lights”), crooning love ballads (“Nobody Else”) and an acoustic tear-jerker (“Gone Away”).

“We didn’t want to stay stuck in the same old Trims sound,” Maciel says of the album’s experimentations.

The hopeful tones underlying the album stem from a re-established sense of discovery and purpose in the band, which Maciel says he and his bandmates found after taking a much-needed break.

“It felt like we had kind of lost our mojo,” he says, explaining that The Trims had fallen into a bit of a funk over the past two years.

“We’re in complete and total harmony within the band,” he says, suddenly realizing that the Pharrell Williams song “Happy” is playing through the speakers behind him. “Perfect song! Because we’re happy!”

Although worried about coming off cliché, Maciel made it clear that he wanted listeners to resonate with the optimism felt when creating the album. “I want them to realize that life can be shitty,” he says. “But that that’s okay and that it can be a good thing, because just as much as life can be shitty it can be fucking awesome.”

The Trims
Jun 22, 8pm, $12+
BackBar SoFa

Make America hyphy again at the Back Bar SoFa, where Northern California rappers Clyde Carson, Celly Cel and Big Tone will get live for an evening that will undoubtedly include thizz dancing and hopefully, at least one audience singalong to Mac Dre’s “Feeling Myself.” Carson, known as the former leader of rap group The Team and as the creator of Hyphy Juice, will headline alongside Vallejo native Celly Cel, whose hit single “It’s Going Down” landed him on the Billboard Top 100. Opening support comes from Big Tone, a frequent collaborator with E-40, Too $hort and Baby Bash. (AS)

Celly Cel & Clyde Carson
Fri, 9pm, $30
BackBar SoFa, San Jose