Mos Def 29/11/10

Mos Def

HMV Forum, London, 29/11/09

In recent weeks, London has been spoilt for hip hop choice; Oakland, CA natives Souls Of Mischief played an intimate gig at the Carharrt Store in Covent Garden and Dead Prez performed at Camden Town’s KOKO. But top of that list is Mos Def, one of hip hop’s most astute rappers, who flew into London to play a one-off sold–out show at Kentish Town’s HMV Forum.

The atmosphere outside the venue was near-chaotic as fans queued in the rain and HMV Forum staff almost lost control as they tried to differentiate between the numerous queues which had formed. Once inside, the omni-present buzz of excitement continued as the crowd waited for the lyricist to take to the stage.

Mos Def’s two accompanying DJs, Preservation and Gold Medal Man (who happens to be his younger brother) began the show, spinning records onstage, allowing Mos Def to slip on unnoticed by some of the audience. Dressed like somebody you might meet on the tube – very ordinary grey blazer and black hat – he began with a drum solo, nothing special, but very good nonetheless. The rapper then moved smoothly through songs from his fourth and latest album, The Ecstatic.  Auditorium, Life In Marvellous Times and Casa Bey were the stand out tracks from the collection of pure innovative hip hop. The crowd were warmed up nicely, but really quite tame – Mos Def’s reputation is for poetry and his crowds tend to listen to the words. He then played from his older works where hits like Close Edge and Umi Says were the obvious crowd-favourites as was, Definition, from Black Star, his collaboration with Talib Kweli.

One of the great things about a Mos Def show is how he makes sure his audience understands where the inspirations for the songs he creates come from, as, prior to performing many of them he pays tribute to the original of which he samples. Tonight was no exception, and he beautifully crooned his way through Aretha Franklin’s One Step Ahead before mixing into his classic Ms Fat Booty, which contains interpolations of Aretha’s rare recording throughout.

Carrying on until well past HMV Forum’s curfew of 11pm (some say this was to compensate for his last London gig at The Shepherds Bush Empire in 2007 where he kept fans waiting for over two hours and performed for only an hour) Mos Def put on an excellent show, clearly enjoying himself as from start to finish he wore a genuine smile that rivaled a child’s on Christmas Day.

Words: Elissa Bradley