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The powerhouse duo of Black Star lit up the stage as musical guests as Dave Chappelle hosted SNL last weekend, with Madlib also joining in.
Last Saturday (Nov. 12), Dave Chappelle was the SNL host for the third time. This time was more unique, as the duo of Black Star – Talib Kweli and Yaasin Bey (formerly known as Mos Def) – joined him as musical guests. Chappelle, who co-hosts The Midnight Miracle podcast with the two rappers in addition to being great friends with them, introduced the duo as “Brooklyn’s finest rappers” for their first song, “So Be It.”
The track, from their latest album No Fear of Time, showcased the fiery intensity from Black Star, backed up by the stellar producer and artist Madlib, who manned the turntables. No Fear of Time has garnered critical praise from many despite not being widely available on streaming platforms. Kweli and Bey made the decision to release the sequel to their lauded debut after 24 years on the Luminary podcast network earlier this year.
They’d follow up with another track from the album, “The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing” with Madlib again lending support. Madlib was also responsible for the entirety of the production of No Fear of Time.
Calling the appearance a “career milestone,” Kweli spoke about the significance of being on the long-running variety comedy show. “I can’t recall seeing a more Hip-Hop, a more independent group than Black Star to ever do SNL,” he said in an interview. “So I’m definitely excited to represent for the culture.”
Shortly after their appearance, Black Star announced that they’d be doing a show in New York City on Nov. 15. The Midnight Miracle podcast will also be returning for a second season later this year, which they announced last Saturday through an Instagram post.
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