Dennis Weaver Jr., better known as Rapper Monotone, has opened for Michael Franti and Spearhead, Talib Kweli and De La Soul. But the 34-year-old West Sacramento resident doesn't usually perform in the big shows that hit the area.

However, people who love the music of Monotone's group, MLS, can hear the musicians play Saturday when they release their EP "Target Practice" at Capitol Garage. Local hip hop acts Mahtie Bush, Tribe of Levi, Izreal, 2-4-1 and Torrance the Poet also will perform. Those in the know can recite the double meanings behind the initials MLS: "Monotone and Lou Slugga" and "Major League Spittaz."

Monotone's a valley guy. He was born in Fresno and moved to Sacramento when he was about 11. Monotone grew up singing in church. In high school, he began sneaking into his brother's room to listen to his EPMD, Kool Moe Dee and NWA tapes.

In his sophomore year, he began purchasing cassette singles such as Nas' "The World is Yours." When Monotone attended Sacramento City Community College, he was introduced to A Tribe Called Quest and Wu Tang Clan. "That did it," he said. "It was a wrap."

From then on, Monotone immersed himself in hip hop culture, learning to break dance, emcee, write graffiti and even mix a little bit on turntables. He said he wanted to be like local hip hop artists E-Train, Soul Clap and N8 the Gr8.

Six years ago, Monotone formed MLS after hearing his brother's friend Darren "Lou Slugga" Heath rap over the phone a cappella: "Some of these fools spit trash/they call me the cleanest/I bring careers to short stops/but not Derek Jeter." Impressed by Slugga's lyrics, the members of MLS began performing and hired DJ Kool Kuts as their DJ.

Their beats sound like highly-polished mainstream hip hop, while their raps are both hardcore and poetic. Kool Kuts brings back the essence of 1980s DJs such as Grandmaster Flash with quick scratching, while the emcees pay homage to vintage East Coast stylings.

MLS gained underground recognition, but its management company "screwed them over," Monotone said, resulting in a two-and-a-half-year hiatus. The group recently started fresh and added a third emcee, Courtney "Century" Turner from New York.

Monotone sounds as starstruck as his students might when he recalls his favorite moment in his musical career -- hanging out with De La Soul all day before performing with them in 2002.

"I was doing (Black Sheep's) 'Flavor of the Month' live onstage live with these cats," he said. "We (got) liquor, I was on the tour bus with them, and we ended up going to a club. I remember calling my wife and telling her, 'I'm not coming home tonight and this is why!' "

It's not all fun all the time, though. A lot of hard work goes into Monotone's music. Nighttime often finds him in his home studio composing beats, rhymes, hooks, designing album graphics and editing music videos.

"I have enough music done (that) you could pick your favorite local rappers (and) I've got enough beats to supply at least 20 artists for their album," Monotone said. "I don't sleep very much."

MLS will release its first full-length recording, Sharpshootaz, on Jan. 15.

Show: Saturday, 9 p.m., Capitol Garage, 1500 K St. Meant for 21-and-older audience. Tickets and EPs are $5.

Photographs credit Monotone