Reflection Eternal perform unreleased track from their upcoming sophomore LP, Revolutions Per Minute at Club 9:30 in Washington, D.C. Read more for a review of the show.
WASHINGTON—Patrons of Club 9:30 were time travelers on Monday, Aug. 31. Twenty-somethings donned in hip-hop inspired graphic T-shirts, limited-edition fitted caps and Nike dunk sneakers waited anxiously in line to enter the V Street venue at 7 p.m. that cool evening. The line was slow, but the show moved slower.
Bloggers and tweeters alike snapped photos of concert signage on the venue walls, “Due to injuries Slaughterhouse will not be performing tonight.” The show was delayed by hours, and Slaughterhouse had been removed from the set list. Perhaps rightfully so.
Their recent single “The One,” an ode to “sex and drugs and dirty money,” would make the rap super-group appear out of place alongside content-conscious duos Slum Village and headliner Reflection Eternal (Talib Kweli and DJ Hi-tek).
Two hours in, legendary producer Pete Rock began the journey. Queen Latifah, “U-N-I-T-Y” (1993); Souls of Mischief, “93’ till Infinity” (1993); The Pharcyde, “Runnin” (1995); Wu-Tang Clan, “C.R.E.A.M.” (1994). Few tracks were younger than 10 years old, but the crowd members knew every word and proudly rapped along.
The pit in front of the stage was tightly packed but hardly uncomfortable. Despite the critically acclaimed headliner, Club 9:30 was nowhere near its 1,200-person capacity. It was also devoid of the inexorably thick, sweaty and often suffocating air and incessant shoving and spilled drinks—a commonplace of other Rock the Bells productions.
Freestyle rapper Supernatural wowed concert-goers while rapping about miscellaneous items they waved in the air, among them a wedding ring, sunglasses and a plastic cup. Unfortunately for repeat Rock the Bells attendees, much of that particular freestyle was recycled.
After odes to rap veterans Slick Rick, Busta Rhymes and the late producer J Dilla, Slum Village took the stage. They were a man short. Rapper Baatin died a month earlier, mid tour.
Surviving members, T-3 and Elzhi, presumably took an excursion from the show’s caravan through golden-era hip-hop and performed material from their upcoming LP, “Villa Manifesto,” to avoid Baatin verses. The duo did, however, perform a few crowd favorites, “Disco” and “Selfish,” and in tribute they softly whispered Baatin’s verse on “Tainted” as the audience sang along.
Shortly after, the native tongues lyricist Talib Kweli hit the stage with Reflection Eternal cohort, DJ Hi-tek. Kweli delivered a lively set, a mix of Reflection Eternal, BlackStar and solo material.
A concert-goer joked that Kweli appeared to be out of breath, his lyrics too complex to be jumping around and staying on tempo. Lucky for the Reflection Eternal emcee, audience members filled in the gaps of every gasp with chants and crazed fanaticism, unfazed.
The evening’s ’90s rap flashback came to a close as Kweli performed some unreleased material from Reflection Eternal’s upcoming album, “Revolutions Per Minute,” between bursts of “Move Somethin,” “Eternalists” and “The Blast.”
For musicians who cut their teeth on soul samples and boom bap, they did not disappoint. The young crowd was moved and after the encore, reluctant to file out into the small hours, still rooting for Kweli because he brought back clever rapping.
–Kendra Desrosiers
