For two glorious nights, hip-hop took center stage in Washington, D.C., as legendary group Blackstar made its triumphant return to the nation's capital.
The group, consisting of two of the brightest stars of hip-hop, Mos Def and Talib Kweli, headlined the sold-out Thanksgiving weekend showcase at the 9:30 Club, accompanied by underground stars K'naan, Jean Grae and Pharaoh Monch as part of the Playstation sponsored Breedlove Odyssey Tour.
Finally, headphone junkies and backpack rocking b-boys had something to be thankful for on this most scrumptious of holidays. After years of giving thanks and getting nothing but dry, overcooked commercial rap on their plates, real hip-hop fiends were treated to a multi-course extravaganza of lyrical fluctuation and tremendous turntablism. With bellies full and spirits soaring, everyone in attendance was transported back to a time when socially conscious hip-hop was just breaking through to the surface, when groups like Gangstarr and A Tribe Called Quest were getting videos aired on MTV and had people buzzing about the impending boom that they would create within the mainstream music world.
Tragically, nearly eight years after the release of "Mos Def and Talib Kweli are... Blackstar," the genre defining album that catapulted both emcees into the underground forefront, collaborations between Kweli and Mos have been limited to guest appearances on each other's albums and the occasional mix-tape paring. During their hiatus from performing together, both have dropped one timeless album apiece, but Mos and Kweli's latest solo endeavors have seemed to reach for greater commercial success, sometimes at the expense of the raw poetic realism that led many to anoint them as the best of their trade.
And while nothing could top the proposition of Mos Def and Kweli together on stage, a rare appearance by the often elusive but always raucous Pharaoh Monch came as close as anything could. Monch's immense talent yet continuous failure to produce a follow-up album to his 1999 smash "Internal Affairs" arguably makes him the ultimate underachiever in the hip hop game.
However, seeing him perform such numbers as "My Life" and "Simon Says," one of the biggest commercial hits the underground hip-hop world has ever seen, with complete reckless abandon was an absolute thrill. Kweli accompanied Monch on that rousing number, as the concert seamlessly transitioned from one performer to the next without pausing once for respite or stage adjustments.
Donning a stylish fedora to go along with his bathrobe, Kweli stormed into his solo set with a song from his recent collaboration with Danger Doom and continued to work the crowd with more recent material, such as his most latest hit "I Try," featuring Mary J. Blige. The most glorious moments of his set came when he performed tracks from his "Reflection Eternal" days, like the timpani charged "Move Something" and the ultimate love poem "Love Language."
After an uncharacteristically long and passionate set from the Brooklyn MC, the long-awaited moment arrived: Mos rumbled on stage in a white Muhammad Ali boxing robe, his excitement unbridled. After backing up Kweli on several of his songs, Mos joined his friend and collaborator in rehashing their Blackstar past, inciting the audience to near madness. First, they blasted their way through "Definition," their ultimate statement of who they are and what hip-hop should be. Songs like "Respiration" and "Brown-Skinned Lady," long time staples of both artists' solo acts, were performed together with awe-inspiring perfection before Kweli stepped down and handed the spotlight to his one-time partner.
Mos, who had just rejoined the tour after taking a hiatus for family reasons, was noticeably spent, but nonetheless displayed all of his astronomical skill for the crowd. He performed several brand new African influenced singing numbers, along with more recent works from 2004's "New Danger," as well as favorites from his groundbreaking album "Black on Both Sides."
When it was all over, more than four hours after the concert began, the crowd was in a surreal haze. Though the fatigue was evident, there would have been no complaints if Mos and Kweli had stayed on stage the whole night, adding to their inspiring but sadly short duet, blazing ahead of the game like the astronomical deity they used to be together.
