The Roots & Talib Kweli @ Webster Hall, NYC | pics & review

August 16, 2006

Writer: Wes
Photographer: Eric M. Townsend

The most surprising fact of The Roots‘ show at Webster Hall last night (August 14, 2006) wasn’t that Cee-Lo Green of Gnarls Barkley/Goodie Mob fame came out to sing Crazy with them, but that the sound at the club was roughly 4.3 times better than it was for the Roots at Radio City Music Hall. (the sound during Talib Kweli‘s set was still traditionally awful though).

The Roots are known as the best (and really only) band in Hip Hop. Close to the release of their upcoming Game Theory album – their first on Def Jam Left and best in years – they once more showed us why they can claim that title. Aside from a little variety, the show nearly mirrored the Radio City show. They brought all that they are known for. Black Thought‘s impeccable breath control and clarity – *coughTalibwatchandlearncough* – combined with a majestic flow makes up for his somewhat anonymous stage presence. Drummer ?uestlove commands the stage and directs the band through a slew of the group’s hits – some fantastic new ones, and snippets of non-Roots classics. My favorite part of the show was when they paid homage by segwaying through a slew of songs by Ol’ Dirty Bastard, the Notorious B.I.G., Salt ‘N Peppa, Grandmaster Flash, Wu Tang Clan and many more… Still the best show in Hip Hop after all those years.

Talib Kweli is blessed with a catalogue of amazing songs, yet cursed with the inability to do them justice live. He’s improved from the last time I saw him at Radio City (also with the Roots), but the non-traditional rhyme schemes, and high number of words crammed into each sentence, still take their toll on stage. Many words are dropped while others are just rapped under his breath. Where Black Thought manages to make a similarly complex and crammed flow completely understandable live, Talib Kweli mostly fails. As always, his amazing song Get By, produced by Kanye West and based around a Nina Simone sample, got the biggest audience reaction of the night – bigger even than Cee-lo’s appearance. I’m looking forward to Kweli’s upcoming new release (Ear Drum) and watching him progress as a performer. He is one of Hip Hop’s brightest hopes.

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More photos below….