Check out some video footage one of our editor’s caught in the crowd at Rock the Bells in New York. We have video from every performance on the main stage!

Havoc of Mobb Deep Performs at Rock the Bells

Talib Kweli and Common Perform “Respiration”

RZA Introduces ODB’s Son in Dirty Tribute

We have more videos from Rock the Bells, check them out on our youtube channel.

Photo by Kendra Desrosiers

Chester French and Q-tip perform at Summer Stage.

Central Park was live this afternoon at the Summerstage concert with headliner Q-Tip. It was hot and there was no shade in sight but that didn’t stump the crowd’s energy. Chester French, Sweden-based group Little Dragon, and DJ Benji B got the crowd ready for “The Abstract.” Familiar also sited today included Cassie, Damon Dash, and Amanda Diva.

Duo, Chester French moved the crowd with hits from their mixtape “Jacques Jams, Vol 1: Endurance” and debut album Love The Future. DA Wallach had the crowd laughing at his dorky swag as he instructed the crowd to commence in a soul snap. “Hands up in the fucking air! We need you to snap with us in a second!”

They performed songs like “Jimmy Choos,” “C’mon” and crowd favorite “She Loves Everybody.” The pit was packed with toddlers and guests of a guest but we managed to get some video of their set, check it out:

Chester French @ SummerStage NYC from 25 Magazine on Vimeo.

The Queens Hip Hop legend, Q-tip gave a phenomenal performance with a live band to the at capacity venue. He performed a mix of A Tribe Called Quest classics including “Bonita Applebum,” “Scenario,” and “Sucka N*ggas” as well as “Award Tour,” in which all the die hard “real Hip Hop heads” sang word for word. Tip also performed songs from his latest album The Renaissance, such as “We Fight/We Love” and “Gettin Up.”

While Tip performed “Vivrant Thing,” Diddy danced into the press pit, hopped on stage and did his famous two-step. No one expected it (but 25 caught it on tape and video!). After ending his set, Q-tip came back on stage for “Life is Better,” and jumped in the crowd.

No one wanted Q-tip to ever leave the stage and he clearly gave all his energy to the crowd by sweating out his white tee and presumably his knee high black socks. His performance was unforgettable indeed.

Here’s some Twitter highlights:

@25mag: @iamdiddy jumped on stage w/@qtiptheabstract, guess who’s the only to get video and photo? @25mag, get familiar, best show of the summer!

@25mag: Industry rule number 4080, record company people are shadyyyy

@25mag: He’s in the crowd, where is he? we can’t see you tip, you a lil short my man

@25mag: @qtiptheabstract is sweatin hard, great show!

Check out our exclusive video coverage and photos of Q-tip’s performance, including Diddy’s dance number:

Check out: Q-Tip @ SummerStage Photo Gallery

Editor, Stacy-Ann Ellis reviews the Tanya Morgan and Marco Polo & Torae show  at Southpaw (NYC).

Brooklyn was the place to be this Wednesday, as rap trio Tanya Morgan and Torae & Marco Polo graced the stage at Southpaw in Park Slope to promote their freshly released albums, Brooklynati and Double Barrel, respectively. During their time on stage, up and comers Tanya Morgan playfully called out all those in the audience “tweeting” throughout the evening’s performances...25 Magazine staff were not excluded.

Check out some of the evening’s tweet highlights:

@25mag: “A lot of rappers will sell you dreams. But I give it to you real. I keep it 100. And a [dude] don’t stop cause I love it.” – Torae

@25mag: @tanyamorgan make you want to like them. There’s nothing like hunger and love for the craft to steer an unfamiliar ear.

@25mag: Did @tanyamorgan just call their openers on to the stage to be their hypemen?

@25mag: @chegrand is hilarious, awkwardly trying to convince the crowd he knew all the words to TM’s single

Fortunately, Che has a sense of humor: @chegrand: @25mag lmao. reckless

Aside from Torae & Marco Polo and Tanya Morgan, special guests Che Grand, DJ Element, and Brown Bag All-Stars also performed during the event. Though all performers brought their A-game to the stage, Tanya Morgan was the clear crowd favorite. “Bang & Boogie” and “So Damn Down” got the crowd head-bopping, pumping arms, and swaying every which way. Their music was not the only thing securing their title for best performance of the night. They were fully animated (and choreographed!…sort of) and as they performed, drew energy from the crowd and each other. By the end of their performance, all of the night’s performers were on stage with Tanya Morgan hyping up the crowd and ending the show with a bang.

Check out The Five One’s week eight N.E.R.D. remix of “Kill Joy.” Read more for download.

Download Here [shouts to DeuceDay]

Jimmy Fallon has taken a musical approach to news  by delivering coverage via The Roots slow jam.

Did Jimmy Fallon just call Black Thought, Tyrek? Can he do that?

Last night Kanye West proclaimed his mouth “a vessel in which God lets beautiful words flow through.” Donning a frohawk, grey suit, black bow tie, rose-colored shirt, white kicks, and tinted shades, Kanye shamelessly revealed himself in a memorable performance on the TV special, VH1 Storytellers.

His live band, who wore black motorcycle helmets, and his stage equipped with flashing lights had Kanye written all over it. The rapper turned auto-tune crooner journeyed through the meanings behind such songs as “Amazing,” “Say You Will,” “Touch the Sky” and others.

Everyone knows that once Yeezy is given a mic and some air time, he is not afraid to speak his mind. While performing “Flashing Lights,” he responded to the news concerning Dr. Adam’s new book about the death of his mother, What I Know, and the Press Isn’t Telling: The Truth behind the Death of Donda West.

“Now that my mom has passed would she really want me to put myself in a situation for going to jail for killing him?”

You can always count on Kanye for gaucherie and controversy. VH1 also cut out parts of the special in which, Kanye defends Chris Brown about the recent incident with Rihanna before the Grammy’s, earlier in the month.

Known for his upfront, ‘no frills’ opinions about anything and everything, Kanye gave authentic anecdotes about his life. Here are some standout quotes from the special:

While performing “Amazing” from 808 & Heartbreaks:

“Amazing, Michael Jackson, amazing. Michael Phelps, amazing, O.J. Simpson amazing. Is he not? What he did when he what he did was he not amazing?”

“I apologize for acting like a bitch at award shows, it’s an award show. I didn’t kill anyone. But yet and still I apologize for my ungraciousness…”

While performing “Stronger” from Graduation:

“More than an artist, I’m a real person and real people grow and I wanna sing my growth…”- In response to criticism on the lack of growth in Hip Hop

While performing “Touch the Sky” from Late Registration:

“I am so disappointed that I cannot see me perform accept but on playback. You are welcome to know that you will have a pleasure I will never have.”

“Shout out to 3Gs one of the few that dress as fresh as me.” – on Andre 3000’s style.

While performing “Say You Will” from 808 & Heartbreaks:

“To have someone so special in your life that you are inspired by them. I ask myself as I date, what am I looking for? The requirement of this position is inspirement…and I am hiring, but also firing.”

While performing “Good Life” from Graduation:

“If I hadn’t suffered those losses I might be scared or too scared be too scared to fight the world on traditional thinking.”- in response to his mother’s death and his breakup with ex-fiance.

If you missed it, be sure to view the special online on Vh1’s website.

Also while you’re at it download Kanye West’s: VH1 Storytellers mixtape with the exclusive performances.

-Natelege