Jason Aalon Butler, who will headline the musical stage at the X Games on Sunday with his band Fever 333, grew up skateboarding in Inglewood with dreams of going pro.
Butler said he broke his right and left ankles as a teenager and that derailed his skating ambitions. When the X Games promoters asked him if he wanted to perform, he jumped at the opportunity. It's a bridge between his past and present.
"Being such a big fan of skateboarding but also the X Games as a whole, it was a pretty easy answer for me," said Butler, 38.
The X Games, now in its second year at the Ventura County Fairgrounds, will feature many of the top action sports athletes in skateboarding, BMX and Moto X Friday to Sunday. The games will also feature top names in music, including hip-hop artist Wiz Khalifa and electronic performer Kaskade.
Khalifa, known for hits like "Black and Yellow" and "See You Again," will take center stage at 9:15 p.m. Friday. Other acts for Friday include AG Club and Oxymorrons.
Kaskade, whose popular songs include "I Remember" and "Go Slow, "will headline at 9 p.m. Saturday following performances from Devault, Mija and Emo Nite.
Sunday's sets with Fever 333
On Sunday, Metalachi and Blame My Youth will perform sets before Fever 333, which performs at 3:45 p.m.
Butler said he is looking forward to performing in front of the X Games crowds, who appreciate exciting entertainment.
"I think it'll be a real cool environment for us to perform in," he said.
Fever 333's music blends the sounds of hip-hop, West Coast rap, punk and hardcore metal, he said.
Butler said he feels like this "hybridization" of musical styles is new. There has been rap mixed with rock before and different iterations of metal but this has its own lane, he said.
The sound is authentic and a hybrid of various genres the band loved or listened to, he said.
In the name Fever 333, the numbers 333 stand for community, charity and change, he said. His fellow band members April Kae, Thomas Pridgen and Brandon Davis approved of the ethos before joining.
"As well as being dope performers and incredible musicians, there has to be an ideological compatibility as well," Butler said. "We absolutely all align on that, too."
Butler said he tries to get people to get involved at any level they're comfortable. This can be with their community, or their block or even their neighborhood.
The group is finishing up a new album and plans to go on a tour across the U.S., United Kingdom and other parts of Europe later this year, he said. They just released a new single, "New West Order," to streaming services on June 18.
Bringing 'sonic and cultural traits' to Ventura
Butler is currently listening to Baltimore soul and punk band Nightlife and Compton hip-hop star Kendrick Lamar. He attended Lamar's recent concert at The Forum in Inglewood.
"It was amazing because I was there and then just seeing a lot of the community there but also just seeing a lot of the Black community there from all around L.A. sort of congregating in the name of the West Coast was something really, really special," he said. "And then seeing all of those areas of the hood coming together on stage in such a peaceful and united manner was really, really special."
He hopes to bring sonic and cultural traits together for the Ventura show.
"I just want to say that it's a space for everybody and a place to feel challenged but hopefully in a way that stretches us in a positive manner," he said.
Tickets start at $61 for an age 13 and up general admission on Friday and run as high as $3,499 for premium, multi-day passes. The tickets allow for access to all musical performances.
More information is available at xgames.com/ticketing.
Wes Woods II covers West County for the Ventura County Star. Reach him at wesley.woodsii@vcstar.com, 805-437-0262 or @JournoWes.
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