Lyrical Alliance featuring Talib Kweli | Roundhouse

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16 Oct 2010 / Roundhouse Main Space

Hosted by UK hip hop lynchpin DJ MK (KISS FM, Roots Manuva, Dizzee Rascal), Lyrical Alliance is a ground-breaking, international urban music event that transcends language and cultural barriers to celebrate the common pillars of hip-hop all over the world: the beat and the word. 

Taking the legendary Mu’Allaqat poems - written at a time when the Arab region was the cultural and intellectual centre of the world – as a starting point, the artists will dig deep into the roots of their art form, developing new work together in a series of live sessions and workshops throughout the year that will reach a climax with a series of major concerts in Europe in Autumn 2010.

The second half of the evening features major US artist Talib Kweli. Ever since emerging alongside Mos Def as a member of Black Star in the late 90s, Talib Kweli is one of the few artists making commercially viable music that matters – hard hitting and simultaneously able to educate and entertain, his socially conscious brand of rap counts Jay-Z and Fifty Cent amongst its biggest fans. His 6^th album Ear Drum was released in May this year on his own label Blacksmith Music.

Talib Kweli will be joined by members of the Lyrical Alliance posse for a momentous finale to this righteous and inspirational hip hop collaboration:

DJ MK (UK): One of the UKs leading Hip Hop deejays, MK has been a favourite on the club scene for the last 10 years, displaying his turntable dexterity up and down the UK and throughout Europe, Australia and the United States. What sets MK apart from many of his peers is his ability to rock a crowd wherever he plays, be it London’s Ministry Of Sound, an Underground UK Hip Hop Jam, Pacha in Ibiza or an Arctic Monkeys after-party.

Rabah Ourrad (Algeria): One of the cleverest and most courageous rappers around, Rabah Ourrad of Le Micro Brise Le Silence, describes the state of things in Algeria with the blackest of sarcasm. When he released the album “Rabah Président”, the MBS rapper landed a media coup.

Rayess Bek (Lebanon): At a time when all rappers in the Middle-East were putting out records in English and French, Wael (a.k.a. Rayess Bek) decided to flip the script and rap in Arabic, adapting rap music to his background to create his own sound and style. His lyrics - always polished, sharp and committed - speak about Lebanon, its crisis, its war, its youth and disillusionment with politics by the new generation.

Shadia Mansour: British born Palestinian, Shadia Mansour has independently become one of the leading female Arabian MCs, with a velvety voice and a flawless ability to switch from rapping to singing. She has performed alongside Hip Hop luminaries including Q-Tip, EPMD and opened for Busta Rhymes and Mobb Deep and international touring has ranged from the US to the West Bank.

Samm (Jordan): Samer Zaki AKA “Samm” is a Jordanian rapper, who started rapping in 2001. At the beginning of 2009 Samm was chosen among 6000 Arab rappers to represent his country in the Hip Hop talent show “Beit El Hip Hop”.

Tamer Nafar (Palestine): Tamer Nafar is a Palestinian Israeli rap artist who began writing and making rap music in 1998. In 2000 his brother Suhell and their friend Mahmoud Jrere started the first Palestinian-Arab rap group, DAM. Singing mostly in Arabic but also in Hebrew and English, DAM has become a popular Palestinian rap crew in recent years.

Advance Tickets: £22.50

Latecomers will be admitted throughout. Suitability for children Music: Under 16s to be accompanied, under 14s accompanied and in seated areas only.

A little taste: