Despite the dreary, cold and rainy weather on Tuesday, crowds were wrapped around 8th Avenue, and the line lead all the way to Sony Hall on West 46th. This was all to see two rap legends from Brooklyn; Blue Note Entertainment Group held a surprise concert featuring the iconic rap duo Black Star at the famous venue. Despite their tenure as one of the most acclaimed acts in Hip-Hop, the surprise concert is rare for the rap duo, who don’t often perform concerts together. This was Kweli and Bey's first full concert performance together since 2011, which is why all-too-eager fans happily complied with the no cellphone, smart watch and/or photography rule. 

The late night concert began shortly after 12am, but fans didn’t mind, as everyone seemed to hold a collective energy of both respect and excitement for the duo that's been in the Hip-Hop game for nearly 25 years. The space was tight, but there was a little standing room by the bar—where I decided to station myself for the night. A free drink voucher came with the $75 general admission ticket; and the free alcohol coupled with the lyricism from Black Star made the packed space come alive.

The venue's packed turnout solidified that Black Star is still one of the most respected Hip-Hop duos in New York. Bey (formerly known as Mos Def) and Kweli both clearly vibed with the audience, often letting them finish the words to their songs.

The duo nodded their heads at each other on stage, showcasing their decades-long camaraderie as they two-stepped back and forth, putting all of their energy into each song.

At one point, I looked down at my wrist completely expecting my Apple watch's face to light up with the time, forgetting that I'd secured all of my electronics in locked bags provided by the venue. A couple of moments later, Yasiin got on the mic to explain how the pair wanted the show to be solely about the experience—instead of living through the camera. It was hard to recall the last time I didn’t record a concert, (or any live event, for that matter), so I nodded as if Yasiin was speaking directly to me. I became extremely self-aware and present in the moment: the announcement forced me to take in the performance itself.

Black Star is known for their conscious and concise lyricism, and Tuesday night was no different. The pair took advantage of the nostalgia in the room, performing hits like “So Be It” and “Main Thing”, from their classic 1998 debut Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star. Fans clung to each lyric recited from each song. Of course, back in May, Black Star finally released their heavily-anticipated second album, No Fear of Time via podcast streaming platform, Luminary.

Since their 1997 debut, the duo have become widely recognized worldwide. Fans from all over traveled to see the pair in person reciting their notable hits like “Thieves In The Night" from Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star. The time escaped me, (which is to be expected with no watch nor phone on me), but as the two were well into songs from their new album, the energy only seemed to intensify. That definitely confirmed to me—an admitted bystander to so much Hip-Hop history—that, no matter the era, Talib Kweli and Yasiin Bey will always have an undeniable vibe.

You can stream their new album "No Fear Of Time" exclusively on Luminary.