Black Star at Taste of Chicago
photo by James Richards IV

Black Star played Taste of Chicago & BK Hip Hop Fest (pics, videos, setlists)

Black Star (Talib Kweli and Yasiin Bey fka Mos Def) have been playing shows this year as we await their possible long-awaited sophomore album (Yasiin Bey teased an announcement of it, but Talib later said the announcement was “premature”), and this past weekend they played the annual Taste of Chicago festival on Friday (7/13), before returning to NYC for a headlining appearance at the Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival‘s closing concert on Saturday (7/14).

In Chicago, the blistering, 90-degree heat didn’t deter many fans from seeing the reunited duo, who treated the crowd to several tracks from their sole 1998 album, like “Astronomy (8th Light)” and “Definition,” as well as cuts from their respective solo work, such as Yasiin Bey’s “Auditorium,” and Talib’s “Get By.” During many tracks, the duo led the audience in sing-alongs, and their set also featured lengthy acapella sections from both Yasiin and Talib.

The duo’s setlist was much lengthier at their NYC show, which had the duo in matching plain-white shirts, and performing tracks not heard at the Chicago show, including “K.O.S. (Determination),” and “History.” Neither show had the duo perform any new material though. You can view pictures from Chicago in the gallery above, and setlists and video from both shows below.

Black Star will play Red Rocks in Colorado later this month with Nas, Pusha T, and more; before doing some upcoming shows in Europe with Hypnotic Brass Ensemble. Talib Kweli will be touring on his own later this year, which includes a show at Asbury Park’s Asbury Lanes on September 21 (tickets). Talib returns to Red Rocks as a solo artist to open for Lauryn Hill in September. All dates are listed below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=av7x6x2d-dM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIpVvfssAUM&frags=pl%2Cwn

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kxcV51ywtQ

Setlist – Black Star @ Taste of Chicago 7/13/18
Auditorium (Mos Def song)
Never Been in Love (Talib Kweli song)
Astronomy (8th Light)
Definition
Re: Definition
Sex, Love & Money (Mos Def song)
The Blast (Reflection Eternal cover)
Brown Skin Lady
Respiration
Get By (Talib Kweli song)
Umi Says (Mos Def song)

Setlist – Black Star @ Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival 7/14/18
The Actual (KOOL A.D. song – Talib’s Verse)
Brooklyn (Mos Def song)
Dolla Dolla Bill Y’all
Astronomy (8th Light)
Supreme Supreme (Talib Kweli song)
History (Mos Def song)
Auditorium (Mos Def song)
Move Somethin’
(Reflection Eternal cover)
Definition
Re: Definition
Never Been in Love (Talib Kweli song)
Casa Bey (Mos Def song)
Sex, Love & Money (Mos Def song)
Brown Skin Lady
K.O.S. (Determination)
Modern Marvel (Mos Def song)
Respiration
Get By (Talib Kweli song)
Umi Says (Mos Def song)

Black Star – 2018 Tour Dates
07/31/2018 MORRISON CO RED ROCKS ARENA
08/02/2018 PHILADELPHIA PA DELL MUSIC CENTER*
08/03/2018 BELLINGHAM WA THE WILD BUFFALO*
08/03/2018 WATERFORD IRELAND ALL TOGETHER NOW FESTIVAL%
08/04/2018 SEATTLE WA NECTAR LOUNGE
08/09/2018 ANTWERP BELGIUM PARK DEN BRANDT#
08/25/2018 SAINT-CLOUD DOMAINE NATIONAL DE SAINT-CLOUD – ROCK EN SEINE#
08/26/2018 LONDON INDIGO AT THE O2#
09/08/2018 BRIDGEVIEW IL TOYOTA PARK*
09/21/2018 ASBURY PARK NJ ASBURY LANES*
09/22/2018 ITHACA NY CAYUGA SOUND FESTIVAL @ STEWART PARK*
09/24/2018 ALBUQUERQUE NM ISLETA AMPHITHEATER (with Lauryn Hill)*
09/26/2018 MORRISON CO RED ROCKS ARENA (with Lauryn Hill)*

* – Talib Kweli solo
% – Yasiin Bey solo
# – Black Star w/ Hypnotic Brass Ensemble

photos by James Richards IV