Stones Throw Records builds more good taste

ILLUSTRATION by LUKE MCGARRY

Stones Throw Records was born out of every corner of California, with a roster plucked from unsuspecting places like Oxnard and San Jose. That’s a lot of land to rake over, so it makes sense that the label took years to cultivate. But more than 10 years into Stones Throw, it’s all still smooth and humble and creative. Label head Chris Manak (a.k.a. Peanut Butter Wolf) says his biggest success is still the day KRS-One picked up one of the label’s early singles, and no matter the praise lobbed at the label—from The New York Times all the way down to something like the flyer rack at Fatbeats—everyone on Stones Throw seems to toe the same unassuming line. This show puts together a wish-list line-up: early-comer (and infrequent performer) Madlib, who’s so highly regarded for his relaxed bop-based beats that legendary jazz label Blue Note asked him to remix their classics, with Beat Junkie J. Rocc, Percee P., and Peanut Butter Wolf himself, plus almost-certain special guests. All together, Stones Throw has amassed some of the best artists in hip-hop. If you’re to believe Manak, that’s all just a matter of good taste: “If money were my sole motivation, I’d be rich by now,” he writes on the label’s website. “I may be wealthy someday, but only as an indirect consequence of putting out what I believe to be good music.”

THE 2K SPORTS BOUNCE TOUR FEAT MADLIB, PEANUT BUTTER WOLF, J. ROCC, PERCEE P AND MORE THE EL REY THEATRE | 5515 WILSHIRE BLVD | LOS ANGELES 90036 | 323.936.6400 | THEELREY.COM | THURS 8PM | $21 | ALL AGES

Tags: hip hop, madlib, mp3, peanut butter wolf, stone throw records