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Scarface Delivers One Of The Best Tiny Desk Performances Ever

Scarface Delivers One Of The Best Tiny Desk Performances Ever

Scarface is at an interesting point in his career. It has been over five years since the Houston Hip-Hop legend released an album (2017's Deeply Rooted: The Lost Files compilation). In that outage, Face has been quick to demonstrate his supreme Rap skills on songs with DJ Muggs, E-40, and... Read more
December 18, 2023 Trending Stories, Video
Babyface Hosts A Tiny Desk Concert For The Ages

Babyface Hosts A Tiny Desk Concert For The Ages

One of the greatest songwriters of all time, Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, decided to flex his resumé for Black Music Month. The icon and co-founder of LaFace Records hosted an NPR Tiny Desk concert that stands among the best. In a special performance, the musician, singer, and creator laid out his... Read more
June 9, 2023 Video
Ab-Soul Says There Would Be No Kendrick, Drake, Or Cole Without Him

Ab-Soul Says There Would Be No Kendrick, Drake, Or Cole Without Him

Ab-Soul closed out 2022 with one of the year's best albums. HERBERT, named among Ambrosia For Heads Top 15 albums of the year, featured Joey Bada$$, Big Sean, Russ, and Punch, among others. The Top Dawg Entertainment LP ends with "GOTTA RAP," a DJ Premier-produced track that reclaims Soulo's love... Read more
February 24, 2023 Video
Will DMX’s Reunion With Def Jam Return Both To Glory?

Will DMX’s Reunion With Def Jam Return Both To Glory?

This month DMX appeared on N.O.R.E. and DJ EFN's Drink Champs for a second time. Since the Hip-Hop show's inception, X has been a top draw for Drink Champs, sitting at the table and giving a real and raw interview to his past collaborator Noreaga back in episode 3. Great conversations with Puff... Read more
February 23, 2021 Audio, Video
Elzhi, Chris Dave & The Drumhedz’ Tiny Desk Concert Could Never Be Tainted (Video)

Elzhi, Chris Dave & The Drumhedz’ Tiny Desk Concert Could Never Be Tainted (Video)

After well over 20 years of work, Elzhi is one of the most skilled MCs in Hip-Hop. Alongside the always-impressive Chris "Daddy" Dave and his Drumhedz crew, the onetime Slum Village member has a story unlike many in the game, which makes this episode of NPR's Tiny Desk one not... Read more
February 21, 2020 Video
Madlib & Freddie Gibbs’ Tiny Desk Concert Is An Education On 1 Of 2019’s Best Albums

Madlib & Freddie Gibbs’ Tiny Desk Concert Is An Education On 1 Of 2019’s Best Albums

In the eyes of many fans, one of 2019's best Hip-Hop albums is Freddie Gibbs & Madlib's Bandana. Five years after Pinata, the duo reunited with a product that built on the genuinely unique chemistry from two prolific artists. At a time when both men make so much music, fans... Read more
December 6, 2019 Video
Tobe Nwigwe Is 1 Of The Best MCs To Emerge In A Long, Long Time. Here’s Proof (Video)

Tobe Nwigwe Is 1 Of The Best MCs To Emerge In A Long, Long Time. Here’s Proof (Video)

Tobe Nwigwe's Nigerian roots and Houston, Texas upbringing have been central in his years-long ascent in Hip-Hop. Harnessing the power of social media, striking visuals and his gift as a lyricist, he's carved a niche for himself which sits at the crossroads of African and African-American culture. Those who've followed... Read more
August 19, 2019 Video
H.E.R. Got 5 Big Grammy Nominations. Her Tiny Desk Performance Shows Why

H.E.R. Got 5 Big Grammy Nominations. Her Tiny Desk Performance Shows Why

With the release of “Focus” and a fortuitous gift courtesy of Rihanna (who played the track in the background of an Instagram post to the tune of five-plus million hits), the mystery musician known simply as H.E.R. (Having Everything Revealed), became one of the most intriguing R&B artists in recent... Read more
December 12, 2018 Video
Wu-Tang Clan Brings Da Ruckus To The Tiny Desk With A Medley Of Their Hits

Wu-Tang Clan Brings Da Ruckus To The Tiny Desk With A Medley Of Their Hits

On their award tour celebrating 25 years of 36 Chambers, the members of the Wu-Tang Clan are keeping the family vibe strong. Lyrical swordsmen including RZA, GZA, Raekwon, U-God, Masta Killa, and Inspectah Deck are joined by Cappadonna and O.D.B.'s son, Young Dirty at the NPR Music Tiny Desk. There,... Read more
December 5, 2018 Video
Saba & His Band Bring One Of 2018’s Best Albums To LIFE (Video)

Saba & His Band Bring One Of 2018’s Best Albums To LIFE (Video)

In the first week of April, Chicago, Illinois MC Saba released his sophomore album, CARE FOR ME. The 24-year-old artist many Heads first heard on Chance The Rapper's Acid Rap or his Coloring Book has stood out on his own with a strong and growing body of work. Following 2016's... Read more
October 1, 2018 Video
Erykah Badu Reminds That Live Music Is Supposed To Sound BETTER Than The Record (Video)

Erykah Badu Reminds That Live Music Is Supposed To Sound BETTER Than The Record (Video)

Erykah Badu is the latest guest at the Tiny Desk. With some gold-accented fronts in, the veteran singer brought her grace, style, and showmanship right along with her singing gifts to the Washington, D.C. bureau. The Dallas, Texas native also brought her incredible band. The ensemble includes a flutist (Dwayne... Read more
August 15, 2018 Video
Mac Miller Makes His Great New Album Larger With A Tiny Performance (Video)

Mac Miller Makes His Great New Album Larger With A Tiny Performance (Video)

NPR's Tiny Desk concerts have been remarkable in recent months. While the cramped performances have historically been something that Hip-Hop Heads keep an eye on, June, July, and August's shows have been especially impressive. Heads will surely want to check out the summer installments from Rakim, The Midnight Hour (Ali Shaheed... Read more
August 6, 2018 Video
Black Thought Assists Roots Affiliate Mumu Fresh In A Moving Tiny Desk Concert (Video)

Black Thought Assists Roots Affiliate Mumu Fresh In A Moving Tiny Desk Concert (Video)

For the latest in their Tiny Desk series, NPR recruits DMV artist Mumu Fresh who, despite her name, is already a seasoned veteran when it comes to the local cubicle concert. In February, Mumu teamed up with August Greene, the super-group featuring Common, Karriem Riggins, and Robert Glasper, in a... Read more
July 11, 2018 Video
GoldLink Is In “I Told You So” Mode. His Tiny Desk Concert Shows It. (Video)

GoldLink Is In “I Told You So” Mode. His Tiny Desk Concert Shows It. (Video)

GoldLink is seemingly playing it cool everywhere he goes. Since his breakout 2016 hit "Crew" was certified double-platinum (and notably, spawned a standout remix with Sly Glizzy and Gucci Mane that has more than 20-million YouTube plays), GoldLink has been enjoying a gleeful walk into stardom. Of course, a few meticulously placed... Read more
June 13, 2018 Video
Jorja Smith Sings From The Soul About Love, Loss & Police Brutality (Video)

Jorja Smith Sings From The Soul About Love, Loss & Police Brutality (Video)

Just days after Toronto native Daniel Caesar delivered a brilliant, Gospel-driven set as a part of NPR's Tiny Desk series, enter 21-year-old English singer/songwriter Jorja Smith. Jorja has already received co-signs and work alongside the likes of Drake, Kali Uchis, and, most recently, Kendrick Lamar on this year's #1-charting Black... Read more
June 11, 2018 Video
Roy Ayers’ Tiny Desk Performance Shows Why He’s 1 Of Hip-Hop’s Biggest Influences (Video)

Roy Ayers’ Tiny Desk Performance Shows Why He’s 1 Of Hip-Hop’s Biggest Influences (Video)

Vibraphonist Roy Ayers is a legend of Jazz, Funk, and Soul music that collectively has had a tremendous impact on Hip-Hop. A product of Los Angeles, California, Ayers would work with flutist (and another prominently-sampled artist) Herbie Mann by the mid-1960s, before going off on his won. In the '70s,... Read more
May 18, 2018 Video
GZA Slices Through The Tiny Desk To Perform Liquid Swords With A Brass Band (Video)

GZA Slices Through The Tiny Desk To Perform Liquid Swords With A Brass Band (Video)

It's been a decade since Wu-Tang's GZA released his sixth studio album, Pro Tools. Among the projects he has dropped in the years previous, it is almost no contest which album has garnered the Genius more accolades than his 1995 platinum sophomore LP, Liquid Swords. Following recent, individual performances from... Read more
May 2, 2018 Video
Big K.R.I.T.’s First Recording Proves He’s Always Had Soul For Real (Video)

Big K.R.I.T.’s First Recording Proves He’s Always Had Soul For Real (Video)

Big K.R.I.T. brings his double-LP 4Eva Is A Mighty Long Time (deemed the best 2017 Hip-Hop album by the readers of Ambrosia For Heads) to NPR's Washington, D.C. offices. There, the Meridian, Mississippi MC/producer put on a Tiny Desk concert that is anything but small. Performing “Mixed Messages,” “Keep The... Read more
March 5, 2018 Video
Tyler, The Creator’s Best Rap Album Contender Sounds Even Better Live (Video)

Tyler, The Creator’s Best Rap Album Contender Sounds Even Better Live (Video)

Two weeks ago, Tyler, The Creator's Flower Boy album was nominated in the Grammy category for "Best Rap Album." The nod marks a first for the 26-year-old MC/producer. In 2013, Tyler was part of Frank Ocean's Channel Orange cast that received an "Album Of The Year" nomination. Looking into next... Read more
December 11, 2017 Video
Wyclef Jean’s Tiny Desk Concert Shows His In-Your-Face Guitar Skills (Video)

Wyclef Jean’s Tiny Desk Concert Shows His In-Your-Face Guitar Skills (Video)

Following The Roots' appearance on NPR's "Tiny Desk" last week, another genre-bending Hip-Hop veteran hits the Washington, D.C. platform. Wyclef Jean, joined by his band and latest protégé vocalist Jazzy Amra, perform. The three-song jam session concert comes on the heels of Carnival III: The Rise and Fall of A... Read more
November 6, 2017 Video
The Roots’ Tiny Desk Concert Is BIG, Brassy And Beautiful (Video)

The Roots’ Tiny Desk Concert Is BIG, Brassy And Beautiful (Video)

The Roots are the latest musicians to perform at NPR's Tiny Desk concert series. Questlove, Black Thought, and the rest of the legendary band brought Bilal along for a moving rendition of 2017 single, "It Ain't Fair." The performance of the song from the film Detroit is bold and brilliant.... Read more
October 30, 2017 Video
Thundercat’s Guitar Gently Weeps On NPR’s Tiny Desk In This Soulful Set (Video)

Thundercat’s Guitar Gently Weeps On NPR’s Tiny Desk In This Soulful Set (Video)

Thundercat brought his guitar and his latest album Drunk into NPR's Washington, D.C. offices. At the Tiny Desk, the Brainfeeder artist, the Los Angeles, California native born Stephen Bruner joined his band for several selections, including 2015 crossover hit, "Them Changes." This song, including its innovative homage to The Isley... Read more
October 18, 2017 Video
Chance The Rapper Gives A Big Performance From A Tiny Desk (Video)

Chance The Rapper Gives A Big Performance From A Tiny Desk (Video)

Chance The Rapper is the latest MC to stop by the NPR office in Washington D.C. to put on an intimate performance for their "Tiny Desk" series. The multi-faceted artist rocks an unexpected set with his band, The Social Experiment, proving he’s more than just “The Rapper,” but also a... Read more
July 5, 2017 Video
Tank & The Bangas Combine The Soul Of Jill Scott With The Chemistry Of Run-D.M.C. (Video)

Tank & The Bangas Combine The Soul Of Jill Scott With The Chemistry Of Run-D.M.C. (Video)

New Orleans, Louisiana has been a musical hot-bed for as long as it's been a cultural destination. This melting pot made Jazz an institution, and took that same free-form musicality and threaded it through Funk, Soul, and Bounce. From Louis Armstrong to Fats Domino, Juvenile to Jay Electronica, this soul... Read more
March 10, 2017 Video
Anderson .Paak & Free Nationals Transport NPR’s Offices To “Malibu” (Video)

Anderson .Paak & Free Nationals Transport NPR’s Offices To “Malibu” (Video)

Having one of the most exciting albums of the year is one thing. To see Anderson .Paak perform live is another world in of itself, which takes the album Malibu and casts a new shade entirely on the rich Empire-released LP. On the road, the Southern California native plays the... Read more
August 15, 2016 Video
Rapsody’s Tiny Desk Concert With A Full Band Is Must Watch Music (Video)

Rapsody’s Tiny Desk Concert With A Full Band Is Must Watch Music (Video)

Rapsody kicks off NPR's "Tiny Desk Concerts" series for 2016. Joined by mentor 9th Wonder (on the drum/sample pads) and a full band, Rapsody pulls three songs from different places in her discography. With Howard University students in attendance, Rap' performs "Godzilla," "The Man," and "Hard To Choose." There is... Read more
January 5, 2016 Video
The Internet’s Live Show Sets Them Apart From All…Even From A Tiny Desk (Video)

The Internet’s Live Show Sets Them Apart From All…Even From A Tiny Desk (Video)

As much as a crew mentality can help a family tree of talent get on (see: Wu-Tang Clan, N.W.A., or Diggin' In The Crates), sometimes an entity supersedes an affiliation. In the case of The Internet, Syd tha Kyd, Matt Martians and company played a background in OFWGKTA's 2011 breakthrough.... Read more
September 29, 2015 Video