SACHA PFEIFFER, HOST:

The rapper Juvenile requested this query – WTF is a Tiny Desk? He is behind hits like “Again That Thang Up” and “Gradual Movement.” And on Twitter, a fan had been begging him to look on the NPR Music video efficiency collection, which apparently he had not heard about. That was in mid-April. By late June…

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JUVENILE: (Rapping) You recognize what it’s to make nothing out of one thing. You deal with your biz. And do not be crying and struggling.

(CHEERING)

JUANA SUMMERS, HOST:

He performed a few of his best hits in a stripped-down efficiency right here at NPR headquarters. And I obtained to inform you, from my spot within the crowd, it was unbelievable. For the fiftieth anniversary of hip-hop this month, NPR Music is pulling collectively all of its hip-hop Tiny Desk Concert events. And NPR Music’s Bobby Carter is the senior producer behind lots of them. Hey, Bobby.

BOBBY CARTER, BYLINE: What up, Juana?

SUMMERS: OK. So I notice that I’m asking you a query that is type of like asking you to choose your favourite baby, however I will do it anyway. Give us just a few of your favourite hip-hop Tiny Desks.

SUMMERS: It’s like choosing a baby. However I at all times like to separate them into two. So a few of my favorites, clearly, are those which might be the undeniables (ph) – proper? – like Meg Thee Stallion.

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MEGAN THEE STALLION: (Rapping) Do not ask questions if we simply sexting. I obtained conditions, no confirmations. All people wish to know who Megan dated. That is dependent upon regardless of the date is.

CARTER: And Mac Miller. Tyler, The Creator.

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TYLER, THE CREATOR: (Rapping) I mentioned OK, OK, OK, OK, OK-dokey (ph) my infatuation is translating to a different type of – what you name it?

CARTER: However then there are these, you recognize, a few of my favorites that are not talked about as usually, like Freddie Gibbs. Freddie Gibbs’ Tiny Desk – Freddie Gibbs with Madlib – that is my favourite Tiny Desk when it comes to hip-hop, like, of all time. It will get no higher than that to me.

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FREDDIE GIBBS: (Rapping) Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SUMMERS: What made it so particular?

CARTER: The way in which the band took these samples that Madlib chopped and introduced out all the particular little intricacies and simply made them utterly new information. Like, you heard these songs that Freddie Gibbs spit on in a totally new manner. It is simply lovely. It is simply lovely.

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FREDDIE GIBBS: (Rapping) It is when this music began shifting, mayne (ph), however I nonetheless obtain the move-them-thangs (ph).

SUMMERS: I imply, I do know, for me, certainly one of my favourite days of working right here is anytime there’s a Tiny Desk efficiency in the home. And this stuff break the web. However I am curious. Are there any sleeper exhibits that come to thoughts when you concentrate on the hip-hop catalog, ones that possibly obtained rather less love?

CARTER: Yeah. To me, these are the exhibits that basically type of validate us as an genuine supply for hip-hop. Like, we have had Rakim on the Tiny Desk, proper? We have had Rapsody.

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RAPSODY: (Rapping) It is whenever you step out on religion, select to do it, really feel proper and let everybody else hint. What we chase Ain’t the identical. I am nonetheless that rapper that your favourite rapper scared to rap after. Generally it is onerous to relax. I select to kill, kill, kill, kill.

CARTER: Huge Okay.R.I.T., Widespread, Wu-Tang. Saba is certainly one of my favourite Tiny Desks. And, you recognize, folks love them. However we’ve got some which might be so enormous that at instances we overlook in regards to the ones which might be simply as nice. And people are those I like probably the most.

(SOUNDBITE OF NPR TINY DESK CONCERT)

SABA: (Singing) No, I can not really feel your ache, however I can see the celebrities. No, I ain’t even useless, however I do know we with God. There’s heaven throughout me. There’s heaven throughout me.

SUMMERS: So the Tiny Desk is that this actually intimate venue, if we will even name it a venue. However, Bobby, what does it convey out in hip-hop artists? What do these performances present us that folks may not choose up by seeing these artists at a giant live performance and even watching a music video?

CARTER: Yeah. I feel hip-hop on the Tiny Desk proves that hip-hop could be as musically subtle as some other style on the market. You recognize, whenever you return and also you watch Anderson .Paak behind the drum package, rapping…

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ANDERSON PAAK: Let me get down. D.C., what’s taking place? (Singing) You would possibly by no means ever come down. It took too lengthy to get this excessive off the bottom. Do not run. Simply keep…

CARTER: I imply, that is such a novel expertise. And it brings out the musicality of all of those information, proper? It is subtle. You recognize, the opulence of those dwell variations on the desk are utterly completely different from what you hear on document. And I feel one other factor that is vital is that, you recognize, when you might have MCs and rappers coming to NPR, it is vital to allow them to know that they are ready and so they’re free to be their genuine selves behind the desk as a result of, you recognize, there is a degree of respect that folks have for NPR. And, you recognize, no one’s cussing on NPR, however I allow them to know, look – you could be your self. When you’re behind the desk, you aren’t censored. You possibly can current your artwork precisely the way in which you needed to current it.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC, APPLAUSE)

SUMMERS: OK. So I discussed that you simply had been pulling collectively all of those unbelievable hip-hop Tiny Desks in a single place. So the place can we discover them?

CARTER: You possibly can go to npr.org/tinydesk. And there, you will see that our lovely array of hip-hop exhibits from the years. So scroll by means of, and have some enjoyable.

SUMMERS: Oh, belief me. I’ll. That’s Bobby Carter, one of many producers of NPR Music’s Tiny Desk Concert events. Thanks, Bobby.

CARTER: Thanks, Juana.

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