Merry Clipsemas. The Clipse reunited for their first album in 16 years with Let God Sort Em Out arriving on Friday (July 11), and the Thornton brothers put a bow on their immaculate album rollout with a stop at NPR for their Tiny Desk Concert debut.
Draped in all-black threads and backed by a live band, Pusha T and Malice brought the nostalgia, pain and ferocity to Tiny Desk, giving listeners the full spectrum of emotions with a run through the Clipse’s decorated discography spanning three different decades.
King Push and Malice took it back for the day-one Clipsters, kicking off their performance with a thunderous ode to their home state, “Virginia,” which landed on 2002’s Lord Willin’. They jumped to 2006’s Hell Hath No Fury for a pair of standout cuts produced by Pharrell — who also helmed LGSEO — recalling their drug-dealing tales with “Keys Open Doors” and “Momma I’m Sorry.”
The Clipse gave those on hand an early taste of Let God Sort Em Out while running through the hard-hitting “Chains & Whips” sans Kendrick Lamar and the poignant “The Birds Don’t Sing,” which finds the duo grieving the loss of their parents. Pusha recalls his final conversation with his mother while Malice ruminates about the last time he spoke to their father, who passed away just four months apart.
It wouldn’t be a grand finale for Clipse without “Grindin’.” Drummer Daru Jones, who was part of The LOX’s Tiny Desk, perfectly delivered a live remake of the thumping drums heard on the 2002 track, mirroring The Neptunes’ shrewd production from over two decades ago.
The Tiny Desk fittingly ended with some hand-drumming on an office desk, which took everyone back to the lunch table days of attempting to recreate “Grindin’.”
Let God Sort Em Out boasts 13 tracks and features from Kendrick Lamar, Tyler, the Creator, Nas, John Legend, The-Dream, Pharrell, Stove God Cooks and Ab-Liva.
Watch the Clipse’s Tiny Desk Concert below.
