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The opportunity to see Mos Def in a setting of only 300-400 people within a small seating-based jazz lounge is rare. The last time I heard about a performance like this was back in 2005, and Mos Def ended up canceling last minute. This time, Mos Def did not cancel and made his appearance with musical genius and  jazz composer, Robert Glasper and Company. The fusing of hip hop and jazz from two extremely talented artists made this one of the best musical showcases I’ve ever attended.  

A few distinct things took this show from really good to outright amazing:

• Cover of Radiohead’s song All I Need from their latest album In Rainbows (2008). Mos Def closed his eyes, dived into the rhythmic tone of the hard bass line, and started singing this lovely ballad. And his voice, though from his throat, was tantalizing. I’ve heard him sing many songs like Umi Says, Creole, etc - but I didn’t truly appreciate his style until I heard him sing someone else’s song. And I didn’t appreciate Radiohead’s song until I heard it sung from Mos Def. A win win!
   
• The humbleness of Mos Def as an artist and celebrity. He is a larger than life figure. He’s an emcee, poet, actor, singer, producer, teacher, and much much more. Everything he gets involved in, he does exceptionally well in. When you get to see him live like we did, he’s a normal humble man. He said thank you to us over 10 times (for both our money and time, more for our time), he laughed and talked with the crowd, and  most of all he smiled. That same infectious smile he gives in all his movies and acting roles. 
   
• New versions and adaptations of Mos Def’s original music. In a live setting, this happens a lot for various musical artists in various genres. In this instance, Mos Def spit his lyrics for Life in Marvelous Times, Boogie Man Song, and Umi Says over entirely new production. It not only worked well, but it felt like a whole new song. The ability to do this proves that Mos Def’s lyrics and flow style are very adaptable and that he is a very versatile artist. 

I can’t complete this review without mentioning the amazing work of Robert Glasper and his fellow band members. I can’t wait to see them perform live individually or as a group later on. I’ll provide more information on each individual shortly. 

As our friends Duke told us, “Shoot yourself in the foot if you miss this.” We luckily saved our feet!  The show was a magical experience. Here’s a clip from a past collaboration of the two artists which shows the vibe and type of performance both gave.