For me, aside from every album by A Tribe Called Quest, one of my favorite Hip Hop albums is Talib Kweli and Mos Def as Black Star. Everything from the beats by producers like 88-Keys and Hi-Tek to the lyrics is just mind-blowing. I can’t think of one song on that album that I don’t like.
When I was told that Talib and Mos were doing a concert together in Boston, I couldn’t believe it. I debated if seeing them in concert together was worth the trip from NYC to Boston. Deep down I knew, as a lover of music, Hip Hop, and concerts, if I missed this concert I would forever kick myself for missing it. There was no more doubt; I had to be there!
Both Talib Kweli and Mos Def performed solo sets. The anticipation for them to perform Black Star grew and grew; I even became a little restless. Nonetheless, they both pacified me by performing many of their solo tracks that are my favorites. Talib Kweli performed tracks from his recent Reflection Eternal project Revolutions Per Minute such as Paranoid, In This World, and Midnight Hour. He didn’t forget past favorites such as The Blast, Say Something, and Get By. Mos gave us something that we have never seen before, a three-minute drum solo accompanied by two DJs which worked the crowd into a frenzy. His extensive setlist consisted of several tracks from his last effort Ecstatic such as Casa Bey, The Embassy, and Auditorium. Mos Def seamlessly blended tracks from his albums New Danger, Black on Both Sides, and True Magic with covers of Hip Hop classics such as Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five’s The Message.
When Mos had the DJs play classic dancehall tracks the crowd simmered down and fell into a euphoric state. Just when I thought things were winding down and we wouldn’t be getting a Black Star performance, the DJ threw on Yellowman’s Zunga Zeng and slowly began to bleed out the lyrics and instruments, until all we were left with was the guitar riff. All of a sudden the crowd came back to life recognizing that familiar sound and knew where we were headed. The backdrop behind the DJs changed to the album cover for Black Star and unexplainable excitement rushed through the House of Blues as Talib joined Mos on stage to perform Definition. To see Talib Kweli and Mos Def on the same stage was like seeing the Miles Davis and John Coltrane of Hip Hop. It’s as rare as a lunar eclipse, but when it comes around you must bear witness.
Check out more exclusive video of Mos Def and Talib Kweli’s performance at the House of Blues, Boston at XOJOHN.Talib Kweli and Mos Def perform at House of Blues, Part 1
Mos Def performs at House of Blues, Pt. 1
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Photos By Yuri Guanilo