The spring concert season is warming up, even if the weather isn’t. Click through to see some of the hip hop shows we’re looking forward to in April…

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On Tuesday night, Talib Kweli presented his latest album, Gutter Rainbows, to an intimate crowd of about 100 people at SNAP. “These songs were the songs from Prison of Consciousness, which is not ready yet, that I felt like needed to be out, needed to be heard, right now,” Kweli said of the track selection for Gutter Rainbows, “these are my favorite tracks of the moment.”

Not only did we hear the whole album from start to finish, Kweli also introduced each song and rapped along with some of his verses. Several of the album’s collaborators stopped by to show their support, including 88 Keys, Outasight and 6th Sense. Gutter Rainbows will be released on January 25, 2011. Prisoner of Consciousness is also slated for a 2011 release.

CLICK HERE to view photos from the night, and check out some nuggets of wisdom that Kweli dropped during his Q&A after the jump…

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Featuring Food Chain, DJ K-Salaam, Adam Tensta, and Strong Arm Steady, at Brooklyn Bowl.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE FULL ALBUM

This Saturday at Terminal 5, Royal Family Records is putting together one of the biggest nights of jazz, funk and hip hop that New York has ever seen. Headlined by Soulive, the third annual Royal Family Ball will feature special guest appearances by John Scofield, Talib Kweli, Christian Scott and Big Sam, along with performances by Royal Family artists Lettuce, Nigel Hall and the Shady Horns.

This is a rare occasion that is not to be missed. CLICK HERE to purchase tickets to the event, and be sure to check out Soulive’s most recent release, Rubber Soulive, in which the trio pays tribute to the Beatles by reworking 11 classic songs (available on iTunes).

Monday is immediately made better with the release of Dub Kweli, a new mashed masterpiece from the mind behind Jadiohead and Mos Dub, Max Tannone. Brilliantly layering Talib’s rhymes over  ’60′s reggae and dub plates straight from the Trojan record vault, this creation will make your ears smile. Hit the jump for immediate aural pleasure, and be sure to catch Talib Kweli this Friday when he DJs at Webster Hall with Questlove and Nina Sky. Continue Reading

Last Sunday, we hit up Washington DC for Rock the Bells, a touring festival featuring this summer’s hottest hip-hop line-up. The day started off with disappointing news: co-headliner Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley would not be performing due to a family illness. Fortunately, K’Naan, Tech N9ne, Reflection Eternal (Talib Kweli and Hi-Tek), Common, The Roots, and Busta Rhymes almost made us forget that Marley was a no-show.

Tech N9ne stood out with a powerful set. They thought through every aspect – including blocking, delivery, costumes, make-up – and it showed in their performance. The skill and speed of their rapping was unreal and they even threw in some popping and locking.

It wasn’t until Nas took the stage that we were reminded of Damian Marley’s absence. Not to say that Nas wasn’t great, but the main draw of the tour was the collaboration between the two artists and a preview of their upcoming album, Distant Relatives. To his credit, Nas did his best to make it up to the crowd, bringing in pal AZ (who, along with Nas and Foxy Brown released 1997′s The Firm), Styles P and Pharoahe Monch to help carry the show. Still, I can’t help but feel like we missed out on something major.

Despite Marley’s absence, the show was stellar and everyone on the tour more than delivered. If you’re a fan of hip-hop, we highly recommend that you check it out this weekend. Tickets are still available for shows at the Comcast Center in Boston on July 18 and at the Jones Beach Theater in New York on July 19.

Check out some photos from the show below and watch a preview of Distant Relatives after the jump…

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