The East Bay’s Hieroglyphics crew might be best known for their star hip-hop acts Del the Funky Homosapien and Souls of Mischief, but buried underneath a pile of three-eyed stickers was the cunning and versatile Casual. Not one to let history pass him by, Casual has continued to live up the hovering beats and natural flow of his landmark 1994 debut, Fear Itself, by not only releasing four albums since but becoming actively engaged in his community. His colleagues on the Oakland Board of Cultural Affairs know him as Jonathan Owens, as do the members of Youth UpRising, a nonprofit center in Oakland where Owens serves as a consultant. But to fans he’ll always be Casual. He performs with turn-of-the-century turntablists DJ Cue and DJ Quest on Saturday, Jan. 30, at the 19 Broadway Niteclub. 19 Broadway, Fairfax. 9pm. $20–$22. 415.459.1091.Gabe Meline
.Jan. 30: Casual at 19 Broadway
