REVIEW/PHOTOS/VIDEOS: Rock The Bells presents Black Star @ House of Blues – 9/6/11

Black Star @ House of Blues - 9/6/11 - Photo © Wesley Hodges

Black Star @ House of Blues - 9/6/11 - Photo © Wesley Hodges

On Tuesday night, Rock The Bells, an internationally-touring hip-hop platform stopped in New Orleans and featured the long-shelved Black Star project of MC’s Mos Def & Talib Kweli along with Stooges Brass Band for a show at House of Blues. 13 years after releasing their eponymous Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star record, the duo appear to be back up, running and reportedly set to release LP2 some time next year. Black Star is a project that truly grew from the underground up and since forming and subsequently disappearing, the duo has become a highly sought after reunion and rare live act, worthy of the hefty $43.50 price tag as evidenced by the packed house and patient crowd, fueling the tangible energy on-stage until the show let out at midnight. The hype leading up to the show was palpable and no one seemed to mind that the duo came on an hour later than scheduled due to a late arrival by Mos Def.

Black Star @ House of Blues New Orleans - Photo by Wesley Hodges

The slick-styled duo took the stage at 10:30 with their red mics blazin’, opening with “Definition” and promptly tearing through their ’98 LP with a cool swagger, focused intensity and a polished, seldom-seen attention to lyrical detail, giving full song treatment to the classics and ad-libbing some localized bits to a few of the verses. The duo performed the quintessential album in full, engaging the crowd as any good MC’s should. The familiar rallying cry of “1, 2, 3, it’s Mos Def and Talib Kweli, we came to rock on til the tip-top, best alliance in hip hop, wyyyyyy-ohhhhh” won’t shake out my dome and that’s all I could hear anyway, because I currently am working at about 10% capacity in my left ear thanks to a spot by the left floor speaker for the duration of the show (Mos Def even asked the sound tech to turn it down at one point – a first in hip-hop history?). The hour-and-a-half set was a blurring highlight reel over too soon; highlighted by spot-on versions of “Brown Skin Lady”, K.O.S. and “Respiration.” If you missed the chance this go round to see Black Star on the Rock The Bells tour, don’t miss out in 2012 when the duo will likely go on a full proper tour in support of LP2. Great way to spend a Tuesday night. Continue on for a couple videos from the show and a photo gallery.