SOB'S WAS LIVE!!!!

SHOUT OUT TO EVERYONE WHO CAME THROUGH TO SOB'S!!!
And ROCKED OUT WITH THE KIIID!

Last night's show was absolutely phenomenal. Period. I am someone who worries. I am a chronic worrier. And the more energy I've put into something the more I worry about it. I put A LOT in to this show so you know I was on the verge of an ulcer. The weather report said snow. I woke up and my voice was at like 55% (sooooo watta) and I had no word on ticket sales. BAD B.I.! But alas my worries were settled when I walked into the venue and alls well ends well. The DivaWorks Inc crew was in full gear from jump street and had the vibe right for folks coming in and that vibe stayed right! I put together some pics below to take ya'll through the night:)

In the dressing room with one of my best friends from high school (GOOOO DP!) Michael and my wonderful make up artist Jan Jay. Ya'll know Diva got jokes and ya'll don't understand how crazy me and Michael can be (we've known each other since '94 for God's sake!) so I'm sure I was sayin something funny right here, lol.

The transformation to stage flyness!

Backstage with Tipsta and Kwe.

Kweli took the stage and did a few of his classics, "The Blast," and "Get By" and gave me a dope introduction.

We started the show with my AMAZING background singer, Chandlar (a dope soloist in his own right by the way) singing the all-time favorite, "She's your queeeeennn to beeeee..." from "Coming to America!" LOL Ya'll know I got jokes!!! We then hit it, James Brown stylee and got into a rendition of the classic jazz joint, "God Bless the Child," before moving on to "For the Love," and "Better Way." (go cop that Life Experience album!)

We be on our hip hop shit but ya girl got soul too and we slowed it down by going into "This Too Shall Pass." A joint for all my ladies that know what it is to be down for somebody.

We then threw folks right quick by kickin an R&B version of "Umbrella" (eh-eh-eh). And i can't front it was MAD fun to get on my pop shit for a sec!

(Danny & Whitney Professional Dancers also featured in the Window's Over Harlem video)

We then took it uptown Harlem World! With the new single "Windows Over Harlem" and even previewed the video which will debut online next week!!!

Then the fun went to a WHOLE nother level when we brought my ace boon coon, da man himself, the Abstract, QTIP! The band brought him to the mic with a lickle , "Check the Rhime," and he kicked a lil, "Back in the days on the boulevard of Linden." You know I was HYPE! We jumped into "40 MCs" and murdered it. It was so dope to be on stage rocking with one my idols and also my good friend:)

The energy didn't stop as we dropped "Hip Hop Chick" off the It's Bigger Than Hip Hop Mixtape Volume 1 (my favorite song to perform live)! I broke out all my old school dances on folks!

(PEEP THE KICK GAME!!! IT'S VICIOUS!!)

And then the homie DJ Wonder got on the 1's and 2's and turned that motha out!! It became a straight house partayyyy playin hits like, "It Takes Two," "Reminisce (T.R.O.Y.)," "Poison," and "Flashing Lights" to name a few.

I got on my b-girl shit and even did a one arm handstand!!!

(Chandlar-Backgrounds)

(Al-Bass) (Randy-Drums) (Miles-Keys) (DJ Wonder-DJ)

Wonder put that classic hip hop joint, "Camp Lo's" Luchini and each band member did a solo.

SO DOPE!

Last song of the night. You know what it is, "SUPAAAA-WOMAAANNN!!" I can tell ya'll right now this pic is me pointin the mic to crowd on "When I say supa ya'll say WOMAN!" And the crowd was definitely with me. I've been going to SOB's for many years so I was honored to finally be rockin the stage with my own solo show. Definitely a seminal moment in my career that I'll never forget. I couldn't have asked for a better night. It didn't snow! My voice came all the way to 85%! and it was PACKED! The music and the vibe was so so so strong. Shout to Proton and Peter Hadar for getting the stage right for me. Also big ups to Green Lantern, Ebro, Shyheim Reid, Sean Malcolm, Hakeem from Channel Live, Michaela Angela Davis, Tracey Moore of The Jazzy Fat Nastees & Black Lily, and all my peoples who came through to show love and support. I don't want to be a rapper I want to start a movement towards better music and better thinking and last night felt like a giant leap in the right direction. :)

(all photos by Donald Black unless otherwise credited)