Pitchfork

Photos by Drew Katchen; Above: Nas

Hip-hop royalty reigned supreme as the Rock the Bells tour made a flagship stop at Jones Beach in Long Island yesterday. As if scheduled appearances by Nas, A Tribe Called Quest (including a Q-Tip solo set), De La Soul, Ghostface & Raekwon, Method Man & Redman, Mos Def, Afrika Bambaataa, the Cool Kids, and Spank Rock weren't sensational enough, this Rock the Bells came packed with a few surprises. Pitchfork correspondent Drew Katchen reports:

-- Talib Kweli came out during Mos Def's set and they had a Black Star reunion. People lost their shit.
-- Jay-Z came out during Nas' set and performed "Black Republican" [and, according to Billboard.com, "Success"] with him. Everyone lost their shit.
-- Busta Rhymes came out during A Tribe Called Quest's set, right at the point in "Scenario" when Q-Tip says, "Yo Mr. Busta Rhymes, tell him what I did." People in China, Estonia, and Long Island lost their shit.

Billboard.com also notes that Slick Rick, EPMD, and Pharoahe Monch made guest appearances at Jones Beach. The Rock the Bells cavalcade of hip-hop delights makes a few more weekend stops before the summer is up.

Nas with Jay-Z






De La Soul




Q-Tip with Mos Def






A Tribe Called Quest




Ghostface Killah and Raekwon


Method Man and Redman




Mos Def with Talib Kweli




Afrika Bambaataa


The Cool Kids


Spank Rock


Immortal Technique


Rock the Bells:

08-09 Devore, CA - Glen Helen Pavilion
08-16 Mountain View, CA - Shoreline Amphitheatre
08-23 Englewood, CO - Fiddler's Green Amphitheatre
09-06 George, WA - The Gorge