Saba: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert

Bobby Carter | August 8, 2023
There are times during Action Bronson’s Tiny Desk when his vocals momentarily drift. We instruct our guests to face the directional microphones so that our recorders clearly pick up the voices. Action warned us of the improbability of that happening before we started filming and sure enough, the Flushing, Queens emcee strolled off mic a couple of times, did an about face here and there and even took a knee mid-show. By the time we got to “Latin Grammys,” he looked over to our engineer Josh Rogosin and said, “I told you I couldn’t stand still. How do you play music still?” He’s got a point.

Action’s band Human Growth Hormone reinterprets his records so funky, it’s nearly impossible not to move, yet the small imperfections during the set tickled me. Bam Bam, primarily known as a rapper, has turned his passion for food, clothing, sneakers, wrestling, writing, fitness and painting into bonafide professions. Never veering too far away from the booth, he’s consistently dropped projects since 2011. After working out in the green room, Mr. Baklava walked to the Desk, greeting nearly every person in the room with a handshake, and proceeded to perform highlights from Mr. Wonderful, Lamb Over Rice, White Bronco, and Only For Dolphins. Bronson was born to entertain us.

SET LIST
“Dmtri”
“Live from the Moon”
“Latin Grammys”
“Terry”
“Baby Blue”

MUSICIANS
Action Bronson: vocals, effects
Matt “Yung Mehico” Carrillo: keys, saxophone
Nicholas Coleman: bass
Wahkiba “9Ether” Julion: drums
Red Walrus: percussion
Julian Love: guitar

TINY DESK TEAM
Producer: Bobby Carter
Director/Editor: Maia Stern
Audio Engineer: Josh Rogosin
Creative Director: Bob Boilen
Videographers: Maia Stern, Joshua Bryant, Kara Frame, Alanté Serene
Audio Assistant: Josephine Nyounai
Production Assistant: Ashley Pointer
Photographer: Catie Dull
Tiny Desk Team: Suraya Mohamed, Hazel Cills
VP, Visuals and Music: Keith Jenkins
Senior VP, Programming: Anya Grundmann

#tinydesk #nprmusic #actionbronson

Bobby Carter | July 20, 2023
The first thing I noticed as Cypress Hill strolled into NPR headquarters was Sen Dog cradling his signature bucket hat. I asked him if my assumptions were correct; it was indeed the original hat seen in all the videos from the early ’90s. Before I could process that confirmation, B Real asked me, “Yo, is your greenroom a greenroom?” We got everything we expected and more from Cypress Hill at the Tiny Desk.

While the term “pioneer” is used loosely in pop culture today, few terms describe Cypress Hill’s impact over the past three decades more adequately. They are the first Latino hip-hop group to achieve platinum and multi-platinum status. B Real, Sen and producer DJ Muggs crafted a sound in the ’90s that stretched beyond regional boundaries. It was dark, psychedelic and at times directly addressed mental health before the topic was commonplace. Many dismissed the group as “stoner rappers,” yet the members were fervent advocates for the legalization of weed long before it came to fruition.

Touring members Eric Bobo and DJ Lord joined the duo along with Money Mark from Beastie Boys fame. The band summoned a horn section to fill out this rare minimalist approach to five, funky Cypress Hill things. Between each song, B Real took his time to shed some historic light on the group’s journey thus far.

SET LIST
“When the S*** Goes Down”
“Hand On the Pump”
“How I Could Just Kill a Man”
“(Rap) Superstar”
“Insane in the Brain”

MUSICIANS
B-Real: vocals
Sen Dog: vocals
Eric Bobo: drums
DJ Lord: DJ
Money Mark: keys
Sam Koff: trumpet
Reggie Pace: trombone
John Hulley: trombone

TINY DESK TEAM
Producer: Bobby Carter
Director/Editor: Maia Stern
Audio Engineer: Josh Rogosin
Creative Director: Bob Boilen
Videographers: Maia Stern, Joshua Bryant, Kara Frame, Sofia Seidel
Audio Assistant: Hannah Gluvna
Production Assistant: Ashley Pointer
Photographer: Elizabeth Gillis
Tiny Desk Team: Suraya Mohamed, Hazel Cills
VP, Visuals and Music: Keith Jenkins
Senior VP, Programming: Anya Grundmann

#nprmusic #tinydesk #cypresshill