Live Review: Common, Talib Kweli

A unique double bill hip hop show from the other side of the world, Common has ensured the production value of his show is top notch. Take into account the high energy, class and collaborative nature of the performance and you have a recipe for a good time.

Talib Kweli has an underground edge, with a demeanour as ferocious as Mike Tyson in his glory days and a delivery that is sharp-tongued and red-hot simultaneously. He spits into the mic with the brim of his hat casting his face in shadow, creating a sense of dissociation that adds to the mystique. The man is right in front of you yet there are still barriers that separate you from him, multiplying Kweli's presence. Kweli's accompanying DJ has a choppy style, procuring heavy bass lines with a sense of haphazardness. His demeanour is one of glassy-eyed content as he provides the foundation for Kweli to speak over.

Common has brought the best live production in hip hop since Criolo and Deltron 3030 visited Australia in 2015, featuring drums, turntables, synthesisers, keyboards, digital elements and a backing vocalist — all of whom bring the heat to their respective element. Common is a delightfully energetic character, lighting up the room with the physicality of his performance and dizzying the audience with the precision and speed of his enunciation, often spouting sentences of 50 words or more without a single breath. The set included tributes to the late Prince and J Dilla, both inspirations for Common.

Common's humility stood out above all, whether he was serenading a fan he pulled on stage, or tying a loose shoelace mid-song. Vocally, Common spoke out against race inequality and systemic racism towards the black, brown and Indigenous people of Australia, highlighting that change does not begin with legislation, it begins with how you treat the person next to you. The night ended with an extended encore and high positivity.