NPR Music Tiny Desk Concerts

LaRussell’s Independent Grind Pays Off In A Rollicking Tiny Desk Concert

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A couple of months ago, I got the opportunity to talk to Bay Area rapper LaRussell about what it really takes to be a successful independent artist in the music industry. He said, “I make good dope, and as long as you do dope, you’re going to come to me for it.”

It looks like that philosophy has paid off, as he made his debut today on NPR Music’s Tiny Desk Concerts series, performing a massive medley of fan-favorite songs from his massive — and growing — discography of self-released jams.

Cramming his band and backup singers in the titular space, Russ runs the gamut of hip-hop staples, from a timely message song in mellow opener “Glory” to his trademark collection of post-hyphy bangers like “GIVE ME A BEAT!” and “10s, 20s, 50s, 100s.” Through it all, he and his compatriots encourage the NPR office — and those viewers at home — to join them in exuberant dancing to express their joy and pain.

In Uproxx’s August interview with LaRussell, he explained how his commitment to consistency helped him reach this point. “You start with one, one turn to two, two turn to four, four turn to eight, eight turn to 16, 16 turn to 32, 32 turn 64,” he said. “And we just embraced that process the entire time. I’m never really trying to win people who don’t f*ck with me. I over-deliver to the people who love me, and they go tell everybody else.”

You can watch LaRussell’s Tiny Desk Concert above and make sure you tell everybody else.

Kamasi Washington Brings Kinetic Jazz To The NPR Tiny Desk Concert Series

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In May, Kamasi Washington released Fearless Movement, which was a long time coming: The project was Washington’s first album since 2018’s Heaven And Earth. Now, with a fresh album to promote, he has taken his talents to NPR’s iconic Tiny Desk Concert series.

His four-song setlist featured “Lesanu,” “Street Fighter Mas,” “The Rhythm Changes,” and “Asha The First.” Of particular note is one of Washington’s band members: Rickey Washington, a flutist, soprano saxophonist, and Kamasi’s father. Kamasi himself was in top form, as he’s fresh off a tour in support of the new album.

Washington previously called Fearless Movement his “dance album,” saying, “It’s not literal. Dance is movement and expression, and in a way it’s the same thing as music — expressing your spirit through your body. That’s what this album is pushing.” He also said, “Being a father means the horizon of your life all of a sudden shows up. My mortality became more apparent to me, but also my immortality — realizing that my daughter is going to live on and see things that I’m never going to see. I had to become comfortable with this, and that affected the music that I was making.”

Check out Washington’s full Tiny Desk performance above.

Kehlani Overcame Her ‘Natural Shyness’ To Perform A Captivating Tiny Desk Concert

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With her/their new album Crash out, Kehlani is back in the limelight and making the rounds — which this album cycle, includes NPR Music’s Tiny Desk Concerts series. The Bay Area singer’s fourth album came out in the year of what she calls her “luckiest number,” but fans are truly the lucky ones, as Kehlani’s Tiny Desk Concert showcased the full range of their prodigious talents.

Kehlani and their band put on a one-of-a-kind show, for sure, but for fans who feel that just watching from a screen isn’t enough, the singer has announced the dates of their Crash World Tour, which begins September 4 in Minneapolis with opening acts Anycia and FLO. You can see the dates for that below.

Kehlani 2024 Tour Dates: Crash World Tour

09/04 — Minneapolis, MN @ Armory
09/06 — Chicago, IL @ Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom
09/10 — Detroit, MI @ Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre
09/11 — Toronto, ON @ Scotiabank Arena
09/13 — Bridgeport, CT @ Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater
09/14 — Camden, NJ @ Freedom Mortgage Pavillion
09/17 — Boston, MA @ MGM Music Hall at Fenway
09/18 — Fairfax, VA @ EagleBank Arena
09/20 — Brooklyn, NY @ Barclays Center
09/21 — Portsmouth, VA @ Atlantic Union Bank Pavilion
09/23 — Louisville, KY @ The Louisville Palace Theatre
09/24 — Atlanta, GA @ Lakewood Amphitheatre
09/25 — New Orleans, LA @ The Fillmore New Orleans
09/27 — Miami, FL @ FPL Solar Amphitheater at Bayfront Park
09/28 — Tampa, FL @ Yuengling Center
10/01 — Raleigh, NC @ Red Hat Amphitheater
10/02 — Charlotte, NC @ Skyla Credit Union Amphitheatre
10/08 — Houston, TX @ 713 Music Hall
10/11 — Dallas, TX @ The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory
10/12 — Rogers, AR @ Walmart AMP
10/15 — Denver, CO @ Fillmore Auditorium
10/16 — Salt Lake City, UT @ Rockwell at The Complex
10/18 — Seattle, WA @ Climate Pledge Arena
10/19 — Portland, OR @ Theater of the Clouds
10/21 — Vancouver, BC @ Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre
10/23 — Wheatland, CA @ Hard Rock Live
10/25 — San Diego, CA @ Viejas Arena
10/26 — Las Vegas, NV @ Michelob ULTRA Arena
10/29 — Phoenix, AZ @ Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre
10/30 — Los Angeles, CA @ Kia Forum
11/02 — San Francisco, CA @ Chase Center

Jeezy Took The Tiny Desk Crowd To The Trap In His Motivational Tiny Desk Concert

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NPR’s Tiny Desk Concerts have run the gamut from folk-pop to trap rap, so it’s little surprise to see one of the latter genre’s original pioneers stop by the station’s Washington, DC office to deliver a motivational show. Jeezy has worn a lot of hats in recent years — New York Times bestselling author, talk show host, therapy advocate — but he’s still best known for slanging metaphorical snowstorms of aspirational street raps.

That’s exactly what he did during his set, playing his signature, game-changing hits backed by a string quartet, along with live drums, keys, and bass — all decked out in Jeezy’s Snoman shirts. Between songs, he paused to address the audience, telling the stories behind the tracks and introducing his band, and encouraged the crowd to sing along. He even did his best to sing the chorus of “Everythang” from his 2008 album TM:103 Hustlerz Ambition through his gravelly rasp, all while prominently showing off the cover of his autobiography Adversity for Sale: Ya Gotta Believe. The set was a chest-thumping walk down memory lane, and you can see the full setlist below.

Jeezy’s Tiny Desk Concert Setlist

“Standing Ovation”
“Air Forces”
“Bottom Of The Map”
“And Then What”
“Go Crazy”
“Everythang”

Watch Jeezy’s Tiny Desk Concert above.

Noname’s Tiny Desk Concert Was As Just Radical As It Was Groovy, Featuring Guest Appearances From Smino & Saba

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Today (November 10) was all about the 2024 Grammy Award nominations. However, nothing could stop Noname’s triumphant return to NPR’s Tiny Desk concert series. It’s been five years since her striking first appearance. With the Sundial Tour coming to a close soon, her cameo served as a treat to longtime supporters who couldn’t snag tickets to show near their city. Noname’s latest Tiny Desk concert performance was just as radical as it was groovy, featuring guest appearances by Smino and Saba for a brief Ghetto Sage reunion.

With musicians Greg Paul (drummer), Brooke Skye (bassist), Cisco Swank (keyboardist and supporting vocalist), and David Otis (saxophonist), Noname tackled her poignant album’s standout tracks, including “Namesake” and “Hold Me Down.” Background vocalists Kamilah and Claudia Abena provided the much-needed layering to help amplify its track’s messaging.

Ayoni also made a surprise appearance during Noname’s set so that they could perform their track “Boom Boom.” Ghetto Sage reunion revealed an unreleased track titled “Kush And Love Songs.” Before she closed with “Balloons,” in which Jay Electronic is featured, Noname took a trip down memory lane. Noname couldn’t leave out her older records. Room 25′s “Don’t Forget About Me” made the final setlist as the sole older track.

Sundial is out now via Noname. Find more information here.

Watch Noname’s latest Tiny Desk concert above.

Chlöe Reminded Us Of Her Unstoppable Star Power During Her Debut Solo Tiny Desk Concert

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Chloe Bailey is killing it in her solo era. This year, she released her debut album In Pieces and embarked on a solo tour. She and her sister, Halle, also released a line of activewear, and they teased that they will be hitting the studio to work on their third studio album as Chloe X Halle.

Today (September 5), Tiny Desk has dropped a special performance featuring Chloe Bailey, who performs solo as Chlöe.

During her Tiny Desk debut, Chlöe performed with an acoustic band, delivering some of her solo cuts.

She opened with “Surprise,” her sexy standalone single from 2022. She made a slight nod to Janet Jackson shortly after, saying “My name is Chlöe, Miss Bailey if you nasty,” making a smooth transition into the In Pieces fan favorite, “Body Do.”

Continuing with her momentum, she then performed “I Don’t Mind.” She slowed it down a bit with the performances on “In Pieces,” the title track from her solo debut album, which was co-written with Mikky Ekko.

While both of the Bailey sisters can guarantee us solid albums, their live performances always prove to be worth a watch. The work they put into their performances is unmatched by their peers, and promises longevity in the years to come.

You can see the performance above.

Post Malone Delivers A Charming Tiny Desk Concert Including ‘Circles,’ ‘Sunflower,’ And More

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In the three weeks since the release of his fifth studio album, Austin, Post Malone has had some pretty memorable moments, including buying a one-of-one Magic: The Gathering card for a reported $2 million, giving a fan in Tampa his shirt, socks, and a guitar, and meeting Allen Iverson in real life after starting his career with the viral hit “White Iverson.” His latest memory-making moment, though, might be the one that impresses fans the most: He stopped by NPR world headquarters in Washington, DC for a Tiny Desk Concert, making him one of the biggest stars to perform one yet.

Opening up with an acoustic version of “Sunflower” with Americana flourishes, Post strummed his guitar alongside a grand piano a string quartet and a blended bunch of backup singers who really complemented the stripped-down versions of Post’s hits. He followed up his intro with a stirring rendition of “I Fall Apart” and a “go Cowboys,” which he joked might have been out of place in Commanders territory. Then, it was time for “Circles,” his 2019 megahit, again with the assistance of strings. Finally, after joking around about getting lost on the chords of that song, he played “Enough Is Enough” from the new album (“or attempt to,” as he put it). The concert is a perfect display of all the elements that make Post Malone such a star, including his humble charm and willingness to poke fun at himself.

Watch Post Malone’s NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert above.

Juvenile’s Much-Anticipated Tiny Desk Concert Has Arrived And It’s Glorious

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“Cash Money Records takin’ over for the ’99 and the 2000” are words every millennial knows. The reaction is darn near Pavlovian at this point. You know it’s about to go down. When Juvenile pulls up at the NPR offices to perform his long-awaited Tiny Desk Concert, the reaction is such that he performs the song not just once, but twice. As soon as he finishes, the audience clamors for more, bringing the whole band back for an encore that spills over into the crowd.

The New Orleans legend performs for nearly 30 minutes with not just keys, drums, bass, and guitar, but brings along a full-fledged second line and strings to flesh out his set, which features backup from in-house Cash Money producer Mannie Fresh (of course)”R and runs through classics like “Bling Bling,” “Ha,” “Set It Off,” “Slow Motion,” “Rodeo,” “Nolia Clap,” “I Need A Hot Girl,” “Project Chick,” and OF COURSE “Back That Azz Up.” If this don’t make you move, check your pulse.

This Tiny Desk was one of the more anticipated ones in a while, thanks to an immaculate roll out by Juvie the Great, who has certainly grasped his stature as a rap elder statesman and keeps a sense of humor about it. More artists should promote their Tiny Desk Concerts like this — it’s an honor to perform but it should also be fun for everyone. This one certainly is.

Watch Juvenile’s NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert above.

Fousheé’s Tiny Desk Concert Solo Debut Is A Whirlwind Of Emotions, And Yes, She’s Still ‘Single AF’

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Fousheé is without question one of alternative music’s rising stars. Having collaborated with artists such as Lil Wayne, Lil Yachty, Vince Staples, Lil Uzi Vert, and Steve Lacy, there is no denying she is a fresh creative force. The singer, rapper, songwriter, and guitarist blends together several sonic elements into some painfully related music. Her 12-track sophomore project, softCORE, is the perfect showing how her musical genius.

Having already appeared on NPR’s Tiny Desk [At Home] Concert series as a guest of her friend, Vince Staples, the New Jersey native is finally making her solo debut in person at the network’s DC office. Fousheé wastes no time jumping start into “Spend The Money,” which originally features Lil Uzi Vert as her band, guitarist Lilly Graves (who also serves as the musical director), bassist Jake Strade, and drummer Tobias Kelly provides additional support.

Before transitioning to the next song of her setlist, Fousheé takes moment to acknowledge her joy in being there. She shares that it was a long day of traveling from Los Angeles, where she now resides, to NPR’s corporate office, but as she said, “I was raised on the East coast, so it feels good to be back on my home coast.”

Fousheé and her band then transition into her single, “I’m Fine.” The track is a melting pot of alternative r&b and metal as Fousheé graciously flows between her delicate yet endearing vocals to a scary, deeply projected scream. As the song ends, she tells the crowd, “Maybe I’m not fine, but are any of us,” before adding, “And it’s OK to not be fine. It’s all about balance.”

Next on the docket is her breakout song, “Single AF,” and in case anyone is curious, the singer confirms that even though she wrote the song years ago inside of her fourth-floor Harlem walkup, her relationship status remains single as f*ck. Fousheé reluctantly concludes her performance with the track “Candy Grapes.”

Watch the full performance above.

Kenny Beats Steps Into The Spotlight In His Soulful Tiny Desk Concert

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Usually, when you think of NPR Music’s Tiny Desk Concerts, you tend to think of rappers, singers, and other vocalists. Although it’s a live band music series, the focus is usually on the frontmen, women, and people, rather than on the musicians that make up the band or the producers who create the music.

However, that doesn’t mean there’s no place for producers at the forefront. Kenny Beats, who is best known for providing pounding hip-hop bangers to rappers like Denzel Curry, Rico Nasty, and Vince Staples (who he previously played a Tiny Desk with), sits on the backline for his Tiny Desk performance, but there’s no doubt that he and the soulful production from his debut solo album Louie are the stars of the show.

In a pretty cool flip of the usual dynamic, Kenny plays the backbeat on drums while his backup singers soulfully reproduce the samples that populate the album. Kenny also brings in a few guest performers, including Jpegmafia, who raps on “Still” and Remi Wolf, who sings on “Last Words.” Nami closes out the set with “Rotten.”

Kenny’s album is dedicated to his dad, and he addresses the complexity of making music for your family. “This is an album about family I made with my friends,” he explains. “Usually, music about familly is about how much you love them, how much you care about them… everybody knows family is a much more difficult thing to explain in 2-3 minutes.”

Watch Kenny’s Tiny Desk performance above.