Kool Keith isn’t just a performer; these days he’s become a hip hop legend. Like all legends, tales swirl around him: while it’s not true that he spent some time locked up at Bellevue (the famous psychiatric hospital in New York, not our surburban neighbor to the east), it is true that he’s produced some brilliantly abnormal work as a member of Ultramagnetic MCs, as Kool Keith, as Dr. Octagon, as Dr. Doom and with Ultra (his co-op with Tim Dogg) and with Ice-T as the Analog Brothers. This isn’t just more recitation of the merits of drugs, cars, and brand name logoed clothing – this is off the cuff stream of conciousness that’s just as likely to be about what he had for breakfast or chopping up bodies or how the rap genre stagnates when practiced by artists who are more concerned with their cash flow than their lyrical. Kool Keith brings his stellar madness to Neumos on Friday, January 29, and you can win a pair of tickets simply by e-mailing your name (first and last) to seattle.metblogs@gmail.com no later than noon on Wednesday January 27. Please include “Kool Keith tickets” in your subject line.

DJ Krush sounds nothing at all like Kool Keith but he’s no less creative. One of the pioneers of Japanese hip hop, DJ Krush lays down instrumental tracks lush with layers of sound from nature, jazz, r&b, and what they used to call “soul”. People call his work ambient or trip hop, but Krush himself avoids labels for good reason – it’s impossible to pin him down to a single category. His multi-layered songs are individual works of art. DJ Krush makes it out to Neumos on Sunday, January 31, and we’ve got a pair of tickets to give away to his show, too. Again, e-mail your full name to seattle.metblogs@gmail.com no later than noon on Wednesday January 27 and make sure your subject line includes “DJ Krush tickets” somewhere.