Nas and Talib Kweli set out on small-venue tour

Sit back and press play on this video.

And let the epic ride of Nas' 2001 single "One Mic" engulf you: the internal build-up, the sirens, the street scene. Now, the verse where Nas, poised as ever, has his message down to a whisper, saying "All I need is one blunt, one page, and one pen, one prayer - tell God forgive me for one sin." Picture the build up as he becomes so empassioned he has to shout over the frantic beat, searching for some sort of metaphorical balance until he finds "the right track" and his voice is once again hushed down to a calming breath. Now imagine seeing this track performed live at a venue so intimate you could hear the fiend Nas refers to as he drops his Heineken.

Between and around his Rock The Bells tour stops, Nas is teaming up with Brooklyn emcee Talib Kweli, Jay Electronica and DJ Green Lantern for a small venue tour. The trek is in support of Nas' untitled album released just last week. The new record follows 2007's Hip-Hop Is Dead as an album whose name alone caused as much discussion as the Ice-T/Soulja Boy beef (can that be over now, please?). Originally christened with the n-word, but following some heat from his label and sponsors, the album was changed to a non-titled work with a cover image of Nas, arms spread, with several visible lashes on his back. Quite a message in its own right, titled or no.

And now, the MC brings his New York state of mind to a city near you.

Dates:

July
24 - Burlington, Vt. @ Higher Ground
25 - New Haven, Conn. @ Toad's Place
26 - Boston, Mass. @ Comcast Center*
27 - Washington, D.C. @ Merriweather Post Pavilion*
29 - Charlotte, N.C. @ Amos' Southend
30 - Charleston, S.C. @ SC Music Farm
31 - Atlanta, Ga. @ Center Stage

August
1 - New Orleans, La. @ House of Blues
2 - Miami, Fla. @ Bicentennial Park*
3 - New York, N.Y. @ NY Jones Beach Ampitheatre*
8 - Las Vegas, Nev. @ House of Blues
9 - Los Angeles, Calif. @ Glen Helen Pavilion*
10 - San Diego, Calif. @ House of Blues
14 - Reno, Nev. @ New Oasis
15 - Chico, Calif. @ Senator Theatre
16 - San Francisco, Calif. @ Shoreline Ampitheatre*
22 - Park City, Utah @ Harry O's
23 - Denver, Colo. @ Fiddler's Green Ampitheatre*
24 - Austin, Texas @ Emo's
25 - Houston, Texas @ Warehouse Live
26 - Dallas, Texas @ House of Blues
28 - Cleveland, Ohio @ House of Blues
29 - Detroit, Mich. @ Chene Park
30 - Champaign, Ill. @ Canopy Club

September
3 - St. Louis, Mo. @ The Pageant
4 - Milwaukee, Wisc. @ The Rave
5 - Minneapolis, Minn. @ First Avenue
6 - Quincy, Wash. @ The George Ampitheatre*

*=Rock The Bells tour date

Related links:
Reviews: Nas: Untitled
Nas on MySpace
TalibKweli.com

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