By Hip-hop fans in the UAE should not miss this experience. The artist formerly known as the Mighty Mos Def, Yasiin Bey is bringing his immersive sound installation to Dubai. It’s the first time Negus hits the Middle East.
What is Negus? Produced by Lord Tusk, Steven Julien and Acyde, Negus is Yasiin Bey’s 28-minute album. However, with Bey swimming against the tide, it’s unavailable to buy in either digital or physical formats. Instead, Bey presents Negus as an audio visual installation that listeners can only experience in person.
“It’s not about how you’re supposed to feel or think,” Bey told Highsnobiety. “Just because I made it doesn’t mean I’m an authority in someone else’s emotional space. Instead, I want to clear the space so people can have their own experience with the work, as opposed to being didactic about it. You bring yourself, and you take it from there.”
Sole Presents
Negus debuted as an art installation at the Brooklyn Museum in 2019. Now, thanks to the mighty Sole crew, it’ll run at The Third Line Gallery, in Dubai, from Thursday 25th March until Wednesday 5th May. The Dubai iteration features artworks by Ala Ebtekar, Anuar Khalifi, Laleh Khorramian, Nima Nabavi and Yasiin Bey, himself.
And this makes us happy – the event is a phone-free experience. Guests must place smartphones, cameras and the likes into a secured case. Don’t panic, you’ll keep possession of your belongings throughout but the secured case will only be opened again at the end of the show.
The Third Line Gallery is located at Warehouse 80, Alserkal Avenue, Dubai. The show runs hourly from noon to 8pm each day. Tickets are just AED75. Book yours here.
As Mos Def, the American rapper released the albums Black on Both Sides (1999), The New Danger (2004), True Magic (2006) and The Ecstatic (2009). He’s been nominated for six Grammy awards throughout his career.
Photos: Highsnobiety/Quil Lemons
Also read: ‘Contact High: A Visual History of Hip-Hop’ is a Must-See Exhibition
