Hip-Hop Hoodios

Album: Raza Hoodia out now; they perform at Joe’s Pub September 6
Flava: Latino-Jewish party tunes
’Hood: Los Angeles/NYC
Bling-bling: The Hoodia Honeys—onstage cuties in “bagel bras”
Lyrics: “Chica de la casa / Check my kielbasa / Got more rhymes than mujeres en Hadassah” (from “Raza Hoodia”)

Caushun

Upcoming Album: Proceed With Caushun (December)
Flava: “The gay rapper”
’Hood: Bed-Stuy/UES
Bling-bling: Starfish diamond-stud earrings
Lyrics: “Up in the club, the scene’s correct / Shorty play your card, make our scenes connect / I got an SUV, an extra G / I got a Magnum just in case you got an STD” (from “In the Club”)

50 shekel

Upcoming Album: Enter the Spiel (November)
Flava: “The Hebrew homie”
’Hood: Upper West Side
Bling-bling: Jew Unit T-shirt
Lyrics: “You can find me in da shul, praying after school . . . / I’m just into making peace, I ain’t into causing trub / So come give me a hug, if you’re into getting love” (from “In Da Shul”)

Jin Tha MC

Upcoming Album: The Rest Is History (March)
Flava: Chinese-American angst
’Hood: Elmhurst
Bling-bling: Nascar-style jumpsuit and diamond pendant
Lyrics: “I’m no Eminem but I’m not wack either / Only reason you compare me to him ’cause I’m not black neither” (from “I Don’t Know”)

Related:

• Archive: “Intelligencer Features”
• Articles by Matt Gross
• Table of Contents: September 8, 2003 issue of New York | Subscribe!