Happy Hip-Hop Holidays! Beloved Rapper Talib Kweli to Perform at Blue Note, Dec 24-25
Beijing hip-hop diehards have surely long counted "Respiration," among their anthems as they wheezed their way through the capital's smoggy days. Now, those fans will be waiting with bated breath to see one of the classic rap track's creators perform those lyrics in person.
That's right: veteran MC Talib Kweli is set to perform at Blue Note for a two-night Christmas residency, December 24-25. Known for his elaborate, socially conscious lyrics, collaborating with seasoned soul and jazz musicians for live performances, tireless DJing, fearlessly political Tweeting, among other things, the New York-bred wordsmith has indeed done much to endear himself to fans. As is his wont, Kweli's two-night Beijing stay is sure to feature top-notch playing from a bluesy, jazz-infused backing band that will suit Beijing's soulful new venue. Kweli of course already set that precedent with prior performances at other Blue Note branches around the world with jazz greats like Roy Ayers. The particulars about his Beijing stint are still pending, though we will be sure update you with all the details as they develop.
Born to an English professor mother and university administrator father in Brooklyn in 1975, Talib Kweli Green has always eschewed the ghetto and gangsta cliches that often give hip-hop a bad name. When he burst on the scene in the 90s with partner in rhyme Mos Def, with whom he formed Black Star and released hits like "Respiration," and "Definition," – critics and fans were immediately struck by Kweli's distinctively high-pitched voice and deeply verbose lyrics.
His family's academic background wasn't just evident in his music – as he went on to a celebrated solo career that saw him collaborate with Grammy winners like Kanye West and John Legend – it also saw him stay stubbornly independent in his business practices and doggedly political in his public appearances. The latter was most apparent during a 2014 CNN interview in Ferguson Missouri, as racial tensions engulfed the city in violence, and the MC took the opportunity to chastise the police and the media in a clip that went viral on Youtube.
When I interviewed him one year prior to that incident, Kweli told me about the importance of spreading positivity through hip-hop, eschewing the genre's all too typical depravity, and speaking out against the misogyny and verbal violence against women perpetuated by some of his rap peers like Rick Ross. He also recalled how his parents instilled that moral intellectualism in his as a boy, by sending him to boarding school.
“They sent me to a boarding school in Chester, Connecticut, and it worked because it focused me – the campus was far from anything, and there were only 120 kids there. My parents damn near went broke. But that’s why I appreciate them to the end, because they really sacrificed a lot of money, energy and happiness so that I could study there."
That thoughtfulness, humility and integrity are all surely some of the many reasons why Kweli's show will be hotly anticipated in Beijing.
Talib Kweli will perform at Blue Note on December 24 and 25. Both shows start at 8pm. Tickets range from RMB 280-998 (the pricier option includes dinner). For more information, click on the hyperlinks above or call 170 0000 0288.
More stories by this author here.
Email: kylemullin@truerun.com
Twitter: @MulKyle
WeChat: 13263495040
Images: hiphopalparque.gov.co, courtesy of Blue Note
