Pitzer Student Helping Promote a Different Kind of Hip-Hop

The Trilambs, a satirical hip-hop group, have brought a different kind of entertainment to the clubs of Los Angeles. And the group has a Pitzer student to thank.

According to Evan Bogart of BAT Management, Oliver Obst, 23, is responsible for discovering The Trilambs and bringing them to his attention. 

Obst, a history of ideas major, however, prefers to call himself the "guru, inspiration and chief critic" for the group.

Oliver Obst

The Trilambs, who have been compared to Beck, Bloodhound Gang, De La Soul, Afroman and the Beastie Boys, include Soon Hey, Matty Boom, Cood Stank, Bronco Decanal and Gay Jamie.

With media attention surrounding crimes linked to such rap and hip-hop artists as Suge Knight and the late Tupac Shakur, there is a certain mystique about the genre at which The Trilambs have taken aim.

"The thing about most rappers is that they take themselves so seriously that they're willing to die for their image," says Obst, who grew up in Los Angeles. "Not The Trilambs. They would gladly not die for their image. That's basically what they're poking fun at, is that hip-hop takes itself so seriously that they can rap about biscuits and cheese. They can rap about anything."

But, according to Obst, The Trilambs aren't just a group of musicians who have put their own spin on rap and hip-hop.

"People often ask me, 'Ollie, who do The Trilambs sound like?' Instead of drawing rap distinctions, I more go in the direction of dada, I go on the surrealists, like the Salvador Dalis, like (filmmaker) Luis Bunuel," says the Pitzer junior. "That's really the vibe, is that they make fun of everything, that there are no sacred cows. Anything can be touched on."

The Trilambs sample popular tunes from artists such as The Rolling Stones and Madonna and put their own spin on the tunes, which can be found on their debut album, "It Wasn't Not Not Funny."

The Trilambs will perform an all-ages event at 9:45 p.m. Oct. 17 at