Hype Man, Company One, Plaza Theatre, Boston Center for the Arts, through February 24. 617-933-8600, bostontheatrescene.com and companyone.org
For Idris Goodwin, hip-hop has served as a catalyst for wisdom and truth. In his exuberant 2012 ''How We Got On,'' the African-American poet-playwright examines the 1980's coming of age of three black teen rappers.
In Goodwin's affecting 2016 comedy "The Realness: A Break Beat Play," A 1996 African-American romance is tested as much as the authenticity of a novice rapper. Now Goodwin has honed in even more on both the style and the substance of hip-hop in a three-character dramedy called ''Hype Man: A Break Beat Play,'' a rousing Company One world premiere that should have all audience members at the Boston Center for the Arts' intimate Plaza Theatre moving to the infectious beat of its poetic and powerful truths.
"Hype Man'' takes its title from the back-up rapper-singer-here memorably named Verb-who supports the primary one with exclamations, interjections and enhancing deliveries that help excite an audience. Intriguingly in Goodwin's disarming play, the primary rapper or front man Pinnacle is a white best friend who has been performing with Verb since childhood. Pinnacle's name may be ironic since the pair, along with an African-American beat establisher named Peep One, are preparing for the professional chance of a lifetime-namely, a slated appearance on The Tonight Show.
Up to this point, all seems to be leading toward their highly anticipated success. Goodwin, though, is too sharp a writer to be satisfied with a feel-good, sometimes humorous buddy effort. Instead, he compellingly has Verb and Pinnacle by turns grapple with the challenge of singing out for social justice in their art in the face of an 18-shot police shooting of an African-American 17-year-old named Jerrod. At first Pinnacle resists publicly reacting, but activist Verb daringly reveals a "Justice for Jerrod'' T shirt under his shirt at one of their concerts.
The white front man speaks of their unseen agent Ryan trying to keep police unions from picketing their performances and some sponsors backing out. Still, Pinnacle ultimately does take a moral stand in both lyric and performance.
Not stopping here, Goodwin's tight, thematically dense play has Peep One remind both men that women are often maligned in rap lyrics and need the same social justice as African-American men. ''Hype Man'' stirringly reaches a kind of musical epiphany of solidarity.
Verb warns on megaphone ''no justice, no peace,'' and Pinnacle sings of bringing moral resolve to the populace. At this point, even the priority of appearing on The Tonight Show gives way to moral principle. Tellingly Verb declares, ''Being a hype man is not being a cheerleader. It's about celebrating myself." In a similar vein, Pinnacle counsels, "Grind on with the mind strong."
Under Company One artistic director Shawn LaCount's seamless guidance, all three cast members keep their characterizations just as strong. Michael Knowlton has all of Pinnacle's high energy and volatility, and his funky moves and gesturing have the authenticity of real rapping. Kadahj Bennett is electrifyingly dynamic as Verb. He also doubles effectively as music director and beat maker. Knowlton and Bennett make the friends' volley-like banter fully riveting.
Rachel Cognata finds the perfect balance as mediating but always strong-willed Peep One. Jen Rock's nuanced lighting and Lee Schuna's vivid sound design match the poetry of the play and its vivid rap sequences. Special kudos go to dramaturg Jesse Baxter and assistant dramaturg Tatiana Isabel Gil for their informative pieces in the highly helpful playbill.
Company One has done yeoman work bringing the music and magic of ''How We Got On'' and now ''Hype Man''-the first and last parts of Goodwin's distinctive break beat trilogy to local theatergoers (with special credit to Lowell's Merrimack Repertory Theatre for having staged ''The Realness'' in between). To borrow from Verb's own advisory near the end of the play, audience members will want to get up and echo the play's soulful humanity.