Hittin' you guys with a couple of new late night TV performances. First, we rewind it to last night on Fallon with Talib Kweli as he performed the new single "Come Here". With Miguel on the single's hook but not available to join him on stage, Kweli calls in old friend/collaborator Bilal to handle the hook duties. It's always a soulful time with these two so be sure to peep this one above.
And tonight, Snoop Dogg (Lion? Still not sure which one to use...) had a father-daughter moment bringing on Cori B. to perform "No Guns Allowed" from his new album, Reincarnated, which is only slated to sell a tender 17-19K in its first week. If you missed Letterman tonight, watch below.
In his new interview with RollingStone, Talib Kweli revealed a few details about his upcoming releases in 2013. First, the new album, Prisoner Of Conscious, which was originally set to drop in 2012 but pushed back due to sample clearance issues, will now hit stores on April 23rd. Look for guest appearances from Kendrick Lamar, Nelly, Busta Rhymes, Curren$y, Ryan Leslie, and more - and hit the link for the interview for more details about the process of adding tracks to the album in the past couple of months.
And yes, there is a Black Star update!
Black Star's future depends on timing and schedules. One night in late 2011, while listening to Aretha Franklin records after performing together, Bey and Kweli decided to explore making an Aretha-themed mixtape. The next day they cut four tracks, among them "Fix Up" and "You Already Knew." But other commitments have since taken priority, Kweli said, adding, "I would love to get back into it whenever he's ready."
The sound of lyrical rap accompanied by a live band mimicked the fog streaming through the audience. Talib Kweli’s lyrics reverberated within the walls of The Mid and the flashing lights of the stage only exacerbated the enthusiasm of the crowd. The performance began around 1:30a.m. Saturday morning and Kweli was welcomed by the screams of the hundreds of adoring fans that filled the double floor club. The most difficult task was working through a shoulder to shoulder crowd and getting close enough to see Kweli.
Despite Kweli’s strong start, it was not until his three minute a capella that he managed to capture the audience’s full attention. After Kweli’s a capella performance, his lyrics, the live band, and the crowd melded into a synergetic atmosphere. Continuing with songs like “Get ‘Em High” and “Get By” Kweli effortlessly built up the energy. The live band was another highlight; especially the very talented trumpet player whose spirited jazz and Chicago blues inspired style stood out and brought the music to another level (a couple of Kweli's band members were from Chicago).
At the end of the set, the audience was screaming for more and as people started to leave Kweli decided to come on again for an encore. By this time the path to the front and the crowd cleared up a bit, giving the performance a level of intimacy. Ending with songs like “Lonely People”, a sweaty Kweli left the stage to the sound of a roaring crowd.
"Hip-Hop Saved My Life" End of the World Dance Party
Talib Kweli (full band), Maker, Jon Huang, DJ Intel
Fri, 2012-12-21 22:00
The Mid
Chicago
event producer React and the Mid
event sponsor Check-It Productions
So the Mayans are on some end of the world shit, but that's not keepin' Talib Kweli from kickin' out the jams on December 21st at the Mid. Come out and welcome in the new age with Talib Kweli (supported by a full live band), Maker, Jon Huang, and DJ Intel. And don't forget to get there early to catch the 1 on 1 Bboy/Bgirl Battle starting at 10.