Common and the Roots‘ Black Thought faced off in a “Wheel of Freestyle” rap battle on Friday’s Tonight Show, with the two hip-hop veterans forced to craft songs out of three completely random words.
Common, who was visiting Jimmy Fallon to promote his role in John Wick 2, was tasked with weaving together the words “blender, snowplow and Keanu”…
The Roots‘ Black Thought, Ja Rule, Ashanti, Regina Spektor, Andra Day and Joell Ortiz performed songs from the forthcoming The Hamilton Mixtape on Thursday at Richard Rodgers Theatre. The concert was also streamed live.
As The Hollywood Reporter noted, Black Thought, who serves as an executive producer for the project, launched the show with an abbreviated “No John Trumbull.” He also rapped a fiery rendition of “My Shot” with Joell Ortiz. The recorded version includes the addition of bandmates The Roots along with Busta Rhymes and…
The full release of the Hamilton Mixtape calls for a winter’s ball at the Richard Rodgers Theater.
That’s just how the Broadway musical and Atlantic Records feted the hotly anticipated collection, which has hitmakers like Alicia Keys, John Legend, Usher, Wiz Khalifa, Ingrid Michaelson, Common, Sia and Nas performing offshoot songs inspired by the hit production. The album will be released on Dec. 2 at midnight local time, though the concert noted that physical copies are now available at the Broadway theater and its souvenir shop across the street.
Black Thought and Questlove of The Roots, who produced the show’s cast recording, emceed the event, which saw Andra Day debuting a haunting rendition of “Burn,” while Regina Spektor shared her take on “Dear Theodosia” and Black Thought and Joell Ortiz got the crowd pumped with “No John Trumbull” and “My Shot.” Producers Illmind and J.Period spun hits before the show began, and Ja Rule and Ashanti then reunited to close the concert with “Helpless,” the duet which Miranda said was inspired by the two artists.
Lin-Manuel Miranda — currently preparing for the production’s UK debut and his starring turn in Disney’s Mary Poppins Returns — sent a video message all the way from London for…