Heralded Bay-Area emcee Planet Asia believes that hip-hop music is in the process of reviving its old-school spirit. The preconceived gimmickry, money worshiping and Mafioso-mindedness that permeate from many of today’s top acts is loosing its foothold on the hearts of the hip-hop audience, at least he hopes.

“Hip-hop was fun,” said Planet Asia of the genre’s origins. “That’s what the game is missing now.”Planet Asia, along with Rasco, Casual of the Hieroglyphics, Flii Stylz, and DJ E-Rock, will make the first stop of the Gold Chain Music Tour at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday in the University Union Ballroom.While each artist will bring his own unique flavor to the stage, the theme of lyrical prowess, ingenuity, crowd involvement and a B-boy infused vibe will be common.

At the onset of what would become hip-hop music’s current domination of commercial music sales, many of the genre’s original components and sensibilities remained intact. This period, spanning between the early to mid ’90s, was hallmarked by a seemingly endless stream of talented wordsmiths that reveled in displaying musical virtues that seem far less popular today. The practice of using complex lyricism, witty metaphors and multi-syllabic rhymes are used today as they were during this “golden era,” but the essence of what made this era so fondly remembered wasn’t merely technical; it was intensely spiritual as well.

“The golden era of hip-hop is my mentor,” Planet Asia said.

The Gold Chain Tour serves as a reunion for Planet Asia and Rasco; his staunch ally in the hip-hop game. They are set to reunite to reform Cali Agents. Rasco met Planet Asia while attending Fresno State and the hip-hop fans became good friends. Several years later the two decided to merge their talents and the duo was born.

Their initial album “How The West Was One” garnered critical acclaim (Source Magazine recognition in Top Six Independent Albums of 2000). Despite no major distributor, the album managed to move 50,000 units. Rasco’s first solo album, “Time Waits For No Man” released prior to the Cali Agents LP, got the same Source recognition in 1998. Rasco followed with “Hostile Environment” in 2001.

Casual, who’s long been a major part of the underground hip-hop scene, feels that hip-hop is returning to its roots.

“The underground is going deeper and deeper (into obscurity),” Casual said. “The mainstream is creating a monopoly. Hip-hop was always about finding a diamond in the rough.”

As part of the underground super-crew, The Hieroglyphics, Casual became a major contributor to the eclectic musical culture that thrives in the Bay Area.

His latest album “Casual Presents: Smash Rockwell” boasts a huge assortment of Bay Area talent including: Too Short, E-40, Richie Rich and his Hiero crew members.

“We’ve been getting ready to record this new (Hieroglyphics) album as soon as the tour’s finished,” Casual said.

Along with Planet Asia, Rasco and Casual, another lyrical miracle set to melt microphones across the west is Richmond-based Flii Stylz. Stylz catapulted into the national spotlight with the success of the documentary film “Rize,” for which he wrote and performed the soundtrack. The film focused on the phenomenon of the manic dance style known as “Krumping.”

Keeping the production moving takes experience on the turntables, and the tour has that in DJ E-Rock. The Northern California DJ has a weekly show, Bomb Bay Radio, broadcasted on Sirius Satellite Radio.

Through Planet Asia’s involvement with Gold Chain Music, dynamic emcees that aren’t yet household names have a venue through which they can shine.

“I think the west is really gonna bring it back this year,” Planet Asia.

Casual agreed, stating that the Gold Chain Tour is just another way for talented West Coast artists to “let them know what it’s all about.”

Casual has one suggestion for fans of what is becoming a lost art.Said Casual: “We just need to turn off the radio.”

Aubrey Henry can be reached at [email protected]