Thug Life Army

A giant hip-hop party planned for tonight in honor of a slain Bay Area rapper has been canceled by a China Basin nightspot amid fears that the artist's murder could trigger retaliatory violence.

Kelly's Mission Rock said it pulled the plug on the gig late Wednesday, after noting that 60 law enforcement officers were on hand Tuesday in case trouble broke out at the Fairfield funeral of Andre Hicks, also known as Mac Dre.

An attorney for club management said at press time that the concert, headlining big-name Bay Area rappers such as San Quinn and Yukmouth, was off.

"There's too much baggage connected with the funeral and the reputation," attorney John Hinman said. "Kelly's is not going to become a magnet for trouble."

The promoters, Done Deal Entertainment, did not return calls seeking comment.

Hicks, who was shot dead on a Kansas City freeway by an unidentified gunman Nov. 1, was an alleged former member of Vallejo's Romper Room gang and served five years in state prison for conspiring to rob a bank.

Kansas City detectives speculated this week that his killer may be from the world of "gangsta rap" and rumors ran wild on hip-hop Web sites that a broader gang war could be brewing.

Before the China Basin event was canceled, police had been planning a large-scale presence due to ongoing problems with rowdiness and anti-social behavior following hip-hop events at Kelly's, according to Bayview Captain Rick Bruce.

Sources said the San Francisco Entertainment Commission may convene a hearing in December on whether to suspend the club's permit.

Hinman said the 20-year-old club respected its neighbors and had hosted about 400 events over the past three years, with only three experiencing problems.

The blame for some events was unfairly pinned on Kelly's when there were other clubs in the vicinity, Hinman said.