Originally Published: 2005-05-22

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That's not to say the duo didn't get their fare share of howls from delighted fans, many of who had caught their earlier act at the Fringe Festival (Job: The Hip Hop Musical). The highlight reel includes rhymes about Gidget the Midget and the Sesame Street characters (did you know Oscar the Grouch has a serious drug problem?) or their recollection of time spent writing lyrics for the Communist Party of China. Ironically, a spoof of spoken word artists was by far the funniest part of the show, probably because it delved beyond cheesy one-liners and lame historical references.
Unfortunately the second half of the show, which was full of outtakes and the early years of the "Grafenbrug All-Stars" didn't add much to the performance but a whole lot of yawns. The low-point arrived when Vowel Movement sneaked off stage to join a gang (the premise being that a new thug image will bring instant fame) before rejoining his partner and promising it to keep it real. While the All-Stars have no problem with the gratuitous use of swearing, it seems they are beyond promoting violence.
Or maybe as a couple of white boys from Montreal, the All-Stars know that the gangster image will never pass. But the lyrical content isn't as outrageously witty, as say the early Eminem albums, to stand out on its own either. The pair excel when staying within their characters, rather than switching back and forth from rapper to commentator. But in the end, it seemed as though there was too much schtick and not enough substance to turn these dummeez into geniuses.

The Hip Hop 4 Dummeez runs from May 11 to May 22 at the Tarragon Theatre, 30 Bridgman Ave. For tickets or show info, visit www.tarragontheatre.com

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