More SXSW Thursday: S.O.S. for B.o.B., Wiz Khalifa and Janelle Monae

The first SXSW S.O.S. went out Thursday morning, after Chicago rapper Lupe Fiasco — a buzzed favorite on the schedule especially since his controversial “Lasers” album just went No. 1 — canceled his show, as did Cee Lo Green after him, both for undisclosed reasons. They were scheduled headliners at the Atlantic Records showcase at La Zona Rosa, but Atlantic has plenty of hot commodities to choose from right now. The new lineup became: B.o.B., Wiz Khalifa and Janelle Monae.

B.o.B. impressed me playing the very first set at Lollpalooza last summer in the brutal morning sun, mostly because this 22-year-old from North Carolina is a triple threat: a rapper with flow, a capable singer and a pretty hot guitarist. All three talents we on stage Thursday night, but showing some wear. Two of his biggest singles from last year’s “The Adventures of Bobby Ray” are collaborations, and since Rivers Cuomo and Bruno Mars can’t follow B.o.B. on tour to sing their melodious parts of “Magic” and “Nothin’ on You,” respectively, B.o.B. simply plays their tracks and dances while their voices dominate the chorus. He’s got a half dozen guys on stage with him; one of them can’t fill in for the live concert? When he straps on that guitar, thou, he’s hot, as he did to rip through “Don’t Let Me Fall” and “Electric.”

Wiz Khalifa, whose “Rolling Papers” CD, due March 29, is one of the year’s most anticipated, moseyed on stage and filled the interim with a hazy set. Hardly polished, this sub-Snoop Dogg rambled about the stage, looking like a deer in the headlights but raising the temperature of the place with his carefree party raps, mostly along these lines: “If you don’t smoke, I don’t know why.” Surrounded by members of the Taylor Gang, Khalifa ping-pongee back and forth, laughing to himself and transmitting a generally slap-happy vibe, which the crowd picked up on and rolled with. Before closing with his hit “Black and Yellow” (go, Steelers!), he freestyles a tribute to the late Nate Dogg.

Janelle Monae has announced a spring tour with Bruno Mars (May 27 at the Aragon), and just this week announced some dates opening for Katy Perry. But if the public finally latches onto her in a bigger way, she’s already prepared to handle her own headline. A tiny thing (the pompadour adds at least half a foot), she proved Thursday night she can command the stage. Backed by a tight eight-piece band, Monae hit the stage in a flowing cape while three dancers in monk robes knelt around her. She quickly went into her thesis, “Dance or Die,” moving the crowd with the tight-tight-tight funk (sometimes that rhythm section was even a little overpowering) and prodding their minds with the sci-fi concepts from her fascinating debut album, “The ArchAndroid.” Midway through, she cooled things down with a rendition of Judy Garland’s “Smile,” then brought the show to a close with the hit, “Tightrope,” expanded into a Vegas-jazz marathon with about seven endings. Didn’t bother those of us who didn’t want it to end.