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

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

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.

The LOX’s Tiny Desk Performance Supersedes The Initial Hype: Watch

Jadakiss, Styles P, and Sheek Louch. These are the three men that make up one of New York’s most prominent rap groups, The LOX. For nearly 30 years, all three blue collar-esque MCs have stuck together all this time. Jadakiss revealed the underrated reason for their lasting comraderie on Instagram several months ago via a picture of the group praying together. The comments were in total agreement, “Nothing beats prayer 👏👏👏”. “❤ praying together LOVEEEE”, another user added. Speaking of keeping that chemistry close, what helps build that is performing on a consistent basis. That is exactly what The LOX went ahead did by putting their talents on full display on the Tiny Desk stage.

According to the creators of this platform, NPR, this is the first time that they have done a show with a live band. When this news was announced, a lot of people were sharing their excitement for what The LOX could potentially bring. Former NBA and New York Knicks superstar Carmelo Anthony was one of them, simply saying, “Can’t wait”. Additionally, previous NFL stud receiver for the New York Giants, Victor Cruz also chimed in, “Nah I might have to set an alarm for this one”.

Read More: Big Sean Reveals What Is Keeping Him Out Of Big Three Conversations

The LOX’s Chemistry & Love Of Performing Is On Full Display

If these two haven’t checked it out yet, they will certainly not be disappointed in The LOX when they do. Despite a different and more chill atmosphere, Sheek, Jada, and Styles managed to bring their street toughness to Tiny Desk. As the usual format goes, they played their biggest hits. “All for the Love”, “Recognize”, “Good Love”, and “Good Times” kicked things off in the first leg. Then, “By Your Side”, “Kiss Your A** Goodbye”, “Money, Power & Respect”, and “We Gonna Make It” rounded things out.

What are your thoughts on the Tiny Desk performance that The LOX put on? Is the best one of the year so far, why or why not? Which rendition did you enjoy the most? Do they deserve even more recognition than they receive as an all-time hip-hop group? We would like to hear what you have to say, so leave your thoughts in the comments. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest news surrounding The LOX. Finally, stay with us for everything else going on in the music world.

Read More: YG Unveils “Just Re’d Up 3” Tracklist Featuring Ty Dolla Sign, Saweetie, And More

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

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

Tierra Whack’s NPR Tiny Desk Concert Featured A Homely Surprise Cameo From Phillie Phanatic

Tierra Whack Tiny Desk 2024 Credit Alanté Serene for NPR (1024x437)
Alanté Serene / NPR

Tierra Whack’s personality and creative world is too vast to be contained. However, yesterday (June 7) the “Two Night” rapper managed to squeeze it all in during her NPR Tiny Desk Concert performance.

To commemorate Black Music Month, Tierra served up her eclectic discography for all to enjoy with a special slice of her hometown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania via a cameo from the beloved mascot, Phillie Phanatic.

If you thought only tracks from her latest album, World Wide Whack, made the setlist, you’re wrong.

Tierra and her newly formed band, The Big Backs (comprised of bassist Ali Bervine, keyboardist
Charles Jackson & Mary Floyd, guitarist Russell Gelman-Sheehan, percussionist Sheldon Robinson, drummer Mark Thomas, and vocalist Michelle Hunt), opened with 2018’s “Flea Market.” Then transitioned to melody of “Pretty Ugly,” “Hungry Hippo,” “Mood Swing,” “Accessible,”
“Ms Behave,” and “Imaginary Friends.”

Before performing “Moovies,” Tierra invited Phillie Phanatic to share the desk with her. Although the character is mute, Tierra went on to explain why their appearance was necessary to her. “Y’all know I gotta keep it Philly,” she said. “I bleed green. I bleed red. Anything Philly is all me. I had to bring a piece of home with me.”

Tierra closed the set with a vibrant performance of “27 Club” and “Shower Song.” Watch the full performance below.

Jeezy Makes His Hyped-Up Appearance On “NPR’s Tiny Desk”

Jeezy’s status in hip-hop lore is firmly established at this point in his career. The icon from Atlanta has done his due diligence and paved the way for so many trap artists. His dedication to feeding the genre and the fans is something that has to be respected. There are not many like Jeezy still going today and it is much appreciated. About two weeks ago, he shared some photos from his NPR Tiny Desk appearance on his X (Twitter) account. “Let me take y’all on a journey… #tinydesk,” he wrote to his followers. All of them were undoubtedly excited as 🔥 and ❄ emojis filled his comment section.

Well, that day has finally come. According to Uproxx, you can check out the full concert on YouTube right now. During his roughly 24-minute-long show, Jeezy played six of his most memorable songs as follows. “Standing Ovation,” “Air Forces,” “Bottom Of The Map,” “And Then What,” “Go Crazy, and “Everythang,” wound up making the final cut.

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Jeezy Brings His Trap Classics To The Tiny Desk Stage

Besides bringing tons of energy, Jeezy was also handing out nuggets of wisdom, according to Yahoo. “Y’all could see how I got from there to here to Tiny Desk. I used to stand on a tiny porch, but if you stay with your dreams and stand on your business, you could get anywhere.” Right after that he jumped into “Standing Ovation,” a fitting track to the message he shared moments before. Before ending things, Jeezy had one last thing to share. “This has been Tiny Desk, this has been my story… Y’all keep this positivity going.” We will, Jeezy, we sure will.

What are your thoughts on Jeezy’s NPR Tiny Desk performance? Is this the best outing from a rapper on this platform, why or why not? Is he the G.O.A.T. of trap music, why or why not? What was your favorite part of the show and why? We would like to hear what you have to say, so be sure to leave your takes in the comments section. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest news surrounding Jeezy. Finally, stay with us for everything else going on around the world of music.

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

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

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.

Action Bronson Gets A Little High During “Tiny Desk” Performance

Action Bronson’s love of weed is no secret. He has spoken at length about it on many occasions. For example, he spoke with Variety a few years ago about the inspiration behind his New York Times best-selling book “Stoned Beyond Belief.” “I love overstimulation,” the Queens, New York rapper says. “This book is exactly what I wanted to project, how I feel every moment in my life.”

The laid-back star also believes that the psychoactive drug should be legalized for the masses. “I think it should be readily available for everybody. But the main goal is that it’s medicine and it’s there for one and all to enjoy and love, to be treated properly.” Most states are pushing to legalize weed, so his dream might come to fruition in the near future. In addition, he is similar to the greats like Notorious B.I.G., in that their creativity runs wild when on the herb.

Read More: Melle Mel Delivers Eminem Diss Track And Gets Scathing Critiques On Social Media

Action “Stoned” Bronson: Video

“It grounds me,” he laughs. “I’m hyperactive and have all kinds of mental situations, and I feel like weed, this beautiful plant, broadens my outlook. Smoking hash all day broadens my outlook, it chills me out, it allows me to not get overanxious and to think faster.” Bronson proved his point by putting on a great Tiny Desk performance. Along with his band, Human Growth Hormone, he was able to keep his cool and rock the stage for a five-song half-hour show.

In true Bronson fashion, he admits, “I also want to let you know the edibles just hit and I’ve been pretty good so far. I’ve been holding my s**t together.” What are your overall thoughts on Action Bronson’s trippy performance for NPR‘s Tiny Desk? Did you know about Action’s passion for cannabis? Why do you think most rappers work more creatively when they are high? Be sure to tell us all of your thoughts in the comments section below. Keep it locked with HNHH for all news around music.

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Krayzie Bone Hints At Bone Thugs-N-Harmony Doing “Tiny Desk”

Krayzie Bone is looking to get Bone Thugs-N-Harmony back together in more ways than one. He’s hoping for a reunion of the hip-hop group so that they can make new music. According to former bandmate Layzie Bone, new tracks would be laid down only if Dr. Dre produced those songs. But as far as a reunion concert of sorts, Krayzie seems to be working on that front himself. A Bone Thugs fan asked on Wednesday, July 5th, when the Tiny Desk Concert was happening for the group, to which Krayzie replied, “I’m working on that.”

Tiny Desk Concerts is a show on NPR. It’s a series of videos that showcase live concerts from different music genres. The show is hosted by NPR Music and located at the desk of All Songs Considered host Bob Boilen in Washington, D.C. Tiny Desk offers musicians the chance to come together (or, in Bone Thugs’ case, get back together) to bust out a jam session in a confined space. It’s a fun concept that NPR has been using for awhile. And now Krayzie Bone wants his old squad to turn up to the office/studio for a reunion performance.

Read more: Bone Thugs-N-Harmony Reunion Could Happen Under One Condition

Could Bone Thugs Really Play A “Tiny Desk” Concert?

Again, all five of the rappers that make up Bone Thugs-N-Harmony — Krayzie Bone, Layzie Bone, Bizzy Bone, Wish Bone, and Flesh-n-Bone — would come running to the studio if Dre called. But that doesn’t guarantee a reunion any time soon. If they were to book Tiny Desk, it would signal a coming back to form for the group. As Dre told Layzie, all of them individually asking him for a beat is never going to happen. The magic is there only when all five Bone Thugs are present and accounted for.

For fans of the 90s and early 2000s, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony was a staple of the rap game. For Krayzie Bone, it was the best time of his life, something he’s looking to get back with a convergence of all the Bones. Time will tell if they nab a spot on Tiny Desk or if they collaborate once again for new tracks.

Read more: Krayzie Bone Explains Why Hip-Hop Groups Often Break Up

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