YO! YO! YO! MODERN RHYMES ILLUSTRATE ANCIENT TALE

JOB: The Hip-Hop Musical, playing at HERE (145 6th Ave., 212-647-0202, here.org) through May 4, is simply brilliant. Written, directed, and performed by Jerome Saibil and Eli Batalion, this two-person show is the story of Job Lowe as told by MC Cain and MC Abel.

Hired as a janitor at Hoover Records, Job moves up the corporate laddes in a mere six years. Louis Saphire, the company's vice president of finance, then decides that Job's loyalty needs to be tested by taking away his benefits and cutting his salary.

There are countless compelling aspects of JOB, but a strong knowledge of hip-hop music and/or the Bible helps but is not required to enjoy the piece.

The story takes a sardonic look at the music industry with clever lines such as, "We signed two new artists this week/ One's a criminal, but we'll turn the other cheek."

Saibil and Batalion are outstanding performers with different personalities who complement each other throughout the show. At various times, they take turns playing the same characters. Performing on an empty black stage, it is immediately apparent that they don't need an intricate set to grasp your attention and hold on tight.

— Cara Worth