Black Star’s Talib Kweli and Yasiin Bey appear on SNL: Watch

Dynamic hip-hop duo Black Star made their Saturday Night Live debut by performing two tracks from their recently released sophomore album, No Fear of Time.

Talib Kweli and Yasiin Bey (aka Mos Def) ran through So be it and The Main Thing is to Keep the Main Thing the Main Thing. The nightly performance not only marked the duo’s first time performing music from No Fear of Time on national television, but also the first opportunity for the general public to hear the album outside of the Luminary podcast network, where it has been exclusively since live release earlier this year. Watch the replay below.

Ahead of their SNL appearance, Black Star presented the video for “So Be It” exclusively on Consequence. “The song is a lyrical exercise, bar over bar, but we don’t rhyme to solve puzzles, as the great Chuck D might say,” explained Kweli. “This song is a call to action. It’s a prayer. It’s a manifesto.”

Kweli also noted the importance of Black Star’s performance on SNL, saying, “I can’t remember ever seeing a hip-hop, more independent group than Black Star on SNL, so I’m definitely excited for them.” culture to stand.”

Black Star will headline a show at New York’s Sony Hall following their SNL performance on Tuesday, November 15th.

Elsewhere on last night’s SNL, host Dave Chappelle used most of his monologue to discuss Kanye West’s recent play on anti-Semitism.