Gorillaz With Mos Def Live In London, UK + Concert Review, Video, Photos and Set List

via NME

Gorillaz made their live return to the UK (Thursday, April 29), joined onstage in London by a host of guests from across their three albums.

Despite the global nature of their collaborations, Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett were able to recruit the likes of Bobby Womack, De La Soul, Shaun Ryder and Super Furry Animals' Gruff Rhys to Camden's Roundhouse.

Taking to the stage to the intro to this year's 'Plastic Beach', accompanied by a series of Jamie Hewlett's visuals, which paced the whole show, the Gorillaz band - including The Clash's Mick Jones & Paul Simonon, both sporting sailors hats, on guitar and bass - were joined by strings (also in nautical attire) and backing singers as they kicked off with 'Welcome To The World Of The Plastic Beach', with Snoop Dogg's rap delivered via a specially commissioned video.

Albarn, who began the gig on keyboards, then took centre stage, leading vocals on the 'Demon Days' track 'Last Living Souls', before returning to the back of the stage for 'O Green World' and then taking up a guitar for 'On Melancholy Hill'.



The collective then introduced their first guests of the night, as Mos Def and Womack took to the stage to loud applause for 'Stylo'.

Afterwards, Albarn was back throwing himself about for 'Rhinestone Eyes', then after chilling out on 'Broken', he was then joined by Little Dragon's Yukimi Nagano for 'Empire Ants'.

Bootie Brown then made an appearance rapping on 'Dirty Harry', before the Syrian National Orchestra were brought out for 'White Flag' with Kano and Bashy supplying vocals after an extended intro.

De La Soul then made their first appearance of the night, sharing the stage with Gruff Rhys for 'Superfast Jellyfish', they were followed by Shaun Ryder and the 'real life' Noodle, singer Rosie Wilson for a crowd pleasing version of 'Dare'.

'Glitter Freeze' was performed next without The Fall's Mark E Smith - though he is expected for the gig at the same venue tomorrow - while after 'El Mañana', soul legend Womack returned for a moving rendition of 'Cloud Of Unknowning', which he ended by thanking the crowd, the first person to speak during the gig.

Briefly leaving the stage, Gorillaz returned with Mos Def kicking of the encore on a pounding version of 'Sweepstakes'.



Little Dragon's Nagano was then back to duet with Albarn on 'To Binge', while De La Soul were out in force for a riotous version of 'Feel Good Inc'.

The group then rounded the show off with a bass heavy version of first album track and former single 'Clint Eastwood', waving to the crowd as they left the stage after the song's climax.

Gorillaz played:

'Orchestra Intro'
'Welcome To The World Of The Plastic Beach'
'Last Living Souls'
'O Green World'
'On Melancholy Hill'
'Kids With Guns'
'Stylo'
'Rhinestone Eyes'
'Broken'
'Empire Ants'
'Dirty Harry'
'White Flag'
'Superfast Jellyfish'
'Dare'
'Glitter Freeze'
'El Mañana'
'Cloud Of Unknowing'
'Sweepstakes'
'To Binge'
'Feel Good Inc'
'Clint Eastwood'

Photo links:
Wire Image
Rex Features

(video courtesy of alistairburns)

Mos Def Live At Shepherd's Bush Empire In London, UK Concert Review

As reviewed by Jasmine Phull at Skiddle.com from Thursday night's April 15 show At Shepherd's Bush Empire London, UK.

Amidst a decadent display of red and white roses and under a flood of moody red lighting, the lyrical genius introduced himself. "My name is Yasin Dante Terrell Smith-Bey, known to many across the world as Mos Def".

It was a formal introduction that began an hour-long blaze of songs from the rapper’s newest work The Ecstatic, all the while punctuated with tunes from his earlier albums.

Donning thin braces, a cap and a fully grown beard the ‘Boogyman’ gripped an old school microphone before kicking it off with Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious-like ‘Supermagic’, laced with a winding guitar and rock ‘n roll inflexions.



With swagger and presence the hip-hop flavoured stylings continued with the Madlib-produced ‘Auditorium’, ‘Priority’ and ‘Life in Marvelous Times’. It was a show fuelled by heavy funk, hooks and samples. ‘Quiet Dog’ saw Mos Def manning a massive drum-kit; bashing out a rapturous rhythm while simultaneously rapping. It was an example of his unorthodox approach to hip hop yet left some a little bored and less than bemused.

A unanimous sea of head-nods was in full swing when classics including beat-laden ‘Mathematics’ and song ‘Hip Hop’ - with its lyrical prowess: "Speech is my hammer, bang the world into shape" - took centre stage.

Those that came to hear Mos Def circa ‘99's ‘Black on Both Sides’ were finally in their element. The veteran mused about opening a ‘24-hour karate school’ before dropping a new tune of the same name. The audience instantly took to the ravenous rhythm, excited at the prospect of an impending fifth album.

Through charm, humour and a sage-like approach, the sometime thespian, well known for his recent role in Michel Gondry’s film Be Kind Rewind, proved to be a garrulous and gracious host. "You could have been anywhere in the world, but you’re here with us".

Not one to shy away from gratitude he constantly thanked the crowd for their presence: "Thank you for spending your money and most importantly time". Yet on occasions it became gratuitous, lessening his resonance as the Mighty Mos Def; hip hop extraordinaire.

Joined only by a trusty duo of DJs, the Brooklyn MC would have better benefited from an accompanying live band; at times the stage seemed bare and his charismatic performance and surprisingly great vocal range struggled to rescue the stage from a slight lacklustre.

For someone who in the past revelled as a witty wordsmith, it seems the beat maverick has become more about the percussion - his vocals taking a back-seat. The Ecstatic showcases his trademark experimental vision in which the MC acts as an accompaniment rather than a hedonistic front-man. Mos Def has managed to champion and revitalise the rap game while maintaining artistic respect for the culture that made him who he is today; a hip-hop ambassador.

more fan shot video below.







(video courtesy of Ela1994SI & Moodkid)

Red Bull Thre3Style Showcase With Mos Def SXSW 2010 Austin, TX

At last night's (Saturday, March 20) Red Bull Thre3Style Event Showcase with Mos Def, DJ Jazzy Jeff, DJ Spider, DJ Klever, J.Rocc, Cut Chemist and DJ Juan McLean took place downtown Austin, TX.

Photo links:
Austin 360 - Austin Statesman
Michael E. Baldon's blog

(video courtesy of BonnarooHenry)

Gorillaz - 'Stylo' ft. Mos Def & Bobby Womack (video) + L.A. Times Story About

One of the first sounds heard on the new Gorillaz album, due March 9, is the relaxed drawl of Snoop Dogg. "Welcome to the world of the plastic beach," the rapper sings, referencing the album's title ("Plastic Beach") and greeting the listener with Blaxploitation-era brass notes and jazzed-up hip-hop beats.

It's at once familiar but far from routine, as notes are stretched and digitzed while the animated band, led be Blur's Damon Albarn, harmonizes behind Snoop Doog's fairy-tale-referencing lyrics. "It's like Wonderland," he sings, as the band relaxes into a trance-inducing groove of hip-hop and vintage soul.

The video for the first single, "Stylo," is a bit more violent, albeit featuring a similar psychedelic mix of old-school sounds. Actor Bruce Willis makes a cameo, chasing the cartoon desperadoes around a "Smokey and the Bandit"-like setting. Sadly, it is not embeddable (sigh), as EMI-released content is still shamefully sparse on Vevo, but we can show you a teaser below (video above).

At the very least, here's hoping that this is inducive of the kind of video content the act is kicking up for its Coachella appearance. The mix of noirish live action and animation not only cures this writer's need for a "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" fix, but it also will look great when screened over the desert landscape. (source)

Gorillaz 'Plastic Beach' Album Preview

courtesy of NPR



01. Orchestral Intro
02. Welcome To The World Of The Plastic Beach ft. Snoop Dogg and Hypnotic Brass Ensemble
03. White Flag ft. Kano & Bashy
04. Rhinestone Eyes
05. Stylo ft. Bobby Womack and Mos Def
06. Superfast Jellyfish ft. Gruff Rhys and De La Soul
07. Empire Ants ft. Little Dragon
08. Glitter Freeze ft. Mark E Smith
09. Some Kind Of Nature ft. Lou Reed
10. On Melancholy Hill
11. Broken
12. Sweepstakes ft. Mos Def & Hypnotic Brass Ensemble
13. Plastic Beach ft. Mick Jones & Paul Simonon
14. To Binge ft. Little Dragon
15. Cloud Of Unknowing ft. Bobby Womack
16. Pirate Jet

Gorillaz - 'Plastic Beach' on Virgin Records in-stores and online March 9.

Gorillaz: Telegraph UK Newspaper Gives 'Plastic Beach' 5 Star Album Review

Their official Facebook page may list Essex as Gorillaz’ HQ, but this action- packed concept album finds the cartoon band on an isolated island constructed entirely of consumer detritus and exploring the melancholy beauty of mankind’s interaction with the natural world. It’s a great metaphor for the playful way Damon Albarn has built up the Gorillaz’ danceably eclectic sound from offcuts of hip hop, funk, alternative rock, pop, world and electronica. He doesn’t steal, borrow or lazily recycle from other genres. He lovingly salvages the things they’ve left behind, like a hip, 21st century Womble.

And the shiny, platinum-selling pop songs he assembles from this musical bric-a-brac have attracted a deliciously disparate collective of artists to Plastic Beach.

The album opens with a warm wash of oceanic strings, before hitting a shore of hard, dissonant brass notes – powerfully reminiscent of that sinister old Open University theme music. Then the hip hop beat drops in to the bark of Plastic Beach’s first celebrity inhabitant. Snoop Doggy Dogg greets us like a guard dog pacing back and forth on the island’s perimeter, while Albarn’s distorted voice hovers above like a melodic military drone. From there the seductive rat-a-tat tabla, flute and strings of the Lebanese National Orchestra lures us into the arms of London grime rappers Bashy and Kano, who prepare us to meet some big names along the road.

For the kids, this record will be like hearing a coolly remixed version of their parents’ iPods on shuffle. Albarn’s scavenged up Eighties soul sweater Bobby Womack, the Clash’s Mick Jones and Paul Simonon, hip hop grandmasters De La Soul and narky post-punker Mark E Smith.

Plastic Beach’s finest moment comes when laconic ol’ Lou Reed slouches in for the transcendent Some Kind of Nature. He’s beachcombing for “some kind of majesty/some chemical low/some kind of metal made from glue/some kind of plastic I can wrap around you” while Albarn’s brine-brimming, manga-eyed falsetto reminds him that “all we are/is stars”.

All that Eastern philosophy Albarn read while writing Monkey – Journey to the West must have rubbed off – Plastic Beach plays out like the Tao of 2010. (source)

Mos Def Performs At Guvera Pre-Launch Party NYC With Video & Photos Posted

via The Examiner

(Thursday, February 18) , Guvera USA, Inc., held a Pre-Launch event at Metropolitan Pavilion in New York City. This private event was attended by New York entertainment influencers and brand and agency executives. At the party, artists Mos Def, Jim Jones, Alice Cooper, Aaron Lewis, The Donnas, The Bravery and Marie Digby also helped to kick off the Guvera concept.

Guvera USA Inc., a search website for "free but paid for" music and digital content provided by brands, announced a new content partner, new licensing deals, an official March 30th launch date and the vision of delivering all forms of content with the Guvera model at the Pre-Launch event in New York City at the Metropolitan Pavilion.

Guvera launched in Australia in beta mode earlier this year approximately 60 days ago.The U.S. launch of Guvera coincides with the appearance of another ad-supported download site. Free All Music already launched its invite-only beta for U.S. users and has deals with Universal Music Group and EMI. The Australia-based company also announced at last night's event that it already has licensing deals with INgrooves, BMI, the Harry Fox Agency and SESAC. Universal Music Group, EMI and IODA had previously announced their involvement with Guvera.

A forty-five foot ice sculpture reading "Revolution" was the centerpiece of the party, representing the change of how media needs to be distributed into a future where everyone expects "free" but people still need to be paid.

Drake was originally supposed to be a speaker and a performer for the event but unfortunately, he was not able to make it there. Instead, to help kick off the launch event, Jim Jones and Mos Def took the stage as well as other acts such as Alice Cooper, The Donnas and Aaron Lewis (lead vocalist for 'Staind'). The artists not only performed but they also spoke about the importance of Guvera in the age of digital piracy and how it represents a powerful new alignment of music artists, music fans and commercial brands that benefits all parties involved.

Dan Thompson, Head of Content of Guvera Limited, commented, "We are so pleased to have such an incredible group of musicians and content partners such as INgrooves on board for our official US launch. SESAC, The Harry Fox Agency and BMI are all leaders in the licensing community and their commitments further enhance our efforts to combat piracy with a free and legal alternative to downloading and streaming." He added, "We also see a huge future in delivering film and television content, especially after the success of the Australian beta. We hope consumers, brands, musicians and content providers will all join and progress the revolution!"

Also, check out MediaPost Publications article for another full account of the event:
Guvera Launches Brand Supported Free Music Site

Photos from the event here:
Flickr - Photos by Kelly Samardak
A Day In Tha Life Of
Getty Images
Corbis Images
Film Magic
PR Photos
Star Traks Photo

(video courtesy of MsSanaArshad)

Roots Jam Session Returns To L.A. During Grammy Weekend

After last year's absence, the Roots return with their 6th annual all-star jam session which took place at the revamped Key Club in West Hollywood, CA Saturday January 30. Seen here, Mos Def, Foreign Exchange and Jay Electronica all took the stage with the Roots as the hip hop house band, running through each others hip hop classic catalogs.

Photos from the red carpet & more:
Getty Images
Film Magic
Wire Image
WENN Photo

more footage from red carpet below.



(video footage courtesy of ok player & UrbanSpinOnline)

Gorillaz - 'Plastic Beach' Album Artwork & Tracklist Posted Online

via the press release

New Album Out March 9; First Single "Stylo" Available January 26;
April 18 Coachella Headline Slot Confirmed

Plastic Beach the new album from Gorillaz, will be released by Virgin on March 9, 2010.

The album is preceded by first single Stylo (featuring Mos Def and Bobby Womack) which will receive its radio broadcast premiere tonight and will be available for download on January 26.

Confirming "Stylo," Murdoc Niccals twittered, "A leak! A leak! Plastic Beach has sprung a leak! One of those Russian pirates has put a bullet hole in my island! My single's leaked! STYLO!"

Five years on from the release of Demon Days, Murdoc Niccals and co. return with Plastic Beach. The band have taken up residence, recording on a secret floating island deep in the South Pacific, a Plastic Beach HQ, made up of the detritus, debris and washed up remnants of humanity. This Plastic Beach is the furthest point from any landmass on Earth; the most deserted spot on the planet.

The world's biggest animated band, Gorillaz formed in 1998, and have since sold 12 million copies over two albums Gorillaz (2000) and Demon Days (2005). They have hit number 1 in more than a dozen countries and picked up awards including Grammys, Novellos, VMAs and EMAs.

The Gorillaz' return will be marked by a headline appearance at this year's Coachella festival. The Sunday April 18 performance will be the first Gorillaz live spectacle on U.S. soil since the awe-inspiring Demon Days Live run in April 2006 at New York's Apollo Theater.

01. Orchestral Intro
02. Welcome To The World Of The Plastic Beach ft. Snoop Dogg and Hypnotic Brass Ensemble
03. White Flag ft. Kano & Bashy
04. Rhinestone Eyes
05. Stylo ft. Bobby Womack and Mos Def
06. Superfast Jellyfish ft. Gruff Rhys and De La Soul
07. Empire Ants ft. Little Dragon
08. Glitter Freeze ft. Mark E Smith
09. Some Kind Of Nature ft. Lou Reed
10. On Melancholy Hill
11. Broken
12. Sweepstakes ft. Mos Def & Hypnotic Brass Ensemble
13. Plastic Beach ft. Mick Jones & Paul Simonon
14. To Binge ft. Little Dragon
15. Cloud Of Unknowing ft. Bobby Womack
16. Pirate Jet

Gorillaz - 'Plastic Beach' on Virgin Records in-stores and online March 9.

Mos Def, Jay Electronica, Talib Kweli & Sean 'Diddy' Combs On Stage NYC

Semi-Quality footage below.


(video courtesy veromero13)

At the Mos Def concert with Talib Kweli & future Shriners Jay Electronica & Sean 'Diddy' Combs both wearing the Fez hat.

Photos:
Rex Features

Mos Def & K'naan 'Austin City Limits' Show Full Broadcast

Related:
Mos Def & K'Naan Kicks Off 1st Hip Hop Episode of PBS 'Austin City Limits' Show

Mos Def & K'Naan Kicks Off 1st Hip Hop Episode of PBS 'Austin City Limits' Show

The first Hip Hop episode with Mos Def 
& K’Naan will air Jan. 16. Check your local PBS affiliate for air times.

via Paste

The first all hip-hop episode of Austin City Limits will premiere on PBS this Saturday, Jan. 16. It features veteran rapper Mos Def and relative newcomer K’Naan, the latter a Somali-born Canadian renowned for his detailed rhymes. This is the first time in the show’s 35-year history that it will air an episode exclusively featuring rap artists.

The episode was taped Oct. 1, the same day the series was declared a “historic rock and roll landmark” by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. Below is a list of broadcast dates for the rest of the 35th season of the series.

Mos Def - 'History' Ft. Talib Kweli (video)

Blakroc On Letterman

Blakroc in-stores now!

Blakroc (Mos Def & Jim Jones) on Letterman Tonight!

The Black Keys as Blakroc with Mos Def & Jim Jones performing the single “Hoochie Coo.”

Set your VCR clocks and tune in tonight!

Mos Def & DOOM Team Up For Upcoming Concert Dates

via Exclaim Canada

While live appearances from underground hip-hop icon DOOM are definitely a touchy subject for some fans, the rapper is set to play two shows with Mos Def in early 2010. So far, we know a Toronto show is happening at the Koolhaus on January 27 and a New York show is happening the Nokia Theatre at Times Square on January 30.

We hate to be so conspiratorial, but the amount of controversy surrounding DOOM's concerts will likely raise some concerns. The shows are billed as “DOOM with Mos Def,” which is strange, because if Mos Def were to play with DOOM, there's no question he would headline.

Neither rappers have announced the shows on their official websites, so it’s unclear if more shows will be scheduled.

Tickets for the Toronto show go on sale this Saturday (December 5), and you may want to get buying early, because if both Mos Def and the real DOOM actually show up, it will surely be one great evening of hip-hop.

Mos Def London Concert Review Recap

As reported by Tom Horan at the London Telegraph

There was a moment during this night at the art-deco Forum in Kentish Town when a thrilling pulse of collective excitement swept round the hall and the hairs stood up on the back of a thousand necks. Sadly it was during the warm-up – the DJ had just cut from one particularly strong tune to an even bigger crowd-pleaser. It was a good twenty minutes before Brooklyn’s Mos Def took the stage.

In only his second ever UK appearance and faced with a room practically drowning in goodwill toward him, the 35-year-old rapper and actor born Dante Smith-Bey singularly failed to capitalise on the pre-show buzz. Quite how is hard to pinpoint. He wasn’t helped by the same DJ deciding to signal his arrival with the Oasis song 'Wonderwall’, the trick that Jay-Z used to open his famous Glastonbury show. But this was a very different crowd, and it was met with boos and whistles.

The kettle drums may also have been a contributory factor. On paper it sounds like a brilliant wheeze: to liven up the often deadly dull format of DJ plus rapper, the rapper plays some massive floor drums. Thus the show began with Mos Def entering stage right under moody red lighting and bashing out a rhythm with a couple of hickory mallets, a trick he pulled off in some style recently on the Letterman show in America.

But while he may be a gifted wordsmith and garnered decent reviews for his turn in The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, Smith-Bey seemed to have left his percussion shoes back in New York. I’ve seen junior-school timpanists inject Holst’s The Planets with more funk than Mos Def seemed able to muster.

Yet still there were hints and intimations that the Forum might get the full-blooded performance that it was clearly itching for. Mos Def’s is a soulful, musical kind of hiphop, and the loops that his DJs kept serving up had mouth-watering elements of jazz and Motown. Frustratingly, though, his lyrics were often lost in the mix. Songs that promised a rousing climax mostly fizzled out.

Mos Def’s album from earlier this year, The Ecstatic, has some fantastic highs, when his ability to elide and work a rhyme lends his songs a truly captivating quality. Tonight we got him doing karaoke versions of 'Billie Jean’. His moonwalk was quite amusing, but it couldn’t hide the fact that this was an opportunity wasted.



As reported by Angus Batey at London's Guardian four out of 5 stars

There were passages of the 90-minute set where he ambled aimlessly, songs collapsing in mumbled a cappella couplets. He sang most of Michael Jackson's Billie Jean and even had the Forum audience bellowing the chorus of Simply Red's Holding Back the Years (then desperately trying to pretend they were doing so ironically).

At his best, Mos Def fuses metaphysics with politics in stanzas that put him alongside the finest hip-hop lyricists. In the superb Auditorium, he writes about how poets can harness the collective subconscious to effect change in times of war – "Shoulders the lion's roar, voice is the siren/ I swing round, ring out, and bring down the tyrant." Lines like those, and the opening lyrics of his 10-year-old song, Hip Hop – "Speech is my hammer, bang the world into shape" – sounded thrilling and vital and, despite his laid-back-cum-lackadaisical presentation, were filled with real importance.

Photos:
Getty Images

(video courtesy of nitesun & flipmandem87)

Mos Def And Talib Kweli Perform On Jimmy Fallon TV Show

Mos Def, Ski Beatz & Dame Dash In The Studio

Blakroc: Pre Order The Album

01. Coochie ft. Ludacris & Ol' Dirty Bastard
02. On The Vista ft. Mos Def
03. Hard Times ft. NOE
04. Dollaz & Sense ft. Pharoahe Monch & RZA
05. Why Can't I Forget Him ft. Nicole Wray
06. Stay Off The F*%$#n' Flowers ft. Raekwon
07. Ain't Nothing Like You ft. Jim Jones & Mos Def
08. Hope You're Happy
ft. Billy Danze (of M.O.P.), Nicole Wray & Q-Tip
09. Tellin' Me Things ft. RZA
10. What You Do To Me
ft. Billy Danze (of M.O.P.), Jim Jones & Nicole Wray
11. Done Did It ft. Nicole Wray & NOE

Get the new Blakroc project at The Black Keys website here:
Blakroc Project

other cool merch. available there, too.

As I understand, the album will be available on Black Friday, November 27.