Clipse: Tiny Desk Concert

Bobby Carter | July 11, 2025
After a 16-year hiatus and with no go-to band in place, Clipse's Tiny Desk took lots of time to piece together. At first, I didn't know exactly what they were looking for, in terms of sonics, but it clicked when I was told what they didn't want: no jazzy renditions of their music. They meant no disrespect to jazz at all, and if you follow the duo's music, it boils down to hard drums and even harder synths. Hybrid drummer Daru Jones, who played on last year's Tiny Desk for the LOX, was the first choice because of his unique ability to mix traditional and electronic drum sounds. He provided the authenticity needed for this set, and everything else fell into place.

The excitement for the Thornton brothers' return reached its apex instantly as someone in the crowd yelled "Oh my god!" at the opening note of "Virginia." There was no lull as the band coasted through "Keys Open Doors" and "Momma I'm So Sorry," from Clipse's most celebrated album, Hell Hath No Fury. I found so much to analyze witnessing the dichotomy between Pusha T and Malice up close. Malice is more collected in his movements, intensely scouring the room with his eyes while his brother is much more animated, even letting out a sinister laugh mid-set.

Recorded weeks ago, the two performed songs from their new album, Let God Sort Em Out, for the first time, including a chilling dedication to their deceased parents, "Birds Don't Sing." Before the tears from the crowd could dry, we got the moment we'd been waiting for in "Grindin'."

The first half of the year in hip-hop hasn't been the most exciting, so the timing of this reunion couldn't be better. Here's Clipse delivering its best live performance ever recorded and one of the hardest Tiny Desks of all time.

SET LIST
"Virginia"
"Keys Open Doors"
"Momma I'm So Sorry"
"Chains & Whips"
"Birds Don't Sing"
"Grindin'"

MUSICIANS
Pusha T: vocals
Malice: vocals
Briley Harris: keys
Darryl Woodson: keys
Yoo Q!: DJ, background vocals
Daru Jones: drums
Brittney Mills: background vocals
Tariq Ali: background vocals

TINY DESK TEAM
Producer: Bobby Carter
Director/Editor: Joshua Bryant
Audio Technical Director: Josh Newell
Videographers: Joshua Bryant, Kara Frame, Mitra I. Arthur, Alanté Serene
Audio Engineer: Josephine Nyounai
Production Assistant: Dhanika Pineda
Photographer: Michael Zamora
Copy Editor: Hazel Cills
Tiny Desk Team: Maia Stern, Lars Gotrich
Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed
Series Creators: Bob Boilen, Stephen Thompson

#nprmusic #tinydesk #clipse

Support for NPR Music comes from Capital One. Presenting sponsor of the 2025 Tiny Desk Contest. What's in your wallet? Learn more at CapitalOne.com.

Tiny Desk Giveaway. No purchase or donation required for entry. Void where restricted or prohibited by law. 18yrs or older. Deadline September 12, 2025, 11:59PM PT. ARV: $3,800. Links to the entry page and official rules can be found at NPR.org/TinyDeskGiveaway
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