Posse cuts have always been a staple of hip-hop, but rarely have they been used to spread political messages — “All In The Same Gang” and “Mass Destruction” spring to mind here as the rare exception.

For years, the Spar was well-known as a home for live music, its Saturday-night jazz an anchor of the music scene. But in 2006, when McMenamin’s purchased the legendary restaurant, the music stopped.