Scarface: Tiny Desk Concert

Bobby Carter | December 18, 2023
Scarface's Tiny Desk concert radiates with his decadeslong passion as an emcee and producer. There's calculated intent behind every word and note of this 30-minute set and I learned that his love for golf also runs deep during our initial meeting. He was playing a round and had difficulty dividing his attention between the plan and the course. Three days before the show, amid rehearsals, I got a call from Facemob asking, "What if I brought Mike Dean?" My expectations were already high, but that final addition set the stage for something special.

Mike Dean provided unmatched authenticity, and their shared stories added sentimental value to this performance. After all, his signature keys and synths can be heard on most of Scarface's classics and countless Rap-A-Lot records. Here, we get a rare glimpse of Scarface the conductor, bouncing through multiple eras of his catalog including "On My Block," "Mary Jane" and the bone-chilling "I Seen a Man Die."

Scarface, along with Rakim, was recently awarded the inaugural Hip-Hop Grandmaster Award from the newly launched Paid in Full Foundation, which includes a sizable financial prize and healthcare. No matter how the never-ending hip-hop greats debate is sliced, the rapper's place is cemented as one of the most influential storytellers in the culture and his Tiny Desk is proof.

SET LIST
"On My Block"
"Mary Jane"
"Smile"
"I Seen a Man Die"
"F**k Faces"
"Mind Playing Tricks on Me"

MUSICIANS
Scarface: lead vocals, guitar
Mike Dean: keys
Steven "Spud" Howard: vocals
Takai "Cookie" Hicks: vocals
Peigh Jones: vocals, guitar
Corey "FunkaFingers" Stoot: guitar
Josh Henderson: keys
Jason "The Bishop" Allen: keys
Savar Martin: drums
Anthony "Antboogie" Nicholson: bass, musical direction

TINY DESK TEAM
Producer: Bobby Carter
Director: Maia Stern
Editor: Joshua Bryant
Audio Engineer: Josh Rogosin
Videographers: Maia Stern, Joshua Bryant, Alanté Serene, Michael Zamora
Audio Assistant: Ted Mebane
Production Assistant: Ashley Pointer
Photographer: Elizabeth Gillis
Tiny Desk Team: Suraya Mohamed, Kara Frame, Hazel Cills
Series Creators: Bob Boilen, Stephen Thompson
VP, Visuals and Music: Keith Jenkins
Senior VP, Programming: Anya Grundmann

#nprmusic #tinydesk #scarface