BBU

Formed in 2007, BBU (short for “Bin Laden Blowin’ Up” or “Black, Brown, and Ugly”) are a trio of local community activists/emcees who live out the slogan, “think globally, act locally.” Melding politically-charged rhymes with the Windy City’s signature juke sound, BBU’s 2010 mixtape Fear of a Clear Channel Planet drew national attention for its footwork-friendly polemics. This year, BBU partnered with fellow smartass rappers Das Racist on must-hear track “Please, No Pictures!” (Saturday, 5:45-6:45, Magic Hat Stage) –text: Mark Calaguas

Friday, 11:15-1:15

These United States, The Ettes, Javelin, Foxy Shazam, Wavves, Balkan Beat Box, BBU, and B.o.B. will be performing at Lollapalooza 2010 between the hours of 11:15 a.m. and 1:15 p.m. on Friday, August 6.

THESE UNITED STATES
These United States got together in 2006 and have held strong ever since, releasing four solid albums in less than four years. This D.C./Kentucky indie folk/psych rock band is famous for their mix of fast-paced lyrics and catchy beats that make you want to sway and bounce simultaneously. Needless to say, they are a band to be experienced live as well as through headphones. (Friday, 11:15-12, BMI Stage) –text: Mary Scannell–photo: Sarah Law

THE ETTES
Drawing comparisons to Sleater-Kinney and Yeah Yeah Yeahs, The Ettes have mastered their beat-punk, garage rock sound. The fuzz-pedal power foursome craft Converse-stomping songs for the iPod generation. Vocalist/guitarist Lindsay “Coco” Hames shakes hell with her country-coated vocals and her determination to choke every last noise from her guitar. Drummer Maria “Poni” Silver, bassist Jeremy “Jem” Cohen, and guitarist Johnny “Shoulders” Cauffiel accentuate Hames’ energy by creating a raucous wall of entrancing sound. (Friday, 12:30-1:15, BMI Stage) –text: Jason Pete–photo: Jewely Bennett

JAVELIN
Javelin is an electronic duo from Brooklyn that brings their house party feel with them. They create their own tracks instead of digitizing them with computers like others in the genre. That means you can expect a chill dose of creativity and a fresh take on soulful beats. Their latest creation “No Mas” shows they aren’t in danger of sounding too “clubby” — and you’ll have more fun at their house party than at a club anyways. (Friday, 11:30-12:15, PlayStation Stage) –text: Steven Jaynes–photo: Chrissy Abbott

FOXY SHAZAM
If frontman Eric Nally’s mustache and skin-tight pants don’t immediately grab your attention, Foxy Shazam’s brazen mix of glam-rock and post-hardcore weirdness will. Their 2010 self-titled release sounds like Freddie Mercury, Meat Loaf and The Blood Brothers got into a cagematch and the jury’s still out on who won. Still fighting to score that breakthrough tune that puts them into the mainstream, Foxy’s flamboyant live show is truly a spectacle to be seen. (Friday, 12-12:30, Sony Bloggie Stage) –text: Dan Strobel–photo: myspace.com/tfoiles

WAVVES
Remember when your parents asked you to take out the trash and you were like “fuck you mom and dad!” and then you skateboarded to your friend’s house where you smoked a joint and practiced landing kickflips in the driveway? Well, on his newest release King of the Beach, Wavves frontman Nathan Williams cleans up some of the trash of his signature blown-speaker sound — but leaves a messy masterpiece of California pop-punk in its place. (Friday, 12:15-1, Budweiser Stage) –text: Theodore Appert

BALKAN BEAT BOX
What do you get when you cross klezmer clarinetist/saxophonist Ori Kaplan with ex-Gogol Bordello drummer/producer Tamir Muskat? Throw in MC Tomer Yosef, and Balkan Beat Box is born — an amalgamation of traditional world music layered over a hip-hop and dancehall base in the hopes of uniting the citizens of the world. For their live shows, the Tel Aviv and NYC-based trio is joined by a host of live musicians, including a full-on horn section. (Friday, 12:15-1, Parkways Foundation Stage) –text: Ariel Sundel

BBU
As Chicago hip-hop (and hip-hop in general) continues to redefine itself, local trio BBU (Bin Laden Blowin’ Up) authenticates itself with the notion of a controversy/party. A relatively new outfit, BBU exploded from the underground hip-hop scene last year with their hit “Chi Don’t Dance”. Over the years, it’s become a difficult trick to pull off conscious verses and make people dance at the same time. This group makes it look easy. (Friday, 12:30-1:15, Perry’s) –text: John-Franklin Dandridge–photo: Allison Glenn

B.o.B.
Bobbie Ray Simmons isn’t your average 19-year-old. Already a successful rapper and rising star, he’s fulfilling a dream that he’s had since he was a kid. He used to fill notebooks with lyrics to try to keep up with his genre’s predecessors, and now it’s paid off. His album The Adventures of Bobby Ray is a compilation of fresh beats, powerful lyrics and so many diverse guest artists that you might being to wonder what kind of music he makes. (Friday, 11:30-12:15, Adidas Mega Stage) –text: Mary Scannell