This night is simply stacked to the brim. Black Star is seriously performing; Yasiin Bey and Talib Kweli are also planning on blessing listeners with their own sets as well. The Black Star show at the Novo originally scheduled for October 1, 2017 was postponed to October 30, 2017 due to illness of one of the members, according to the Novo’s event page. All tickets that were purchased for the original date will be honored on the postponed date.

Black Star, a duo formed by MCs Mos Def, also known as Yasiin Bey, and Talib Kweli in 1997, hails from Brooklyn, New York. They released a number of singles and one album, Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star in 1998. While the record received critical acclaim, the group only received minimal commercial success. Since then, the duo has worked together from time to time on various soundtracks and other projects.

They are affiliated with Common and DJ Hi-Tek, who formed the producer/MC duo Reflection Eternal with Kweli for the album Train of Thought and produced a portion of Black Star’s debut album. After the release of their debut album, the duo only got together here and there for certain events, like the Dave Chapelle movie. Their latest song was released, or rather leaked in 2011 via Stones Throw Records, titled “Fix Up.” The track, produced by Madlib, is the last thing they’ve done together besides this recent tour.

Black Star came from an underground hip-hop movement of the late 1990s, which was in part because of Rawkus Records, an NYC independent record label they ultimately signed to. Black Star helped shape underground alternative rap, bringing it into the mainstream. During a time when Biggie Smalls and Tupac Shakur ran the rap game, Black Star was putting out socially conscious and politically engaging tracks that made people think about the bigger picture. Since hip-hop had become affiliated with the notion of gangs, guns and violence, Black Star had to be particular about their message. Black Star was “woke” way before “woke” was even a thing. Both Yasiin Bey and Talib Kweli have gone on to amazing commercial and critically acclaimed successes as solo artists.

Black Star, Yasiin Bey, Talib Kweli at the Novo DTLA
Date: Monday, Oct. 30
Time: 8:00pm
Doors: 7:00pm
Ticket Prices*
$30.00 – $45.00
Ages: All Ages
Tickets can be purchased here.
More information can be found here.