GUILTY SIMPSON

KIDZ IN THE HALL
It was an epic matchup for anyone who follows indie rap: The starting lineups of two fiercely-loved labels, New York's Duck Down and California's Stones Throw, traded sets in an all-night ''Soundclash'' at the Habana Annex Backyard. The Kidz, a pair of recent University of Pennsylvania grads whose sophomore effort hits stores this spring, kicked things off for the Duck Down side. Watch these two: They're still growing into their own sound, but their intelligent, highly lyrical tunes — with shades of Talib Kweli, Kanye West, the Clipse, and Nas — suggested they could be on course to drop a classic-contender album within a few years.
DOWNLOAD THIS: ''Drivin' Down the Block''

PERCEE P
Next up was Percee P for Stones Throw — a grizzled Bronx native who released his first studio full-length last year after spending an incomprehensible three decades rapping on the industry's margins. In a literally breathtaking display of respiratory control, he spit countless syllables at double-time, sounding every bit like a cryogenically frozen titan from New York hip-hop's late-'80s golden age. By the time he ripped an a capella version of ''Mastered Craftsman'', the crowd was in full worship mode.
DOWNLOAD THIS: ''Man to Praise''

SEAN PRICE AND GUILTY SIMPSON
Gruff Detroit defender Guilty is Stones Throw's rookie of the year; self-deprecating Brooklynite Sean P has been Duck Down's elder statement since the label was formed. On their own, both did crowd-pleasing solo sets, but the best moment of the night might have come when they teamed up for ''Run,'' from Guilty's upcoming debut, Ode to the Ghetto. If this is any sign of what to expect from the collaborative full-length they're reportedly working on, we're in for a treat.
DOWNLOAD THIS: Sean Price's ''Onion Head'' and Guilty Simpson's ''Orchestrated Execution'' —Simon Vozick-Levinson