Listen to the album “Who Coppin". Out Now!
Stream: https://music.empi.re/whocoppinalbum

CONNECT WITH LARRY JUNE
Official Website: https://larry-june.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/larryjunetfm
Facebook: https://facebook.com/larryjunetfm
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#LarryJune #WhoCoppin #empire



Official Video by Larry June - "God Got Us (Ain't Too Many)" © 2026 The Freeminded Records / EMPIRE

Listen to the album “Who Coppin". Out Now!
Stream: https://music.empi.re/whocoppinalbum

CONNECT WITH LARRY JUNE
Official Website: https://larry-june.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/larryjunetfm
Facebook: https://facebook.com/larryjunetfm
Instagram: https://instagram.com/larryjunetfm
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/larryjunetfm
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artis....t/1grN0519h2zYqpRtYb

#LarryJune #WhoCoppin #empire



Official Video by Larry June - "God Got Us (Ain't Too Many)" © 2026 The Freeminded Records / EMPIRE

Listen to the single “Organic Motion". Out Now!
Stream: https://music.empi.re/organicmotion

#LarryJune #OrganicMotion #EMPIRE


CONNECT WITH LARRY JUNE
Official Website: https://larry-june.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/larryjunetfm
Facebook: https://facebook.com/larryjunetfm
Instagram: https://instagram.com/larryjunetfm
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Official Video by Larry June & DJ.Fresh - "Organic Motion" © 2026 The Freeminded Records / EMPIRE

This Black Music Month, Tiny Desk honors the anniversaries of landmark albums that have shaped the course of music and culture.

Bobby Carter | June 20, 2025
Before he stepped behind the Tiny Desk, Beenie Man contemplated our office space. The man born Moses Anthony Davis is accustomed to performing at maximum velocity, touching every part of a big stage … and here were but a few square feet for him to move. Nevertheless, the king of dancehall brings Kingston to Washington, D.C.

As an exemplar of longevity, he pauses to remind us just how long he’s been at it: “I’ve been doing music since the age of 5. I did my first single at the age of 7. Now I’m 50-something and I’m doing the same thing.” Just in time for our Black Music Month anniversary theme, Beenie Man’s most commercially successful album, Art and Life, turns 25. (And, not for nothing, his work visa was reinstated after a 10-year ban, allowing him to perform again in the United States.) The real dancehall fans were front and center with flags in tow, easing any doubts that Beenie Man had as he powered through a decades-spanning set of club classics.

SET LIST
“Who Am I”
“Romie”
“Girls Dem Sugar”
“Toy Friend”
“Miss L.A.P.”
“Let Him Go”
“Dude”
“King of the Dancehall”
“Rum & RedBull”

MUSICIANS
Beenie Man: vocals
Nigel Staff: keys, music director
Brinton Haughton Jr.: keys
Paul Green: guitar
Donovan Belnavis: bass
Ricardo Davis: drums
Ovasha: background vocals
Ke Star: background vocals

TINY DESK TEAM
Producer: Bobby Carter
Director/Editor: Kara Frame
Audio Technical Director: Josephine Nyounai
Videographers: Kara Frame, Joshua Bryant, Sofia Seidel
Audio Engineer: Josh Newell
Production Assistants: Ashley Pointer, Dora Levite
Photographer: Zayrha Rodriguez
Tiny Desk Team: Maia Stern, Lars Gotrich
Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed
Series Creators: Bob Boilen, Stephen Thompson
VP, Visuals and Music: Keith Jenkins

#tinydesk #nprmusic #beenieman

Aug. 13, 2018 | Felix Contreras -- When the 10 members of Tower of Power were in place behind Bob Boilen's desk, strategically positioned around the band's famous five-piece horn section, their first collective blast three beats into the sound check literally made the video crew jump. It was more a force of nature than a sound, and an impressive display of the "five fingers operating as one hand" concept of band cohesiveness.

From the group's beginning in Oakland in 1968, its soul disciples stood out from the peace-and-love scene in the San Francisco Bay. Their dedication to the horn-driven soul heard on recordings from the Stax and Atlantic record labels evolved to such a sophisticated level as to make the Tower of Power Horns an entity unto themselves. Eventually artists as diverse as Santana, the Grateful Dead and even Elton John enlisted them to give their music an authentic connection to the scene.

I have to confess that this show was mostly a labor of self-indulgent love, since I've been a fan since about 1972. So it was a joy to listen to the unmistakable sounds of my youth as the band delivered both "What Is Hip" and "So Very Hard to Go" with so much vitality, it sounded as if they were just written last week. During the performance of the title track from their new album, "The Soul Side of Town," the playing, the passion and the precision remains unchanged after all the years.

1968 was one hell of a year musically, as we've seen from this year's many anniversary celebrations of albums, events and bands. Add Tower of Power to that shortlist of artists for whom that moment was an early rehearsal for what would become a five decade career. A band this big will inevitably have some members come and go, but it's important to note that the original songwriting nucleus of bari saxophonist Stephen "Funky Doctor" Kupa and bandleader/tenor saxophonist Emilio Castillo continue to write and perform, as does original drummer David Garibaldi.

I want to write that the band has become an institution. But that conjures images of stuffy old men looking down professorially on youthful funksters, occasionally showing them how it was done in a long-lost golden era. Instead, Tower of Power remains as vital and full of life-affirming funk and soul, if not more, as they were in 1968. The band's dedication, hard work and connection to us long-time fans prove that a good idea is timeless. If you need proof, just watch this video.

Congrats, fellas. It's been a very soulful 50 years.

Set List
"On the Soul Side of Town"
"So Very Hard to Go"
"What Is Hip?"

Credits
Producers: Felix Contreras, Morgan Noelle Smith; Creative Director: Bob Boilen; Audio Engineer: Josh Rogosin; Videographers: Morgan Noelle Smith, Maia Stern, Becky Harlan, CJ Riculan; Production Assistant: Catherine Zhang; Photo: Samantha Clark/NPR.

Suraya Mohamed | February 24, 2026
Always inspirational, the music of saxophonist and composer Immanuel Wilkins is also heavy and thought provoking. In the harmonic tension of his music you can hear sepia tones of the Black experience — an ancient and modern struggle told through melody and overlaid with hope. Complex time signatures swing and sway with spiritual incantations that instill reflection and peace.

We've had the good fortune to showcase works from across Wilkins' exceptional catalog. His Tiny Desk (home) concert features selections from his debut album, Omega. Here at the Desk, he opens with "AFTERLIFE RESIDENCE TIME" from his Grammy-nominated album, Blues Blood, a piece that traces Black trauma passed down by the generations through blood, which contains salt. Sodium has a long duration of residence, or time that a substance remains present, and this song is a portrait of that construct. "Fugitive Ritual, Selah," from The 7th Hand, is a hymn to the Black church and how its Sunday rituals provide the freedom to exalt, or Selah, and pause for the Holy Spirit. "THE BIG COUNTRY" is a new song from an upcoming three-volume project recorded live at The Village Vanguard. Wilkins tells me, "It's not a 'concept album,' so to speak, but rather it's about capturing the internal technologies and logics of the band as the theory."

His masterful band, with Micah Thomas on piano, bassist Ryoma Takenaga and drummer Kweku Sumbry, has a special synergy. "There's so much that happens through the music even outside of the normative realm of 'language' that I feel is important to capture in this new stage of this unit," Wilkins tells me. "I'm just always trying to push the band to new places, do something unique for myself and for the Tiny Desk audience. I thought it was important for us to attempt to bring the heat and keep it as hot as possible."

SET LIST
"AFTERLIFE RESIDENCE TIME"
"Fugitive Ritual, Selah"
"THE BIG COUNTRY"

MUSICIANS
Immanuel WIlkins: alto sax
Micah Thomas: piano
Ryoma Takenaga: bass
Kweku Sumbry: drums

TINY DESK TEAM
Producer: Suraya Mohamed
Director: Joshua Bryant
Audio Engineer/Mix: Josephine Nyounai
Host/Series Producer: Bobby Carter
Video Editor: Nikki Birch
Videographers: Joshua Bryant, Kara Frame, Maia Stern
Audio Engineer/Director: Josh Newell
Production Assistants: Dora Levite, Dhanika Pineda
Photographer: Alanté Serene
Tiny Desk Team: Ashley Pointer, Felix Contreras
Executive Director: Sonali Mehta
Series Creators: Bob Boilen, Stephen Thompson, Robin Hilton

#nprmusic #tinydesk #immanuelwilkins

NPR Music is celebrating Black Music Month with an array of brand new Tiny Desk concerts. Together, these artists represent the past, present and future of Black music. This month of carefully curated shows is a celebration of Black artists expressing themselves in ways we've never seen before, and of the Tiny Desk's unique way of showcasing that talent.

Bobby Carter | June 5, 2023
Charlie Wilson's Tiny Desk unexpectedly ran the gamut of emotions. His musical journey boasts some of the highest highs and fanfare for over 50 years. So much so, it's easy to forget what he's endured. His testimonial during a praise break reminded us that he's climbed through valleys about as deep as they get. "I went from rags to riches, riches to rags, then rags to the curb, the curb to homeless," he said. "Because I was an alcoholic and a crack cocaine addict! But I'm 28 years clean and sober!"

Flanked by a host of musicians, Wilson expressed the depth and breadth of his life and career, telling a tale of two Charlies. The Oklahoma native's success with The Gap Band, formed with his brothers Robert and Ronnie, began in the 1970s and stretched throughout the '80s. The group's many hits are classified as old-school funk and R&B, but it's the resurrection and connection with young hip-hop stars that make Charlie's story so compelling to me.

Snoop Dogg was the first to hop on board, coining him "Uncle Charlie" and featuring him on his second LP, Tha Doggfather in 1996. They've been frequent collaborators since, eventually landing the smash, "Beautiful," a few years later. From Kanye West to Tyler, The Creator, Nas, and more recently Don Toliver and Devin Morrison, Wilson has been hip-hop's secret sauce for decades. When I asked Uncle Charlie to explain the reason why he's such a draw in hip-hop, he said so much by simply stating: "I can sang!"

SET LIST
"Charlie, Last Name Wilson"
"Computer Love"
"There Goes My Baby"
"I'm Blessed"
"Yearning For Your Love"
"Sweet Yamz"
"Outstanding"

MUSICIANS
Charlie Wilson: vocals
Jor'el Quinn: vocals
Leah Thompson: vocals
Gia Wyre: vocals
Dodie: vocals
Angel Hines: vocals
Cordell Walton: keys, music director
Rain Man: drums
Alex Williams: guitar
Stephen Johnson: keys
Lawrence Washington: keys, bass
EQ: bass
Nick Wilczynski: saxophone

TINY DESK TEAM
Producer: Bobby Carter
Director/Editor: Joshua Bryant
Audio Engineer: Josh Rogosin
Creative Director: Bob Boilen
Videographers: Joshua Bryant, Kara Frame, Sofia Seidel, Alanté Serene
Audio Assistant: Hannah Gluvna
Production Assistant: Ashley Pointer
Tiny Desk Team: Suraya Mohamed, Maia Stern, Hazel Cills
VP, Visuals and Music: Keith Jenkins
Senior VP, Programming: Anya Grundmann

#tinydesk #nprmusic #charliewilson

Mitra I. Arthur | May 6, 2026
Ragtime is a tale of history repeating itself. The musical centers on figures from three communities — Black Americans, immigrants and upper class whites — in New York at the dawn of the 20th century and what the American dream means to them as they intersect and, at times, clash. Company members from the Tony-nominated, Lincoln Center Theater revival stop by the Tiny Desk to share a bit of that American dream.

The musical by Terrence McNally, Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty addresses the fraught topics of racial injustice, workers’ rights, immigration, women’s autonomy, technological innovation, celebrity worship and capitalism. Moreover, Ragtime explores the complexities of love, family, and community and what we owe each other. For a musical set in the early 1900s, these themes still ring loudly.

The journey into this show begins with “New Music,” a song that marks the monumental change that the show’s cast of characters face. Caissie Levy and Brandon Uranowitz’s performance of “Our Children” is a charming, parental reflection on the innocence of youth. Joshua Henry’s warm and enveloping voice perfectly compliments Nichelle Lewis’ sweet tone as their characters Coalhouse and Sarah imagine a bright future with their son in “Wheels of a Dream.” In “Journey On,” Colin Donnell, Uranowitz and Levy present very different relationships to America: one departing with a privileged passion for exploration, one settled in a cage of comfort, and one arriving with hope for better. As he performs “Make Them Hear You,” the show’s call to action, Henry implores: “Go out and tell our story.” That story is not just of the specific story of these characters or this musical, but of what they represent and what we can learn from them.

SET LIST
“New Music”
“Our Children”
“Wheels of a Dream”
“Journey On”
“Make Them Hear You”

MUSICIANS
Joshua Henry: vocals
Caissie Levy: vocals
Brandon Uranowitz: vocals
Colin Donnell: vocals
Nichelle Lewis: vocals
Ben Levi Ross: vocals
Danny Percefull: piano
Eric B. Davis: guitar
Chala Yancy: violin
Epongue Ekille: violin
Tia Allen: viola
Laura Bontrager: cello

TINY DESK TEAM
Producer: Mitra I. Arthur
Director/Editor: Kara Frame
Audio Director/Mix: Josh Newell
Host/Series Producer: Bobby Carter
Videographers: Kara Frame, Joshua Bryant, Elizabeth Gillis, Grace Raver
Audio Engineer: Tiffany Vera Castro
Production Assistant: Alina Edwards
Tiny Desk Team: Maia Stern, Ashley Pointer
Series Editor: Lars Gotrich
Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed
Executive Director: Sonali Mehta
Series Creators: Bob Boilen, Stephen Thompson, Robin Hilton

#tinydesk #nprmusic #ragtime #broadway

This Black Music Month, Tiny Desk honors the anniversaries of landmark albums that have shaped the course of music and culture.

Bobby Carter | June 2, 2025
Bay Area ambassador E-40 moves with the energy of an up-and-coming emcee, but he's been around a minute. To put it 40 Water's way: "I've been doing this since Kermit the Frog was a pollywog!" Our biggest hurdle to clear was packing in three decades of music at the Tiny Desk, but 40 Fonzarelli and his band clocked weeks of rehearsal to make sure this office was rockin'.

E-40's sophomore solo album In a Major Way dropped in 1995, one of the most competitive years in hip-hop history, with certified classics dropping weekly by the likes of 2Pac, Mobb Deep, Goodie Mob, Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Raekwon and GZA. Straightforward and plain has never been E-40's nature, and that left-of-center spit has been the thing that has sustained his illustrious entertainment career.

At the Desk, Charlie Hustle sets things off with "Da Bumble" from In a Major Way and continues to bounce through a catalog of big hits sprinkled with nods to his day ones. Producer Lil Jon brought him back to the mainstream in the early 2000s with "Tell Me When to Go," "U and Dat" and "Snap Yo Fingers," while TikTok injected new life in "Choices (Yup)" and introduced him to Gen Z. "I'm on my fourth wind!" 40 tells us. No lies told.

SET LIST
"Da Bumble"
"Yay Area"
"Sprinkle Me"
"Captain Save a Hoe"
"Snap Yo Fingers"
"U and Dat"
"Choices (Yup)"
"Hope I Don't Go Back"
"1-Luv"
"Function"
"Tell Me When to Go"

MUSICIANS
E-40: vocals
Kev Choice: music director, keys
Bosko Kante: music director, background vocals
Martin Luther: guitar, background vocals
Howard Wiley: saxophone, EWI
Marcus Phillips: bass, keys
Dame Drummer: drums, background vocals
Silk-E The People's Champ aka Sherri Stack-A-Grip: background vocals
DJ KMP: DJ, background vocals

TINY DESK TEAM
Producer: Bobby Carter
Director/Editor: Joshua Bryant
Audio Technical Director: Josh Newell
Videographers: Joshua Bryant, Maia Stern, Kara Frame, Mitra I. Arthur
Audio Engineer: Andie Huether
Production Assistants: Dora Levite, Ashley Pointer
Photographer: Zayrha Rodriguez
Tiny Desk Series Editor: Lars Gotrich
Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed
Series Creators: Bob Boilen, Stephen Thompson
VP, Visuals and Music: Keith Jenkins

#nprmusic #tinydesk #e40typebeat

This year's Black History Month celebration at the Tiny Desk features a carefully crafted lineup spanning many genres, generations and walks of life. Each artist represents the best in their class and will be performing at the Tiny Desk for the first time.

Bobby Carter | February 28, 2023
Omah Lay brought a calm demeanor and a bright smile to his time at NPR headquarters. By the third song of his Tiny Desk concert, “soso,” I realized that the Nigerian star was exercising lots of emotions through this set. The first two titles, “Bad Influence” and “i’m a mess,” are self-explanatory, yet the message of “soso” — that he’s yearning for something to take his pain away — could get lost in the song’s upbeat rhythms. At any rate, Omah Lay’s performance showcases a songwriter grappling with all the feels, unafraid to share them with the world.

Omah Lay rose to prominence during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic with his debut EP, Get Layd. In a short time, he’s joined the slew of African artists who’ve dominated dance floors and infiltrated America with Afro-fusion music. The feat is extraordinary and bittersweet, given that when he first broke through, the music industry was in a frenzy and the clubs closed. But songs like “Lo Lo” and “Free My Mind” resonated despite not booming in the big speakers, and he kept working until it was safe to come back out — and landed even more hits. He made the trip from Nigeria exclusively for the Tiny Desk and brought his band, The Raw Soundz, from Ghana, plus percussionist Boogie and singers Monet Shelton and Domo Abrams. Together, they flipped selections from Omah’s catalog, including a new version of his hit “understand” with a twist.


SET LIST
“Bad Influence”
“i’m a mess”
“soso”
“never forget”
Medley: “Infinity,” “bend you,” “understand”

MUSICIANS
Omah Lay: vocals
Ernest "Subroza" Osei-Bonsu: guitar
Donald Crentsil: keys
Kwabena Kyeremeh Adade: drums
Leroy "Boogie" Greer: percussion
Steve Millar: bass
Domo Abrams: vocals
Monet Shelton vocals

TINY DESK TEAM
Producer: Bobby Carter
Audio Engineer: Neil Tevault
Director/Editor: Kara Frame
Creative Director: Bob Boilen
Videographers: Kara Frame, Joshua Bryant, Maia Stern, Sofia Seidel
Audio Mix: Josh Rogosin
Audio Assistant: Josephine Nyouani
Production Assistants: Jill Britton, Ashley Pointer
Tiny Desk Team: Suraya Mohamed, Marissa Lorusso, Hazel Cills, Pilar Galvan
VP, Visuals and Music: Keith Jenkins
Senior VP, Programming: Anya Grundmann

#tinydesk #omahlay #nprmusic

Ashley Pointer | February 28, 2025
The morning that Bishop Marvin Sapp came to NPR, he told me that it was his kids who really emphasized how important it was for him to accept our invitation to perform: "They told me, 'Dad, Tiny Desk is for the culture.' "

Backed by a four-piece band and a six-piece choir, Sapp transforms our office into a sanctuary, performing an 11-song medley of praise and worship hits that span more than three decades in music and ministry. From the moment his set begins, the spirit moves through the room, filling every corner with raw emotion, joy and reverence.

From Sapp's early days with the trailblazing '90s gospel group Commissioned to penning anthems like "Never Would Have Made It" — a song that transcends church walls — his impact is woven into the fabric of Black culture. "What's funny is, I saw some of y'all singing these songs, and y'all weren't even born when I recorded them," Sapp jokes, underscoring his intergenerational influence. Yet, despite his legendary status, Sapp took time after the performance to speak and pray with members of our audience, choosing ministry first, above all else.

SET LIST
"I Believe"
"Not the Time, Not the Place"
"Grace and Mercy"
"Perfect Peace"
"Shout Unto God"
"Here I Am"
"Praise Him in Advance"
"You Are God Alone"
"He Has His Hands on You"
"My Testimony"
"The Best in Me"
"Never Would Have Made It"

MUSICIANS
Bishop Marvin Sapp: vocals
Curtis Lindsey: keys, music director
Thaddeus Johnson: bass
Tavarius "Varo" Johnson: drums
Sam Mitchem: guitar
Christina Michelle: background vocals
Gus Lacy: background vocals
Shaki Wilson: background vocals
Jarmone: background vocals
A. D. Gillispie: background vocals
Melissa Lee: background vocals

TINY DESK TEAM
Producers: Bobby Carter, Ashley Pointer
Director/Editor: Joshua Bryant
Audio Technical Director: Josh Newell
Host/Series Producer: Bobby Carter
Videographers: Joshua Bryant, Kara Frame, Maia Stern, Mitra I. Arthur
Audio Engineer: Josephine Nyounai
Production Assistant: Dora Levite
Photographer: Michael Zamora
Tiny Desk Copy Editor: Lars Gotrich
Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed
Series Creators: Bob Boilen, Stephen Thompson
VP, Visuals and Music: Keith Jenkins

#nprmusic #tinydesk #marvinsapp

Alanté Serene | April 1, 2025
Chocolate Droppa walked into the office with a laser focus and a clear mission. He didn’t ask for much during soundcheck, just a preview of beats from The Band of Brothas and a shot of espresso. He was about to do something that had never been done at Tiny Desk before — freestyle an entire set “off the dome.”

It’s been over nine years since Droppa dropped his debut mixtape, which featured heavy hitters like Migos, Big Sean, Nick Jonas and more. “Every time I see people,” the rapper shares during his set, “the first thing they say is ‘Droppa where you been? When you gonna give us more?’ ” Well, the answer is now. Those who aren’t hip may recognize the emcee as his alter-ego, Kevin Hart, who’s become a household name in comedy and acting. But this unscripted set proves that Chocolate Droppa’s rap game is equally entertaining. There’s really no need to compare him to any other performer you’ve seen, because as Droppa puts it himself, he’s “not them.”

SET LIST
“ATL RAP”
“West Coast”
“Love Song”
“Don't F*** with Dem”

MUSICIANS
Chocolate Droppa: vocals
Slim Wav: keys
Sharod Virtuoso: guitar
EJ MoBetta: bass
Jordan Hemby: drums

TINY DESK TEAM
Producers: Alanté Serene, Bobby Carter
Director/Editor: Kara Frame
Audio Technical Director: Josh Newell
Videographers: Kara Frame, Maia Stern, Joshua Bryant
Audio Engineers: Neil Tevault, Andie Huether
Production Assistants: Ashley Pointer, Dora Levite
Photographer: Zayrha Rodriguez
Tiny Desk Series Editor: Lars Gotrich
Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed
Series Creators: Bob Boilen, Stephen Thompson
VP, Visuals and Music: Keith Jenkins

#tinydesk #chocolatedroppa #kevinhart

Lars Gotrich | July 28, 2026
ELUCID and billy woods have pounded the pavement for over two decades, which can feel like several lifetimes in underground rap years. Together as Armand Hammer, and separately on their own, the catalog runs deep. But even as more co-signs, features and bigger-name producers take note, a deep undercurrent remains: They reflect and refract the horrors and joys of the world, creating a kind of kaleidoscopic healing. As my colleague Rodney Carmichael puts it: The more complicated the times get, the easier it is to understand them.

But this ain't just for the heads; it takes a heart to feel what they're putting down. Frequently backed by warped and warbled production, these New York emcees trade reference-heavy and emotionally taut verses like oral histories passed down from front stoops. How does that translate to the Tiny Desk? That's where LA comes in, with producer Kenny Segal, jazz trio Human Error Club and guitarist Ryan Crosby.

Segal's arrangements channel the core Armand Hammer tension into a band that leaves smoke trails for the emcees to clear. Guitar fuzz squeals on "Laraaji." Whimsical chiptune melodies soundtrack an escapist nostalgia loop on "Super Nintendo." We get solo tracks from both ELUCID ("Spelling") and woods ("Spongebob" and "Discolated"), whose face is strategically placed behind a pop filter — anonymity is part of his art. Closing us out, "Stonefruit," which has become a calling card for the duo, embodies a tag-team whose hunger for life is both contemplative and carnal.

SET LIST
"Laraaji"
"Super Nintendo"
"Spongebob"
"Spelling"
"Dislocated"
"Stonefruit"

MUSICIANS
billy woods: vocals
ELUCID: vocals
Kenny Segal: keys, sampler, Omnichord, music director
Ryan Crosby: guitar, bass
Diego Gaeta: keys
Jesse Justice: keys
Mekala Session: drums

TINY DESK TEAM
Producer: Lars Gotrich
Director/Editor: Joshua Bryant
Audio Engineer/Mix: Neil Tevault
Host/Series Producer: Bobby Carter
Videographers: Joshua Bryant, Maia Stern, Kara Frame
Audio Engineer: Tiffany Vera Castro
Production Assistant: Ashley Pointer
Copy Editor: Sheldon Pearce
Photographer: Vanessa Castillo
Tiny Desk Team: Josh Newell, Felix Contreras
Series Editor: Lars Gotrich
Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed
Executive Director: Sonali Mehta
Series Creators: Bob Boilen, Stephen Thompson, Robin Hilton

#armandhammer #elucid #billywoods #nprmusic #tinydesk

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Watch Masego play "Tadow", "Nayhoo", "Queen Tings", "Black Love" and "I Do Everything" at the Tiny Desk.

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July 24, 2019 | Sidney Madden -- Imagine for a moment if Cab Calloway, the Cotton Club's exuberant bandleader, was reincarnated in the 21st Century. Now imagine if he was dropped in the middle of the music world of today. He'd no doubt be a tall and slender, silky-wearing goof ball with a moisturized braid-out, instruments inscribed as knuckle tattoos and a penchant for genre-blending. Yes, the spirit of Cab lives on in Masego, the singer, producer and multi-instrumentalist who surprised NPR's Tiny Desk audience with a zany sense of showmanship and a demonstration of his own genre, TrapHouseJazz.

Masego's five-song set at the Desk wound up feeling something like a jam session — props and surprise guests included. First, before opening with the jazzy "Tadow," Sego pulled off a quick, mini-prank by sending his friend, comedian Lorenzo Cromwell, up to the mic before stepping forth himself. Next, Sego tossed up 100 dollar bills with his face on it and beckoned the crowd into a call-and-response of "hi-di-hi-di-hi-di-ho." Finally, to have a few more moments of fun after "I Do Everything" — and to prove he really does do everything — Sego juggled water bottles to the rhythm of the luscious music his band providing.

Born in Jamaica and raised in Virginia, Masego grew up on gospel, jazz and hip-hop. With an appetite for all genres and an ambidextrous nature for learning music, the 26-year-old's been mixing all his influences up, traveling the world and collaborating with the likes of GoldLink, SiR and Ari Lennox. Where his sound takes him next is anyone's guess, but at the Tiny Desk, the multi-hyphenate found his sweet spot.

SET LIST
"Tadow"
"Nayhoo"
"Queen Tings"
"Black Love"
"I Do Everything"

MUSICIANS
Masego: vocals, saxophone; Jon Curry: drums; Dan Foster: keys, saxophone; Maxwell Hunter: bass; Melanie Faye: guitar; Lex Nelson: vocals; Lorenzo Cromwell: comedic saxophone

CREDITS
Producers: Abby O'Neill, Morgan Noelle Smith; Creative Director: Bob Boilen; Audio Engineers: Josh Rogosin, Patrick Boyd; Videographers: Morgan Noelle Smith, Kaylee Domzalski, CJ Riculan, Tsering Bista; Associate Producer: Bobby Carter; Photo: Claire Harbage/NPR

The Tiny Desk is working from home for the foreseeable future. Introducing NPR Music's Tiny Desk (home) concerts, bringing you performances from across the country and the world. It's the same spirit — stripped-down sets, an intimate setting — just a different space.

Dec. 7, 2020 | Felix Contreras -- The Austin-based rock band Black Pumas is having a good 2020. The group, led by singer Eric Burton and guitarist Adrian Quesada, was just nominated for three Grammys, including album of the year for Black Pumas (Deluxe Edition), and both record of the year and best American roots performance for the track "Colors." The band's turn behind a tiny desk (and chair) shows why its debut album — now more than a year old — is receiving so much recognition right now.

Black Pumas' gritty, retro-soul groove is on full display, while the intensity level builds gradually throughout this four-song set. It's clear why the band's live shows have won over fans. From the opening strains of "Red Rover," Burton digs deep and by the time we get to the ballad "OCT 33," he's burning with old-school soul heartbreak.

Quesada's guitar is the perfect call-and-response foil, while the entire band — complete with two powerful back-up singers — calls to mind soul classics, but with a groovy new sheen.

I've seen some of Black Pumas' shows in recent years and the band gets better every time out. The power of this Tiny Desk (home) concert shows that they always bring it, no matter the size of the audience.

SET LIST
"Red Rover"
"Fire"
"OCT 33"
"Colors"

MUSICIANS
Eric Burton: vocals, guitar
Adrian Quesada: guitar
Lauren Cervantes: vocals
Angela Miller: vocals
JaRon Marshall: keys
Brendan Bond: bass
Steve Bidwell: drums

CREDITS
Video: Amos David McKay / TWO HEADED BOY
Audio: Aaron Glemboski
TINY DESK TEAM
Producer: Felix Contreras
Video Producer: Morgan Noelle Smith
Audio Mastering: Josh Rogosin
Associate Producer: Bobby Carter
Tiny Production Team: Bob Bolien, Kara Frame, Maia Stern
Executive Producer: Lauren Onkey
Senior VP, Programming: Anya Grundmann

Dec. 5, 2018 | Abby O'Neill -- The Wu-Tang Clan gathered at the Tiny Desk to commemorate the 25 years since the release of the group's landmark album Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers). With more than 60 albums between the various members, The Clan's combined discography left them spoiled for choice when it came to narrowing down the set list for their performance. The result was an extended, 20-minute medley of songs from across the group's iconic catalog.

The retrospective mashup of Wu classics started with the posse cut "Triumph." Backed by strings (The Green Project), the performance morphed into an old-school cipher as Raekwon, Inspectah Deck and Cappadonna traded verses with Masta Killa and U-God. Young Dirty Bastard, son of original member Ol' Dirty Bastard, provided a spark of energy reminiscent of his father.

At one moment in the performance, RZA — the mastermind behind the Clan's success — omits some explicit lyrics from earlier in his Wu journey, while alluding to the #MeToo movement mid-cadence. But it's the poetic interlude, read from his phone at the close of the set, that better reflects his current state of consciousness. "Wu-Tang is for the kids!" RZA proclaims. The core of the group began as childhood pals in Staten Island in the early '90s, when the crew's creative philosophy was influenced by everything from Saturday afternoon kung-fu flicks to the spiritual wisdom of the Five-Percent Nation. As they've matured, Raekwon still describes the Wu as "superfriends." They've allowed each other to grow and form various offshoots in recent years. But when the Wu-Tang Clan comes together, they still bring a love for the culture and for their brotherhood.

Set List
"Wu Classics"

Credits
Producers: Abby O'Neill, Morgan Noelle Smith; Creative Director: Bob Boilen; Audio Engineer: Josh Rogosin; Videographers: Morgan Noelle Smith, Kaylee Domzalski, Maia Stern, Bronson Arcuri, CJ Riculan; Editor: Kaylee Domzalski; Production Assistant: Brie Martin; Photo: Cameron Pollack/NPR

This Black Music Month, Tiny Desk is giving the ladies their flowers. We’re releasing nine Tiny Desk concerts from Black women artists, from veterans who’ve paved the way for what we hear today in Black music, to those who are carving out their own paths.

Mitra I. Arthur | June 14, 2024
After a moment of praise in her set, Kierra Sheard said jokingly, “I don’t wanna make this Tiny Desk Sunday morning service.” That ability to unapologetically speak on faith in any location, even the Tiny Desk, is a hallmark of Gospel music and a strength of Sheard’s. Since her solo debut at 17, Sheard has released music that keeps God’s word at the forefront, while being packaged to reach audiences who might not be in the church pew on Sunday mornings. That music has garnered her several Dove and Stellar awards, as well as multiple Grammy nominations. She and her brother, producer and drummer J. Drew Sheard II, learned music ministry under the tutelage of their mother, Karen Clark-Sheard, and aunts, who make up the legendary gospel group The Clark Sisters.

In our meeting prior to filming her Tiny Desk, Sheard asked “Can I get at least one run?” To which our team replied “Absolutely — more than one!” Those soul stirring runs are present in this uplifting medley of new cuts from her latest album, All Yours, and tracks from her 20 year catalog. “You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet” aptly introduces Sheard’s presence at the Tiny Desk. I found myself continually singing “All Yours” and “Hang On” for days after the performance. Her testimony in “It Keeps Happening” and “Something Has To Break” moved many in our office as Sheard declared, “What I can’t do, God can do!” And in classic church “turn to your neighbor” fashion, she implored the audience to “Turn to somebody and say I’m supposed to be here!” There is no doubt Sheard is supposed to be at the Tiny Desk.

SET LIST
“You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet”
“You Don’t Know”
“Yes”
“Love Like Crazy”
“Praise Offering”
“It Keeps Happening”
“Indescribable”
“Something Has To Break”
“All Yours”
“Hang On”
“Miracles”

MUSICIANS
Kierra Sheard: lead vocals
Justin Brooks: keys, musical direction
J. Drew Sheard ll: drums, musical direction
Aaron Draper: percussion
Tony Stanford: guitar
Alan “Snoop” Evans: bass
De’Sean Jones: saxophone
Frank Walton: trumpet
Zacharia El-magharbel: trombone
Marcus Johnson: vocals
Kevin Stewart: vocals
Johnyce Jackson: vocals
Jemika Ferguson: vocals

TINY DESK TEAM
Producers: Mitra I. Arthur, Bobby Carter
Director/Editor: Maia Stern
Audio Technical Director: Josephine Nyounai
Videographers: Maia Stern, Kara Frame, Joshua Bryant, Sofia Seidel
Audio Engineer: Josh Newell
Production Assistant: Alanté Serene
Photographer: Michael Zamora
Animation: Jackie Lay
Florist: Kelanda Edwards
Tiny Desk Team: Hazel Cills, Ashley Pointer
Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed
Series Creators: Bob Boilen, Stephen Thompson
VP, Visuals and Music: Keith Jenkins

#nprmusic #tinydesk #kierrasheard

Bobby Carter | November 25, 2024
To celebrate the 20th anniversary of her debut album, Complex Simplicity, Teedra Moses came draped in all red, the same color she wore on the album’s cover. She couldn’t wait to get into the office and sing. Admittedly, I held off from formally inviting her to play the Desk for a couple of years because I knew this landmark was approaching, and this album was worth honoring in a major way. She rarely performs songs from Complex… exclusively, so she brought family and invited special guests to participate, including long-time collaborator J. Black and Tiny Desk alumnus Durand Bernarr.

2004 was a banner year for R&B albums, with debuts from John Legend, Ciara, and Fantasia. We also got the final album from Destiny’s Child and Usher’s magnum opus, Confessions, among many others. Moses came at a time when love songs still reigned supreme and while she carried that tradition into Complex Simplicity, on the flip side, she also wrote about how she really felt, which makes this album so unique. The balance of hard, soft and slick was a refreshing formula. Moses’ brazen approach to songwriting influenced a generation of women in R&B, like SZA, Summer Walker, and Ari Lennox. Behind the Desk, she ran through the best of Complex Simplicity, closing with the original and Kaytranada remix of “Be Your Girl.”

SET LIST
“Caught Up”
“Complex Simplicity”
“You'll Never Find (a Better Woman)”
“You Better Tell Her”
“No More Tears”
“Take Me”
“Backstroke”
“Be Your Girl”

MUSICIANS
Teedra Moses: vocals
LeShawn Thomas: bass, musical direction
Sharod Virtuoso: guitar
Branden Akinyele: drums
Brandon Butler: keys
Durand Bernarr: background vocals, co-musical direction
J. Black: background vocals
Amanda Mikkel: background vocals

TINY DESK TEAM
Producer: Bobby Carter
Director/Editor: Kara Frame
Audio Technical Director: Josh Newell
Host/Series Producer: Bobby Carter
Videographers: Kara Frame, Maia Stern, Joshua Bryant, Sofia Seidel
Audio Engineer: Josephine Nyounai
Production Assistant: Ashley Pointer
Photographer: Estefania Mitre
Tiny Desk Copy Editor: Hazel Cills
Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed
Series Creators: Bob Boilen, Stephen Thompson
VP, Visuals and Music: Keith Jenkins

#tinydesk #nprmusic #teedramoses

Support for NPR Music comes from Better Help, committed to making mental well-being a priority
and offering support in taking on everything life demands. With therapists available to communicate via video, chat, or phone. At BetterHelp.com/TinyDesk.

June 30, 2016 by FELIX CONTRERAS • Sometimes it's necessary to get back to basics. In the case of Los Hacheros, that means returning to the deep groove of Afro-Caribbean music that provides the source material for modern salsa and all of its permutations.

As you'll see in this video, the band's dedication to authenticity is masterfully executed with a serious dose of sabor. In fact, the band was so swinging, it was impossible to sit on the sidelines and pass up my own chance to jump in during "Bambulaye" and perform with the band myself. So clear out the furniture and turn up the sound on this video to create your own dance party.

Bambulaye is available now:
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/al....bum/bambulaye/id1083
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Bambula....ye-LOS-HACHEROS/dp/B

Set List:
"Baila Con Los Hacheros"
"Papote's Guajira"
"Bambulaye"

Credits:
Producers: Felix Contreras, Niki Walker; Audio Engineer: Josh Rogosin; Videographers: Niki Walker, Kara Frame, Colin Marshall; Production Assistant: Jackson Sinnenberg; Photo: NPR.

For more Tiny Desk concerts, subscribe to our podcast.

Suraya Mohamed | November 10, 2022
The day before The Ezra Collective’s Tiny Desk concert, the band members practiced for hours at a nearby community music space and the next morning, they walked in the door giddy and ready to go. The warm-up was good, but once we started to record, a crazy intensity and energy spilled out into the room. They were fierce and fun and all of their solos were on fire.

The band makes amazing jazz music and mixes it with a fusion of other genres like Afrobeat, hip-hop and grime. The London-based band was supposed to play this Tiny Desk concert in 2020, but then, as bandleader and phenom drummer Femi Koleoso put it, “the world collapsed.” Here it is now, rockin’ hard with the highest level of musicianship and technique.

Before coming to NPR, Koleoso had just finished a world tour with the group Gorillaz. He met up with his bandmates in Washington, D.C., to play this concert and kick off promotion for the band’s newly released sophomore album, Where I’m Meant To Be. He explained on Instagram that he loves the album title because it's vague and specific at the same time, just like his band, a multifaceted complement of contrasting attributes. The first two songs in this set are from that new album while the last, “Chapter 7,” is from the group’s 2016 EP. Throughout the set, watch how keyboard player Joe Armon-Jones barely stays on his seat and hear how the audience couldn’t keep quiet. After the concert, the spirit of the music lingered for a long time and the day ended with pictures, hugs and plenty of smiles.

SET LIST
“Victory Dance”
“Welcome To My World”
“Chapter 7”

MUSICIANS
Femi Koleoso: drums
TJ Koleoso: bass
Joe Armon-Jones: keys
James Mollison: saxophone
Ife Ogunjobi: trumpet

TINY DESK TEAM
Producer: Suraya Mohamed
Director/Editor: Joshua Bryant
Audio Engineer: Josh Rogosin
Creative Director: Bob Boilen
Series Producer: Bobby Carter
Videographers: Joshua Bryant, Kara Frame, Maia Stern, Sofia Seidel
Audio Assistant: Andie Huether
Production Assistant: Jill Britton
Tiny Desk Team: Marissa Lorusso, Hazel Cills, Ashley Pointer, Teresa Xie
VP, Visuals and Music: Keith Jenkins
Senior VP, Programming: Anya Grundmann

#nprmusic #tinydesk #ezracollective