Cordae has always been a lyricist with depth, but his recent showcasing during an NPR Tiny Desk Concert was a highlight reel of everything that makes him great. As millions tuned in to watch, the rapper stole hearts again with a live performance, not just for his iconic flow but for the special guest he enlisted: His mother, Jennifer Dunston.
In one of the most heartfelt moments of his set, the Raleigh, North Carolina, native called up his mom for a duet of "06 Dreamin," a song heavily influenced by her musical dreams. Dunston's vocals helped make up the original song, but Cordae wanted to kick things up a notch, so he brought her out to perform the track with him live.
Before jumping into the performance, Cordae told the story behind the song, saying that his mother once aspired to be a singer but never caught her big break. "It's a story about irony, but a story about my mom," he told the audience. "This is a true story of how she was an aspiring singer and never got her big break to make it. Ironically enough … she's living that dream through me because I'm here with y'all." I sampled one of her old songs for this song. But, like I said, we are back home, man. I don't need to use the sample because we got the real thing here today."
For Dunston, this moment felt particularly powerful. Years earlier, she had unsuccessfully auditioned for American Idol in hopes of a singing career. Standing next to her son, she finally got her moment in the spotlight.
And beyond that emotional mother-son duet, Cordae's Tiny Desk performance was rife with highlights. He ran through fan favorites like "Saturday Mornings," "C Carter," "Have Mercy," "Nothings Promised," and perennial crowd-pleaser "RNP." With a live band behind him, Cordae seamlessly fused his smooth delivery with Tiny Desk concerts' raw, intimate feel.
The performance was not just a display of Cordae's lyrical ability but showed music's power to deliver personal, meaningful narratives. And the crowd could feel it. As Dunston's voice filled the room, it was apparent that this was more than a guest appearance but a full-circle moment for a woman whose dreams had received a second life through her son.
Cordae's Tiny Desk moment comes on the heels of his latest album, The Crossroads, which dropped in November 2024. Standing at 16 tracks long, the project has heavyweight features from legends such as Kanye West, Lil Wayne, Joey Bada$$, and Anderson. Paak, Juicy J, and Ty Dolla $ign, solidifying his status as one of hip-hop's most exciting young voices.
After the performance, Cordae took to social media to share his thoughts on the moment, tweeting, "Brought my momma on to my Tiny Desk! She always dreamed to be a singer so I thought it would be cool to share this moment w her!"
With this unforgettable performance, Cordae reminded us that the essence of hip-hop goes beyond bars; it goes back to heart, legacy, and the tales we leave for the following generations!
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