Al Kapone was actually among the earliest batch of locally-based rappers, scoring big with his original single “Lyrical Drive-By.” But as the years have progressed, Kapone, whose roots are undeniably street, has become something of a civic cheerleader for Memphis, a gangster rapper who can comfortably perform with the Bar-Kays or the Bo-Keys, or even the Memphis Symphony. During the Grizzlies’ recent amazing season, Memphis fans found Kapone’s “Whoop That Trick” from the movieHustle and Flow as the ultimate expression of the team’s grit and grind. Kapone is also a past president of the Memphis chapter of The Recording Academy, and his brief performance at the Levitt Shell gave the crowd a chance to join in the “whoop that trick” mayhem. But it was Al’s “The Music” that made a more lasting impression on this momentous night, as the lyrics celebrate the history and legacy of our city as a place where music is born.