For a gathering of the mics long on true lyrical rhyme-setters and short on wannabe MCs, it helps to have a pair of wax-wise crate-diggers dispensing live kicks, drums, and snares from the DJ booth. Then again, seasoned backpackers with records older than the up-and-coming hyphy head next on the mic can get down with the $5 pints of gin-and-juice and $3 beers accompanying the once-monthly live hip-hop jam session. They are enough to welcome the rest of us and might even encourage a turn at the mic, though liquid courage alone won't be enough to unload a gem off the dome. If the serious hip-hop crew's game is too strong, revisit the scene on the weekends for DJ sets, rare and familiar, and be there to watch it all go off.