Culture
Benny The Butcher: Tiny Desk (Home) Concert
By: Abby O'Neill I NPR
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The Tiny Desk is working from home for the foreseeable future. Introducing NPR Music’s Tiny Desk (home) concerts, bringing you performances from across the country and the world. It’s the same spirit — stripped-down sets, an intimate setting — just a different space.
At top of March when the COVID-19 pandemic became imminent, Griselda — the triple threat emcee collective from Buffalo, N.Y., consisting of Westside Gunn, Conway, and Benny the Butcher — were about a week away from joining us at NPR’s office for the trio’s scheduled Tiny Desk. That performance, of course, did not take place. Since then, NPR Music has been inviting artists to record Tiny Desk (home) concerts, and Benny the Butcher blessed us with a five-song set from the living room of his current home in Atlanta. (Due to some recording snafus, some of the audio and video in this video doesn’t always sync up.)
The setlist includes “Crown for Kings” and “5 to 50” from his critically acclaimed 2019 album, The Plugs I Met. Benny is joined by Rick Hyde and Heem, two artists on his new BSF label imprint, for a live performance of “Da Mob,” the first single off an upcoming label compilation titled Benny The Butcher & DJ Drama Presents: Gangsta Grillz X BSF Da Respected Sopranos.