Hip-hop comes together

Despite having produced many terrific talents, the Boston hip-hop scene has always been fragmented. MCs and DJs who develop in different parts of the city rarely interact. And with many clubs giving short shrift to the genre, there's been no central gathering point for the community.

"Everyone has always done their own thing," says Edo.G , who many consider the dean of local hip-hop. "Boston has always been about cliques when it comes to hip-hop."

Now the MC is trying to change that. He and his group 4Peace present what they're optimistically calling Boston's First Annual Hip-Hop Unity Fest. The show, which comes to the Paradise Wednesday night, features some of the area's most talented hip-hop acts: 4Peace, Special Teamz (another Edo.G outfit), Mr. Lif, Akrobatik, and more.

"What I tried to do was to get acts from all parts of the city and bring them together," Edo.G says. "There are a lot of talented people out there, but fans really can never see them on one bill. There are some MCs who would never get to share the stage with a Mr. Lif or Akrobatik, so I thought that I would reach out to as many acts as I could."

Everyone he approached reacted positively, he says. "This really is a vital scene, but . . . there just seems to be little coordination and cooperation, and that's too bad."

Unity Fest's organizers hope there will be musical interplay between the MCs, and that continued collaboration will develop as a result. But the goals for the show aren't purely musical. "The other thing I wanted to show was that we could put on a show like this without any violence and it can work," Edo.G says. "For some reason, in Boston a lot of people still associate violence with hip-hop shows, and that's just not valid, so I'm also hoping that this can prove a point."

Outside of hip-hop shows, however, it's a different story. "There's a lot of violence going on, and it really needs to stop," says Edo.G, who with 4Peace works to combat street violence. "People need to use some common sense. Maybe this can be a small gesture for the entire city."

Veteran Boston MC Esoteric, who will appear at the festival with DJ 7L, concurs. "There's a lot of bad blood and violence in the city these days, and hopefully the idea of unity really doesn't have to really be limited to music and can be more about Boston."

Here's the lowdown on some of the acts performing:

MR. LIF

This prominent indie MC has logged a decade's worth of stellar work as a solo act and as a member of the Perceptionists, along with Akrobatik and DJ Fakts-One. He has a terse style and cerebral, penetrating verse. Last year he put out the fine "Mo' Mega," which found him offering more personal rhymes to go with his usual sociopolitical content. Though he has moved to Philadelphia, he maintains strong ties with the hip-hop scene in Boston, the city he is most identified with. He is currently woodshedding and writing new material for a record he says he hopes to put out early next year .

AKROBATIK

Another longtime veteran, he is one of the most talented and versatile MCs on the indie rap scene. In April he put out "Essential Akrobatik Vol. One," a best-of showcase for his keen mind and superior skills. That this guy isn't a major star boggles the mind. Akrobatik says he will put out his long-awaited new set of new songs, titled "Absolute Value," in August. "With this, people will find me more of a beast on the mike," he says. "My focus is on having bangers for my live show."

7L & ESOTERIC

This duo is the keeper of the real-deal hip-hop flame. They are known for Esoteric's battle rap reputation and 7L's clever, crate-digging production. Last year they changed course with the moody, more electronic "The New Dope." Later this year they will deliver "Saving Seamus Ryan," their follow-up. "It will be a hybrid of the old sound and 'New Dope,' " says Esoteric, whose real name is Seamus Ryan. "It's a departure from the battle rap thing and more narrative and introspective."

SPECIAL TEAMZ

A hard-hitting trio of Boston's sharper MCs -- Slaine, Jaysaun, and Edo.G. They have been fine-tuning their debut full-length disc for more than a year. It will finally drop in November or December. "We have about 30 songs to choose from. It's going to be banging, straight-up hip-hop and what people expect from us," says Edo.G.

KRUMB SNATCHA

This veteran MC has been dropping heady verse for more than a decade. Krumb brings the rhymes with urgency and authenticity. He's closely associated with former Bostonian Guru's group Gang Starr. In July he drops a new single, "Triumph," which will be followed by a new full-length in late summer called "Hidden Scriptures."

TERMANOLOGY

The MC with a hotwired tongue is another veteran who should be playing to a much larger audience. The pride of Lawrence, the MC spits fire on numerous mixtapes. His latest, the recent "50 Bodies," continues to show off his taut rhymes and steady, measured flow. Somebody get this man a label.

DRE ROBINSON

People have been anointing Robinson as the MC who will break out of the Boston scene onto the national stage. He's a sharp lyricist with a true sense of the streets and plenty of ambition. Best known for his dynamic single "Get Right," Robinson has been prepping his debut full-length, "This Is Me," and if it fulfills his promise from mixtapes, prepare for liftoff.

JAKE THE SNAKE

One of the members of the group the Greater Good, Jake is one of Boston's generation-next MCs. He's been touted as a prime candidate to move on to bigger things, thanks to his heady lyrics and cool, crisp flow. His poised 2006 full-length, "Strategy of the Crown," received fine critical notices.