Labor Day Hip-Hop Hotness...

Talib Kweli and Regime Change @ Sputnik

For any hip-hop fan the place to be last Saturday was club Sputnik in Brooklyn. Legendary rapper Talib Kweli, along with solid up and coming hip-hop acts Regime Change, AKILLES and the OddICY, Red Clay and other guests took the stage for a hot and steamy live performance that had the basement venue bumping with a jam packed audience of rabid hip-hop fans.
The major highlights of the night included slam poet, Devin Carthan who bottled up nostalgia in his poem “Back in the day” urging the crowd to remember their childhood joys of Saturday morning cartoons and Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.

Philly-based AKILLES and the OddICY put on a killer full band performance that would have made the Roots proud. Their reggae infused hip-hop was delivered in a high energy, word assault lead by a motley crew of rappers that held their own with blazing hot rhymes, thus setting the tone for the performances to come.
Following their performance, Okai and Max!m!l of Regime Change took the stage equipped with both a killer rhythm section and horn section to put on one of the hottest performances of the night featuring their unique international hip-hop blend. Their set list, featuring the single “Life” as well as some new material, were transformed in to a live show extravaganza filled with killer drum solos and funky horns wailing in the background, while Max!m!l and Okai traded off their phenomenal word play like the pros that they are. Regime Change brought the international party and the crowd went absolutely crazy for it, making it a show that was going to be a hard act to follow for Talib Kweli.

Talib and his crew of special guests Jean Grae and Styles P plowed through a stellar set of songs ranging from his Black Star years to some new jams that haven’t even been recorded yet. By the time Talib was on stage, the room was steaming from the body heat of the sold out crowd, but nobody seemed to care as they watched Talib Kweli drop some of the sickest rhymes in the book. Closing out the night was “Get By,” which everyone in the audience knew every word to, making it a crowning way to end a solid night of hip-hop acts new and old.