Finishing Homework on the Bike Ride to School

Victor Kerlow

Dear Diary:

One early morning in late February or early March, I was waiting at the crosswalk on the corner of Bleecker and 11th Street. A little girl about 8 years old, with pink winter boots dangling, was the well-balanced passenger on the back of her father’s bike.

The father was pedaling with careful determination, while his daughter, using his back as a desk, was writing in her notebook with admirable concentration â€" obviously putting the finishing touches on her homework.

You got the feeling her last-minute scribble had been performed in transit before. I hope the assignment was not for penmanship.

Read all recent entries and our updated submissions guidelines. Reach us via e-mail diary@nytimes.com or follow @NYTMetro on Twitter using the hashtag #MetDiary.

Sir Colin Davis, British Conductor, Dies at 85

Matthew Murphy for The New York Times Sir Colin Davis conducted the London Symphony Orchestra at Avery Fisher Hall in New York City in 2011.

Sir Colin Davis, the magisterial conductor whose career with the London Symphony Orchestra spanned over half a century and included 11 years as its principal conductor, died on Sunday.

The London Symphony Orchestra said in a statement that Sir Colin, who served as the orchestra’s president since 2007, died of an unnamed illness on Sunday evening. He was 85.

“Sir Colin’s role in British musical life was immense,” the orchestra said in its statement. “He was internationally renowned for his interpretations of Mozart, Sibelius and Berlioz, and music lovers across the world have been inspired by his performances and recordings.”

Colin Rex Davis was born in Surrey, England, on Sept. 25, 1927.

Though he had always dreamed of being a conductor, his rise in the profession was not swift. His skill on the piano was wanting, as was, he admitted, his desire to play it. He was appointed as assistant conductor of the BBC Scottish Symphony in 1957 after three attempts for the job.

By his own admission, he was hot-headed and short-tempered in his younger years, and his relationships with musicians and musical organizations early in his career were often tempestuous. Though he made his debut with the London Symphony in 1959, it would be decades before he truly made his mark. In 1965, the London Symphony turned him down as chief conductor.

For the next several years, first as chief conductor of the BBC Symphony, then as music director for the Royal Opera House, his career advanced slowly.

It was not until 1992, with his masterful interpretation of the Sibelius cycle with the London Symphony, that his authority became apparent and his fame began to spread. Three years later, he was made principal conductor of the London Symphony, a position he held until 2006, when Valery Gergiev took his place.

His mark on the institution was indelible. He championed Sibelius and Berlioz, whose major works he conducted in full with the London Symphony in 1999 and 2000. He also revived Mozart as a symphonic mainstay after a long absence. In 1997, he took the London Symphony to New York to conduct its first residency at Lincoln Center. He was principal guest conductor of the New York Philharmonic from 1998 to 2003.

He received two Grammy awards for his recording of Berlioz’s Les Troyens with the London Symphony Orchestra in 2002, and another in 2006 for Verdi’s Falstaff.

Though age had slowed his pace in recent years, at the podium he radiated a vigor and passion for his craft to the end.

Anthony Tommasini, the New York Times classical music critic, wrote that when Sir Colin took the podium to conduct the Berlioz Requiem in London’s St. Paul’s Cathedral last June, he “looked a little frail.”

“But once he settled into his tall, swiveling conductor’s chair, he exuded authority and stamina and drew a radiant, angelic and at times terrifying account of this challenging score from the orchestra and chorus.”

There was no immediate word on survivors. Sir Colin’s wife, Shamsi, died in 2010 after nearly half a century of marriage. The couple had five children, and he had two children with his first wife, April Cantelo, the BBC reported.

Toward the end of his life, Sir Colin had become something of a sage in the world of classical music, wont to puff on his pipe and knit in quiet introspection.

”Conductors,” he once said in an interview with The New York Times, ”are paid to think, and that’s what the job should be about: sitting at home thinking, what is this piece How can I set it up to sound its best and live on, because there’s nothing to replace it with just yet This is what absorbs the mind. Especially in old age.”

Psy’s New Video Is a Quick Web Hit

The Korean pop singer known as Psy, who gained global notoriety last year when his song “Gangnam Style” became an Internet sensation, released a new single over the weekend, and many were quick to notice. In a little over a day, the video for the song, “Gentleman,” attracted more than 32 million views on YouTube after it had its premiere on Saturday during a concert in Seoul.

The video features Psy, whose real name is Park Jae-sang, acting in his established ungentlemanly manner until he gets a taste of his own medicine from Son Ga-In, another K-pop star who is a member of the group Brown Eyed Girls. It also features a signature dance move to complement the horse-riding maneuver made popular by “Gangnam Style,” which has surpassed 1.5 billion views on YouTube since its debut in July.

South Street Seaport Museum Has More Time

Although the South Street Seaport Museum has yet to recover from Hurricane Sandy, the Museum of the City of New York has agreed to continue running the museum for another three months.

“We are hoping the extension will be fruitful,” said Susan Henshaw Jones, the City Museum’s president, who has been running both institutions.

But the situation doesn’t look promising. Because the water surged to six feet at the lobby entrance, the building’s electrical systems have not been fully restored. “Post-Sandy, we are struggling,” Ms. Jones said. “We can’t keep the galleries open.”

In dire financial straits, the Seaport Museum was rescued by the City Museum in 2011. A $2 million grant from the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation gave the City Museum up to 18 months to see if it could make a go of the Seaport museum. Counting a six-month extension, that interim period expires this month.

“The terrific leadership of President Susan Henshaw Jones and the entire board and staff have guided the organization through a challenging time,” Kate D. Levin, the New York City cultural affairs commissioner, said in a statement.

Jackie Robinson Movie Has Strong Opening

Hollywood was predictably shocked over the weekend to find that a well-reviewed drama succeeded at the box office even though it was aimed at geriatric moviegoers (industry definition: anyone over the age of 25). The Jackie Robinson biopic “42” was a strong No. 1 at North American movie theaters, taking in about $27.3 million, according to its distributor, Warner Brothers. Legendary Entertainment spent a relatively modest $38 million to make the film, which performed best among older men, the hardest demographic for studios to reach.

Sputtering in second place with about $15.2 million in ticket sales was “Scary Movie V” (Weinstein), according to Hollywood.com, which compiles box-office data. This parody movie was even cheaper â€" it cost about $20 million to make â€" but took in less than most analysts expected, especially considering the publicity generated by the stunt casting of Lindsay Lohan as herself. It’s safe to assume that this is the end of the road for the “Scary Movie” franchise. “The Croods,” “G.I. Joe: Retaliation” and “Evil Dead” rounded out the top five.

Jackie Robinson Movie Has Strong Opening

Hollywood was predictably shocked over the weekend to find that a well-reviewed drama succeeded at the box office even though it was aimed at geriatric moviegoers (industry definition: anyone over the age of 25). The Jackie Robinson biopic “42” was a strong No. 1 at North American movie theaters, taking in about $27.3 million, according to its distributor, Warner Brothers. Legendary Entertainment spent a relatively modest $38 million to make the film, which performed best among older men, the hardest demographic for studios to reach.

Sputtering in second place with about $15.2 million in ticket sales was “Scary Movie V” (Weinstein), according to Hollywood.com, which compiles box-office data. This parody movie was even cheaper â€" it cost about $20 million to make â€" but took in less than most analysts expected, especially considering the publicity generated by the stunt casting of Lindsay Lohan as herself. It’s safe to assume that this is the end of the road for the “Scary Movie” franchise. “The Croods,” “G.I. Joe: Retaliation” and “Evil Dead” rounded out the top five.

A Purveyor of Brie, Prosciutto and Anthems

Thirty minutes before Stinky Bklyn opens for business, its proprietor strolls the floor singing in a powerhouse tenor to Parmigiano-Reggiano and hickory-smoked Benton’s bacon. He is not being a ham. Patrick Watson is getting his pipes in shape to sing the national anthem at the Barclays Center, where he is better known as the supplier of Stinky Brown Butter Rice Krispy Treats and the crumbled blue cheese topping on the Nathan’s Famous hot dogs sold at the concession stand.

Mr. Watson, 38, is a trained opera singer but has not sung before an audience since 2006, the year he and his wife opened Stinky Bklyn, their specialty cheese shop, on Smith Street in Carroll Gardens. He has never publicly performed “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

On Monday, before the second-to-last Brooklyn Nets game of the season, the cheesemonger will face upward of 15,000 sports fans.

“I’ll be ready,” he said.

Confidence has never been an issue for Mr. Watson. He can sell a Massenet aria. He can sell 1,000 pounds of cheese a week. But he says he has never been particularly good at selling himself. “I’m a terrible self-promoter, and maybe that’s why I didn’t go further with opera,” he said.

Mr. Watson’s voice, rich as a triple-cream Brillat-Savarin, has a wide range. But that proved an obstacle, he said. “Out of the gates I was too loud,” he said. “I couldn’t find the right teacher. They’d hear me sing and say, ‘Stop it, you’re not supposed to sing like that in your 20s.’ They’d try to dial me back into some sort of lyrical Mozart thing, telling me I had to wait until I was in my 30s to sing the big, dramatic roles.”

Ángel Franco/The New York Times Patrick Watson serenades the cheeses at his shop, Stinky Bklyn, as he gears up to sing the national anthem at Monday’s Nets game at the Barclays Center.

After graduating from McGill University’s opera program, Mr. Watson, who grew up on Cape Cod, occasionally sang at the Metropolitan Opera (Pavarotti, he says, once told him to never give up) while supporting himself as a waiter and sommelier at top Manhattan restaurants like Gotham Bar and Grill, and Lupa. At the latter, he met Michele Pravda, a fellow server and singer. They married, and in 2004 they opened Carroll Gardens’ first boutique wine shop, Smith and Vine.

Time for auditioning and performing dwindled as the couple followed up with Stinky Bklyn, a wine bar called the JakeWalk and two children. Mr. Watson’s singing became more or less consigned to blow-the-roof-off renditions of “Happy Birthday” and serenading his son and daughter with Puccini at bath time despite their complaints of “It’s too loud, Daddy.”

“My neighbor must have a stock of earplugs,” he said.

But Mr. Watson’s volume did not pose a problem for Petra Pope, a vice president for event marketing for the Brooklyn Nets, who heard his audition tape.

When the Barclays arena opened in September, Ms. Pope had 44 national anthem spots to fill for the season and received about 150 recorded submissions, performed by everyone from violinists to school choirs to soloists. Some, she said, were not listenable.

“It’s a very hard song to sing,” Ms. Pope said. “As soon as I heard Patrick I said yes instantly, it’s so beautiful.”

“I had a little inside track,” Mr. Watson joked, explaining that a contact he had made at the arena offered to pass his tape to Ms. Pope.

Practicing scales and phrasing is Mr. Watson’s main preparation for the big night. He has been trying to assist customers silently, in order to protect his vocal chords (though when he does reel off the names of cheeses, his French, Italian and Spanish pronunciations are impeccable, thanks to his operatic training). Rather than look back on what might have been, Mr. Watson keeps his focus forward.

“I hope they’ll ask me back for the playoffs,” he said. “Michele and I could sing a duet.”

Officially, There\'s Now No Chance of Hurricane Sandy Returning

Agence France-Presse - Getty Images A satellite image of Hurricane Sandy on Oct. 28, 2012.

There will never again be a Hurricane Sandy.

The World Meteorological Organization's hurricane committee, which is responsible for naming tropical cyclones, including hurricanes, announced on Thursday that Sandy was being retired from the official list of storm names.

Sara will take its place.

It is the 77th time the organization has removed a name from the registry of names since 1954 because a storm was deemed “so deadly or costly that the future use of its name on a different storm would be inappropriate for reasons of sensitivity.”

Sandy now joins the likes of Gloria, Hugo and Katrina. The last name retired was Irene in 2011.

Storm names are reused every six years for both the Atlantic and the eastern North Pacific basins, a system that dates to the 1950s.

For centuries, storms were named arbitrarily.

For example, in the 1840s a powerful storm swept through the Atlantic and ripped the mast off a ship named Antje, and the storm became known as Antje's Hurricane.

For centuries, powerful storms in the West Indies were named for the saint's day on which the storm hit.

In 1950, meteorologists devised a system to name storms using the phonetic alphabet (Able, Baker, Charlie), but the system was abandoned in 1953 as too confusing.

Instead, they turned to female names in 1954, and in 1979, male names were added to the list. Now, names alternate between male and female.

Finding short, memorable names helps facilitate the passing of information between hundreds of widely scattered stations, coastal bases and ships at sea, according to the National Hurricane Center.

“The use of easily remembered names greatly reduces confusion when two or more tropical storms occur at the same time,” according to an explanation on the history of hurricane names on the center's Web site. “For example, one hurricane can be moving slowly westward in the Gulf of Mexico, while at exactly the same time another hurricane can be moving rapidly northward along the Atlantic coast. In the past, confusion and false rumors have arisen when storm advisories broadcast from radio stations were mistaken for warnings concerning an entirely different storm located hundreds of miles away.”

Where Do You Find Quiet in New York?

Piotr Redlinski for The New York Times Perhaps your quiet retreat is on Governors Island?

Where do you go to find peace in this boisterous city? With eight million New Yorkers and 50 million tourists a year all packed into 301 square miles, is there a special park bench, riverside fishing spot or underused historic site where you go to cherish the sound of silence?

The Times wants to create an interactive presentation of the most tranquil spots in New York City that we hope will transport you through the glass portal of your desktop, cellphone or tablet. Using the map below, show us where you go.

It must be a public place. Your own rooftop gardens and quiet basements may be an ideal escape, but we're looking for sites that are accessible and, most importantly, safe. Later this spring, we'll present a selection of secluded getaways drawing upon your recommendations.

Thank you for your submission.

The New York Times will publish a selection of the submitted places in a few weeks.

Seventh Avenue Underground

Dear Diary:

the seventh avenue local
throbs beneath
the sidewalk
its bass-line
as reassuring
as the ozone odor
of electrical arcing
and the rhythmic
de-duh de-duh
de-duh de-duh
that recedes
into the pulse of the city
as it rumbles
uptown

Read all recent entries and our updated submissions guidelines. Reach us via e-mail diary@nytimes.com or follow @NYTMetro on Twitter using the hashtag #MetDiary.

Welcome the Library\'s Sleeping Lions: River and Dale

Chang W. Lee/The New York Times River and Dale at rest: the new lions outside the library branch in Riverdale in the Bronx now have names.

After a worldwide naming contest, the stone lions snoozing outside the Riverdale branch of the New York Public Library in the Bronx have been officially christened: River and Dale.

The names, to be announced at a reception at the library Friday afternoon, beat out more than 350 other suggestions submitted in person and online from lion-namers as far away as Toronto, England and Australia. Finalists included Patronus and Cupitor and Leo and Rex.

The New York Public Library president, Tony Marx, chose the winning pair. “The enthusiastic response to this contest highlights the deep love and passion people around the globe have for N.Y.P.L. and for libraries in general,” Mr. Marx said in a statement.

In a nod to the Riverdale lions' more glamorous cousins, Patience and Fortitude, stationed in front of the library building on Fifth Avenue, Mr. Marx added: “It was difficult to choose from such a wide range of creative names, but after looking over the finalists with much patience and fortitude, I couldn't help but name the lions after their new home, a vibrant community with dedicated patrons.”

The Riverdale lions, which weigh about 900 pounds each, were moved to the library in January after their previous home, the Loews Regency Hotel on Park Avenue, underwent renovations. James S. Tisch, chief executive officer of Loews, is also a member of the board of the New York Public Library.

Library officials said the Riverdale branch, which circulates about 12,000 books and DVDs a month, was chosen in part because it had ample space to display the lions.

Wasn\'t It Summer Just the Other Day?

Caleb Ferguson for The New York Times Lovely day for a walk in Union Square.

What is it with this weather? A warm January, a chilly start to spring, an early-April hot spell complete with brush-fire outbreaks, and now, freezing winds driving the rain into the sockets of your skull.

What do you suppose is going on here anyway?

A Mortgage Holiday for Some Borrowers Hurt by Hurricane

Thousands of homeowners whose properties were damaged by Hurricane Sandy  and cannot make their mortgage payments have gotten another reprieve -  the federal government announced Friday that borrowers  with home loans insured by the Federal Housing Administration could suspend mortgage payments for up to one year while they repair their homes.

Homeowners with federally backed loans had already been given a payment delay period of six months that was due to expire April 30. About 286,000 homeowners with F.H.A. loans in the areas affected by the storm, including more than 95,700 in New York and about 32,513 in New Jersey, are now eligible for the new 12-month relief.

Shaun Donovan, the secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, said borrowers would also be able to work out repayment plans to avoid having to pay the missed payments in a lump sum at the end of the delay or forbearance period. Mr. Donovan said Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the government-controlled mortgage finance companies that guarantee most loans, are offering similar accommodations.

“This would ensure that families don't face a crisis when this period ends,” he said.

Mr. Donovan spoke at a news conference in the Manhattan office of Senator Chuck Schumer, who urged banks to “follow the cues of the government agencies” and defer payments as well. Private loans with no federal backing account for a relatively small percentage of all mortgages.

Graphic Books Best Sellers: Scott Snyder\'s ‘American Vampire\'

The writer Scott Snyder seems to be making a home out of our hardcover list. This week, Volume 5 of “American Vampire,” about a new breed of bloodsucker, enters the list at No. 2. (He is also the writer behind the Batman stories at No. 1 and No. 8.) In this latest installment of “American Vampire,” Mr. Snyder has been blessed with two gifted collaborators: Rafael Albuquerque, the original series artist, and Dustin Nguyen, who illustrates a spin-off story included in this collection. Though vampires have seemingly given up their number one status in pop culture to zombies, Mr. Snyder proves there are still plenty of tales to tell about these creatures of the night. Mr. Nguyen lends his wonderfully expressive and moody art to an adventure involving the hunt for the granddaddy of all vampires, Dracula, while Mr. Albuquerque illustrates the exploration of all things related to Skinner Sweet, the first American vampire, who is more vicious and less bothered by sunlight. The only drawback to reading this book in collected form is that the reader does not get to long savor the cliffhangers with which Mr. Snyder ends most issues. (Click here for a profile on Mr. Snyder from Sept. 2011.)

There are two other noteworthy books that have crossed my desk recently, but have not, so far, made our Best Sellers list. “The New Crusaders,” from Archie, both digs deep into the company's past and looks toward the future. The story revolves around The Mighty Crusaders, who are led by The Shield, a patriotic hero who had his debut in 1940. The heroes have seemingly won, but a forgotten enemy returns and a new generation of champions must rise. “The New Crusaders,” written by Ian Flynn and features artwork by Ben Bates and Alitha Martinez, began as a digital-first model announced by the company in 2011. This is the first collected edition. There aren't a lot of surprises in this “gathering of forces” adventure, but I enjoyed my introduction to the new characters, I was a fan of the artwork and I would pick up Volume 2.

“Maximum Minimum Wage” is a hefty tome from the cartoonist Bob Fingerman, who confesses in his introduction that this just might be the final version of this semi-autobiographical work. (Mr. Fingerman prefers the label quasi-autobiographical, which he explains here). I've had a lot of ups and downs with Mr. Fingerman's work. “Maximum Minimum Wage” is one of the ups. The characters are still flawed and I still wonder about some of their choices, but now, 10 years later, the story feels more grounded: I could see them as real people who make mistakes, sometimes big ones. The last page of the story, more than half way through before a ton of extras, left me feeling sympathetic for the main character who was riddled with doubt on one of the big days of his life.

As always, the complete best-seller lists can be found here, along with an explanation of how they were assembled.

‘Mad Men\' Predictions: What Do You Think Will Happen Sunday?

On the season premiere of “Mad Men,” Don Draper showed up drunk at a funeral and his ex-wife, Betty, showed up brunet after a foray to the East Village. Though it's a sure bet Don will be drinking again on Sunday's episode (when does he not?), any guesses on what else will happen? In a new feature, here's your chance to make your predictions. Check back next week to see how you did.

Charting Vampire Weekend\'s New Album

The New York indie rock band Vampire Weekend will release its third album, “Modern Vampires of the City,” on XL on May 14. The artist Andrew Kuo breaks down two new songs, “Step” and “Diane Young,” whose video features Saabs burning against a Manhattan cityscape.

Andrew Kuo

Coachella: Rap\'s Web-Fueled Misfits

Chad Batka for The New York Times The rapper Earl Sweatshirt performed Friday at Coachella.

INDIO, Calif. - At Coachella, everything happens more or less on time, but 2 Chainz was late. His set on Saturday afternoon was meant to start at 4 p.m., but 4:05, 4:10 and 4:15 all passed without sight of him, his band reduced to playing a minute or so of “I'm Different,” which petered out, soon followed by boos.

That 2 Chainz, the most mainstream rap star on this festival's bill by far, would bring a dose of traditional rap show protocol to this tightly choreographed festival was both refreshing and, to the spillover crowd awaiting him in the Mojave tent, an irritant.

The other rappers of the day played by the rules - somewhat. Action Bronson performed early, when the sun was still high in the sky, and spent most of the set shirtless. Someone in the crowd proffered him some food, the subject of many of his lyrics, and he ate it. Someone else handed him a joint, and he smoked it. At one point he ambled up to the barrier separating the photo pit from the crowd, considered it, then climbed it and walked through the crowd, which trailed him as he rapped.

Just afterward, on the same stage, came Danny Brown. Unlike Action Bronson, who effortlessly updates the structurally tight New York rap of the mid-1990s, Mr. Brown is a loose cannon with a nasal delivery, a deceptively melodic flow and a tongue that refuses to stay in his mouth. Both rappers are characters, and popular ones, which is what landed them at Coachella without the benefit of radio airplay or major-label deals.

The same is true, more or less, of Earl Sweatshirt, the Odd Future rapper who performed here Friday night. He was an Internet sensation, then a mystery, and is now one of the most anticipated artists in hip-hop - again, without the benefit of traditional outlets (though he is now signed to a major label). His set recalled the organic wordiness of the early-to-mid-1990s. Not surprisingly, when Action Bronson played on Saturday, Earl Sweatshirt was sitting on stage, happily rapping along.

Pusha T, with a couple of different turns early in his career, might have found himself on that stage, too. (As it was, Earl Sweatshirt and Tyler, the Creator, were in the photo pit during his Saturday night performance.)

As part of the rap duo the Clipse, Pusha T was part of the first wave of street-oriented rappers embraced by - and to some degree saved by - the Internet. It's a familiar arc now, but when the Clipse was finding its new audience, it was still a novel path.

Now that's closer to the norm, but Pusha T has been renewed: he is signed to Kanye West's G.O.O.D. Music imprint, and frequently clothed in black leather. His performance was a blend of the darker, more brutalist drug-dealer rhymes that marked his early years, and some of the glossier but still raw material he's making now.

All of which comes full circle to 2 Chainz, who is also affiliated with Mr West, and who has become one of hip-hop's unlikeliest stars. He has a knack for oddball boasts that congeal into sticky hooks and verses. He's excitable, which is a rarity. He is an outlier in the genre, and he was an outlier here. But his songs are indelible, and the tent was overflowing for his performance - he was a misfit, easily fitting in.

Coachella: Rap’s Web-Fueled Misfits

Chad Batka for The New York Times The rapper Earl Sweatshirt performed Friday at Coachella.

INDIO, Calif. â€" At Coachella, everything happens more or less on time, but 2 Chainz was late. His set on Saturday afternoon was meant to start at 4 p.m., but 4:05, 4:10 and 4:15 all passed without sight of him, his band reduced to playing a minute or so of “I’m Different,” which petered out, soon followed by boos.

That 2 Chainz, the most mainstream rap star on this festival’s bill by far, would bring a dose of traditional rap show protocol to this tightly choreographed festival was both refreshing and, to the spillover crowd awaiting him in the Mojave tent, an irritant.

The other rappers of the day played by the rules â€" somewhat. Action Bronson performed early, when the sun was still high in the sky, and spent most of the set shirtless. Someone in the crowd proffered him some food, the subject of many of his lyrics, and he ate it. Someone else handed him a joint, and he smoked it. At one point he ambled up to the barrier separating the photo pit from the crowd, considered it, then climbed it and walked through the crowd, which trailed him as he rapped.

Just afterward, on the same stage, came Danny Brown. Unlike Action Bronson, who effortlessly updates the structurally tight New York rap of the mid-1990s, Mr. Brown is a loose cannon with a nasal delivery, a deceptively melodic flow and a tongue that refuses to stay in his mouth. Both rappers are characters, and popular ones, which is what landed them at Coachella without the benefit of radio airplay or major-label deals.

The same is true, more or less, of Earl Sweatshirt, the Odd Future rapper who performed here Friday night. He was an Internet sensation, then a mystery, and is now one of the most anticipated artists in hip-hop â€" again, without the benefit of traditional outlets (though he is now signed to a major label). His set recalled the organic wordiness of the early-to-mid-1990s. Not surprisingly, when Action Bronson played on Saturday, Earl Sweatshirt was sitting on stage, happily rapping along.

Pusha T, with a couple of different turns early in his career, might have found himself on that stage, too. (As it was, Earl Sweatshirt and Tyler, the Creator, were in the photo pit during his Saturday night performance.)

As part of the rap duo the Clipse, Pusha T was part of the first wave of street-oriented rappers embraced by â€" and to some degree saved by â€" the Internet. It’s a familiar arc now, but when the Clipse was finding its new audience, it was still a novel path.

Now that’s closer to the norm, but Pusha T has been renewed: he is signed to Kanye West’s G.O.O.D. Music imprint, and frequently clothed in black leather. His performance was a blend of the darker, more brutalist drug-dealer rhymes that marked his early years, and some of the glossier but still raw material he’s making now.

All of which comes full circle to 2 Chainz, who is also affiliated with Mr West, and who has become one of hip-hop’s unlikeliest stars. He has a knack for oddball boasts that congeal into sticky hooks and verses. He’s excitable, which is a rarity. He is an outlier in the genre, and he was an outlier here. But his songs are indelible, and the tent was overflowing for his performance â€" he was a misfit, easily fitting in.

Coachella: Rap’s Web-Fueled Misfits

Chad Batka for The New York Times The rapper Earl Sweatshirt performed Friday at Coachella.

INDIO, Calif. â€" At Coachella, everything happens more or less on time, but 2 Chainz was late. His set on Saturday afternoon was meant to start at 4 p.m., but 4:05, 4:10 and 4:15 all passed without sight of him, his band reduced to playing a minute or so of “I’m Different,” which petered out, soon followed by boos.

That 2 Chainz, the most mainstream rap star on this festival’s bill by far, would bring a dose of traditional rap show protocol to this tightly choreographed festival was both refreshing and, to the spillover crowd awaiting him in the Mojave tent, an irritant.

The other rappers of the day played by the rules â€" somewhat. Action Bronson performed early, when the sun was still high in the sky, and spent most of the set shirtless. Someone in the crowd proffered him some food, the subject of many of his lyrics, and he ate it. Someone else handed him a joint, and he smoked it. At one point he ambled up to the barrier separating the photo pit from the crowd, considered it, then climbed it and walked through the crowd, which trailed him as he rapped.

Just afterward, on the same stage, came Danny Brown. Unlike Action Bronson, who effortlessly updates the structurally tight New York rap of the mid-1990s, Mr. Brown is a loose cannon with a nasal delivery, a deceptively melodic flow and a tongue that refuses to stay in his mouth. Both rappers are characters, and popular ones, which is what landed them at Coachella without the benefit of radio airplay or major-label deals.

The same is true, more or less, of Earl Sweatshirt, the Odd Future rapper who performed here Friday night. He was an Internet sensation, then a mystery, and is now one of the most anticipated artists in hip-hop â€" again, without the benefit of traditional outlets (though he is now signed to a major label). His set recalled the organic wordiness of the early-to-mid-1990s. Not surprisingly, when Action Bronson played on Saturday, Earl Sweatshirt was sitting on stage, happily rapping along.

Pusha T, with a couple of different turns early in his career, might have found himself on that stage, too. (As it was, Earl Sweatshirt and Tyler, the Creator, were in the photo pit during his Saturday night performance.)

As part of the rap duo the Clipse, Pusha T was part of the first wave of street-oriented rappers embraced by â€" and to some degree saved by â€" the Internet. It’s a familiar arc now, but when the Clipse was finding its new audience, it was still a novel path.

Now that’s closer to the norm, but Pusha T has been renewed: he is signed to Kanye West’s G.O.O.D. Music imprint, and frequently clothed in black leather. His performance was a blend of the darker, more brutalist drug-dealer rhymes that marked his early years, and some of the glossier but still raw material he’s making now.

All of which comes full circle to 2 Chainz, who is also affiliated with Mr West, and who has become one of hip-hop’s unlikeliest stars. He has a knack for oddball boasts that congeal into sticky hooks and verses. He’s excitable, which is a rarity. He is an outlier in the genre, and he was an outlier here. But his songs are indelible, and the tent was overflowing for his performance â€" he was a misfit, easily fitting in.