Videos

Vintage: Mos Def & Talib Kweli Perform At Fat Beats L.A.’s One Year Anniversary

blame it on JES7 February 27, 2016

“Best alliance in Hip-Hop.”

So, DJ Eclipse just shared with the internets what could possibly be the earliest live material between a young Yasiin Bey Mos Def and Talib Kweli, setting the eventual stage for Black Star.

Shot at the one-year anniversary at Fat Beats L.A. circa 1997, the footage shows Mos Def — who was at the time still down with his group, Urban Thermo Dynamics, comprised of brother DCQ and sister CES — rocking the 12″ version of his single “Universal Magnetic” (which also featured the 2DOPE “If You Can Huh You Can Hear” on the B-side).

Later during the show, Flaco Bey brought out Talib Kweli who proceeded to kick a verse which would eventually become “On Mission” and Reflection Eternal’s “African Dream” outro. Shout out to the Beatjunkies who were also in the house.

All this nostalgia makes me hope that Yasiin truly isn’t quitting rap.