The Los Angeles Times from Los Angeles, California • E6

E6 MONDAY, APRIL 3, 2023 LATIMES.COM/CALENDAR The choreography is full of spec- tacle, and the production is ef- fects-rich. The familiar narrative fromMexican novelist Laura Es- 1989 bestseller and the 1992 film serves up sentiment without embarrassment. Tal- orchestral score tells you how to feel and suggests move- ment possibilities for the danc- ers. The sheer scale of theatrical engineering is astonishing. Everything works as in- tended.And it shouldwork, given that Wheeldon and Talbot rely more on expertise than novelty.

There is little, if anything, outside of the technical virtuosity on dis- play that feels new to either Es- quivel or dance. But that is not thepoint. Wheeldon and Talbot take considerable pains to get themi- lieu of the novel right. ABT intro- duced the performanceWednes- day with a brief promo film fea- turingEsquivelandMexicancon- ductor and musical consultant Alondra de la Parra extolling the project. Mexican architect Luis is the inspiration for Bob impeccable decor.

(Setsbasedon theworkof artists seems to be in vogue, including thesets influencedbyDanishart- ist Vilhelm that grace L.A. current score features el- ements of traditional Mexican dance and song, as does Wheel- choreography, gloriously so in big numbers. The guitar and ocarina join the orchestra the Pacific Symphony, conducted by David LaMarche, replacing De la Parra, who travel be- cause of an ear infection. But for all the efforts at authenticity, this is little more than the fact that ballet loves locale. score, whichgoes in forHollywood-style climaxes, sounds more like a ge- neric filmorBroadway score.

attempts to trans- late the essence ofMexican cook- ing into dance is far more inter- esting. Esquivel introduces each chapter of her novel, set in the early 20th century, with a recipe. Tita, its protagonist, is forced to devote her life to tending her domineering mother, Elena, the role expected of the youngest daughter. learns to express herself, as well as her forbidden love forPedro, through her extraordinary cooking. Wheeldon accepts that chal- lenge with convincing solos.

On opening night, Cassandra Tre- Tita was danced with ex- quisite emotional reserve, yet ca- pable of releasing unending pas- sion with Herman Pedro or contending with Chris- tine sternly com- mandingMamaElena. As a story ballet, Water for functions almost like a French grand opera. There is a lot of plot, which in dance re- quires a lot of narrative mime; most of it, and itsmusic, is forget- table.Onething leads intoanoth- er, though, with an impressive technical smoothness thatallows fantasy marvelously so, when theghost reality to intersectwithanatural- ism that reveals the real genius of ballet. It would take several view- ings to catch all the detailed translations Wheeldon makes in his movement language to cap- ture character and incident. In the end, it is show business that wins out, as when Catherine Gertrudis, sister who joins the Revolution, leaps with exuberant lyrical abandon.

Hee Seo has a more thankless task as less-lively sister Rosaura, whomarries Pedro, but she readily wins our sympathy. Tita weds the affable Dr. John Brownwhilecontinuingtocarrya flame for Pedro. meant to side with true love; Cory appealing portrayal as John makes thatno sure thing. The cast is large, filled with any number of minor characters who grab momentary attention.

The ABT corps offers heaps of pleasures. The wow moments keep coming. Theballetendswithasoaring, breathtakingly beautiful pas de deux for Tita and Pedro. It is made to leave you with goose- bumps. To not give it a standing ovation is to be hardhearted.

Under it all, though, as one schmaltzy follows another, this becomes more the glorifica- tionof beauty than the real thing. As you enter Segerstrom, you grand sculpture Oncewhileworkingona filmwith the sculptor, composer John Cage said to Lippold, Rich- ard, you have a beautiful mind. timeyougot rid of He did, the reward being that his elevates an other- wise uninspired building without needing to catch your eye. The samemight go for someof the ex- travagant signaling of beauty in Water for that manipulates the observer. The neednohelp.

The story ballet at its most delicious from fromPnBRock, shot last year dur- ing an attempt to rob him of his jewelry outside a House ofChicken inSouthL.A. Most scarring was the death of his Drakeo the Ruler, who was stabbed in late 2021 at a festival in L.A. Even though they were simultaneously free for only one month in December 2017, they forged a profoundmusical connec- tion and friendship that made them their Tupac Shakur and Snoop Dogg, or at least the West answer to GucciManeandYoungThug. shed tears not just because of losing Drakeo as a friend but also because of what could have Greedo says. was my favorite person that ever recorded with.Our jail unsure whether be- cause of age or sobriety, but his dreamsare increasingly vivid.

be chilling with Drakeo a lot not like giving me no message or anything, but just be going on and living our Greedo says, his gaze fixed on the gray interstate blur. I be try- ing not to keep talking about Drakeo because I want to start The car goes silent. The subject is quickly switched. does it feel to be I ask. still not really even out yet.

I just passed some calledWax- Greedo says, as the car drives past the Texas town, its namepaintedonawater tower. thing I used to love about drug trafficking is you get to see, this is what this side of the world looks like, this is what this city looks Greedo says wistfully. remember Iwas count- ingdownhowmanyof the50 states I had been to just off of drug traf- ficking. I got up to like 30, some- thinghigh.All yougottado is get in your car and go, even if you not drug The observation is classic romantic.His artistry lies partly in his gift to reconcile what wrongly seem like contradictions. spentmuch of his adult life behind bars but waxes nostalgic about being a teenager in the Jordan Downs projects, discovering art films and Takashi Murakami.

He can flipaLanaDelReysampleand Rick James into a filthy sex an- He embodies the aspirations of his section but spent significant time in St. Louis, Sacramento and Atlanta, allowing him to bridge Southern bounce and eccentric auto-tune blues with something hyper-local. His first viral break- out, was a slang- filled requiem performed at the funeral for aWattsOG. can see all the way to the end zone of the football field before the game has even sums up his frequent collaborator, Kenny Beats, who produced flix and one of the projects Greedodropped fromprison. the representation of true artistic freedom in a place where if you doing the traditional California sound, not sup- posed to be able tomake your own lane and have this legendary tra- jectory.

always been an original, putting his heart on his Coast hip-hop, a genre-expanding influence on a younger generation, the chest-cavity splitting soul of the streets, a returning hero for a regionhauntedby tragedy. Last year alone, two singles (featuringShoreline Mafia) and were certified platinum, even though promotion was impossible from prison. A slowed-down version of the latter became a TikTok sensa- tion in 2021, more than three years after its initial release, eclipsing 200millionSpotify streams. never even seen a Tik- a reminderof the cultural shifts that have oc- curred since he left. bigger than the industry even knows.

They understand, because huge in the places that most There is something almost ghostly about seeing him in the flesh. An imposing beard sprouts from his face like a Holy Land mufti.He’swearingaLouisVuitton puffer jacket, black Amiri pants and a gray beanie that covers up what were his trademark locs. The ink on his face has grown fainter, but the phrase seemsevenmoreprophetic. Re-entrance to the outside world came suddenly. For the last coupleofyears, the formerresident of Jordan Downs projects had retained a parole lawyer to pe- tition forhisearly release.Butuntil his mother broke the news to him during a mid-January phone call, he had no clue about his impend- ing freedom.

just sit and he says. only know when up for review. I was expecting the worst. already been denied par- ole a few In the month and a half since he left prison in northern Texas, Greedo has spent almost every night in a Houston studio. During marathon sessions, he recorded 270 songs in 45 days, returning to a nearby halfway house only in the bleary, predawn hours.

Until re- cently, it remained unclear whether his parole officer would evenallowhimto leaveHouston. so disorganized and restrictive in Texas. I even want to speakon he sighs. For the time being, his proba- tionary termsbarhim from leaving the Lone Star State. Hence, the temporary residence in Dallas.

another hearing in a month, but as long as he has stu- dio access and the ability to watch his daughter graduate high school in June, everything else seems in- consequential. care about regular life. I believe in anything but Greedo stresses, his eyes masked byopaquedesigner shades. The SUV begins the 200-mile trek to Austin, past rain-slicked pastures and the infinite sprawl of Whataburger restaurants, gas sta- tions andmotels. it fashion or music, I express how much I care.

I care getting married. I care who dies any- more. Prison is a topic rather not discuss. Whatever memories exist are actively trying tobe expunged. been in jail my entire he says, absorbing the scenery out the window.

of my enemies are out here in Texas. Jail is fun. Jail is free The hardest deprivation was going without music. For the first two years, his only way to listen to anything was to have someone play it over the phone. In the latter half of his time inprison, hehadac- cess to a tablet, but he laments ne- ver having heard his last four proj- ects on a proper system all re- corded before he went in but as- sembledand released fromprison.

something really psy- chological to how they do it out he admits. try to drone The Wolf of Grape Street (a nickname derived from the road that runs through Jordan Downs) moves with lupine intensity and swiftness. up early, his words heavy with existential gravity, a Terminator onamission. If before he was sprawling, ad- mittedly on a bit of every- he is now sober and fo- cused, like a pro gambler silently registering every movement. still fearless, but taking risks only after a shrewd calculation.

His driver points out a Starbucks to stop at, but Greedo tells him it needs tobeadrive-thru. After all, a brand-new and blinding $200,000 drum chain dan- gles from his neck, molded after hisDrummerGangcrew. went in for 2 kilos and now I got 2 kilos of rose gold and 7,000 diamonds on he laughs, run- ning his fingers over the gems. cuts, baguettes, big dia- monds in this The caution underscores the nature of beinga rap star today. Over the last five years, Greedo has been unable to attend the fu- nerals of several of his closest peers.

First, therewasNipseyHus- sle, who taught him how to around the industry issues and get around the politics of being a ThenMemphis, rapper Young Dolph, an older- brother figurewho tookGreedo on an early tour. One of first prominent outside features came sleeve, where others are scared to be themselves. Now, come back from insurmountable obsta- cles and able to tell an extremely important story that a lot of peo- ple get to To outsiders, it seemed like Greedo appeared out of nowhere in 2018. But under previous name Greedy Giddy, spent most of the decade building a buzz in whenever stardom beckoned, the carceral systemensnaredhim. It changed with a weirdly tender but X- rated Valentine, now approaching 20 million streams on Spotify.

For the first time, he was able to stay free long enough to capitalize on the groundswell of attention. And likemany of hits, it was a slowburn, takingyearsto fullyseep into the collectiveunconscious. why I call it creep mu- he quips. it creeps His classic trio of Sum- mixtapes almost entirely self-produced him a Cali- fornia phenomenon, leading to a seven-figure deal with Alamo Re- cords. For the first half of 2018, he was on the short list of hottest rappers alive: collaborating with Lil Uzi Vert, getting played in a Kendall Jenner Instagram story, being ac- knowledged by Drake as a major inspiration.

Within Los Angeles, Greedo catalyzed a movement. His col- laborations with Drakeo and Shoreline Mafia ushered in a new wave that upended conventional expectations of what local hip-hop could lookand sound like. Instead of khakis and low-rid- ers, they wore high fashion and crashed expensive foreign cars. Greedo unleashed a trauma- wracked croak over sun-damaged samples, like an alien crash-land- ing a spaceship atop the Watts Towers, drunk off lean. A song ex- ists for every mood: sexual con- quests to solitary-confinement nightmare, drug ballads to disco- ball bacchanalia.Or, ashecalled it, think about Ice Cube saying, started this how Greedo is to this era of L.A.

hip-hop. the last pioneer left of this new says Victor Ulloa, co-host of Power Bag Morning and experiment. He proudly said he was from the projects where grimy and dirty, but also clean. I do a lot of drugs but just me a rock star, a living leg- end. His return gives people hope that some order restored in the universe like nature is heal- There is a sense of unfinished business.AmonthafterGreedore- leased his official major-label al- bum debut, in 2018, the legal turmoil fromhis 2016 drug arrest exiled him to Texas.

During his last month of freedom, he played multiple sold-out farewell shows where fans grieved. During his five years locked up, his folk- hero stature only solidified. Halfway real- izes that left his silver Off- White jacket back in Dallas. gonna look like a gas station hot dog in the he jokes about his performance outfit.) Someone is immediately conscripted to pick it up. His mind moves in a dozen di- rections.Hedials hismanagement team to give advice on how to best clear a BustaRhymes sample for a song fromhisnextproject.

His first album release since he got out, the 33-song dropped March 24 and proves that he lost his gift for creating bloodletting emo- tional odysseys. Eager to dispel comment-section critics who over- looked his sheer rapping ability, he also has doubled down on the fe- rocity of his vocal attack. If his pre- prison projects were almost en- tirely freestyled, these songs are more tightly written, honoring the fallen, indicting the double-talk of the industry, powered by the ener- gyof abowstringbeingpulledback for half a decade. should have never said I he says solemnly. For all the focus on the extra- musical aspects of his career, Greedo remains tapped into the spiritual side that feeds the art.

If prisonmadehimmoredisciplined, heunderstands thatwhatelevated himwas something intangible and otherworldly. people will be spookedand think monic The man, I always talk about the Greedo says, alluding to the genesis of his cre- ativity. something spir- itual in what I do. something I explain. Even if I do a song where straight rapping, there are things that I do in the back- groundof thebeatwhere Ipourmy soulonto it.Somepeopletryto imi- tate that, which is flattering, but I know that the in As the car sweeps across the countryside, Greedo looks over his set list again.

slightly worried that he be able to remember all the lyrics, butwhenheperforms before thousandsatWaterlooPark in Austin later that evening, the showgoes off flawlessly. The songs have become even morepoignantduring the spanbe- tween their creation and his re- lease fromprison.Whenhewarbles the hook of it still feels like a spiritual for the dispos- sessed, but now, he has become ing testament to the strength and resiliency of thehumanspirit. thanking God, could have died in thepen You been the odds like I been You beenwhere I been, I never fold, never bend Asforthe future, thereareplans to enter fashion, direct his ownvid- eos and create his own 03 Greedo multiverse. The only focus will be the art, whether that means his outfits, his melodies or how his al- bums are tracked. If possible, he wants to live outside the country.

Maybe Spain or Italy, somewhere where the pace is slower and he be shadowed by vultures seeking favors. ever really knows the true me. You have to keep some of your real self in he says slyly. trying to get me a nice- ass house in the country, chill with my grandma and my daughter, have my mom in ahouse close by. I want to be barefoot in that bitch, just be smoking that weed, watch- ing some old movies where you can really Greedo says this with an exhale of relief but an understanding of the next steps required.

In themo- ment, he instructs the driver to give him the aux cord. Hewants to enjoy his new music loud, eyes closed, content but never satisfied, as the speedingcar creepscloser to its final destination. A free 03 Greedo ponders future IN THE TIME since leaving prison, 03 Greedo has spent almost every night in a Houston studio. Photographs by Justin Staple from THE RAPPER greets fans during a performance at a Billboard showcase at the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas. always talk about the something spiritual in what I 03 Greedo.