Talib Kweli
Viciously Chews Out Security Guards Backstage
… YOU SHUT THE F*** UP!!!
Published November 17, 2025 2:12 PM PST
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TMZ.com
Veteran rapper Talib Kweli was involved in a hellfire-heated exchange with security guards backstage at his Black Star concert last Saturday — and TMZ Hip Hop has the explosive exchange all on tape!!!
The scene opens with Kweli barking at the top of his lungs at a group of men behind the curtain, demanding they tell him “Who the f*** they think they are!!!”
According to the sounds of the argument, Kweli was royally pissed off that security guards had walked onto the stage 1 minute past the 11PM curfew to stop the show, and was upping the bass in his voice towards anyone who tried to calm him down!!!
Kweli cursed out one stagehand to the point that the guy walked away with his tail tucked between his legs, as the onlookers cheered and jeered.
The BK rapper then turned his attention to a Black security guard, urging that their team wouldn’t have pulled such a stunt on a White artist, labeling the entire ordeal beyond disrespectful.
Another guard entered the convo, only for Kweli to scream, “STFU,” forcing that guy to retreat for the hills!!!
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Meanwhile, the onlookers were totally unserious in the moment — they started rapping the chorus to Black Star’s “Definition” single, egging Kweli on further.
Talib Kweli explained the situation to TMZ Hip Hop in his own words, with no remorse for the outcome … “Black Star was at the O2 Manchester venue at 8:30PM for a 9PM set time, with an agreed to 11PM curfew. At 8:50PM the venue decided to push the show time back to 9:15PM without any input from Black Star, which made us end the show later than planned. At exactly 10:58PM as Black Star was performing our final song for the night, I witnessed venue staff on the side of the stage, harassing Black Star staff about the 11PM curfew.
At exactly 11PM, as Black Star was saying good night to the crowd, (we had completed our last song by then) someone from the venue came onto our stage to chastise us and demand we leave the stage. This is very disrespectful and not standard. You don’t walk on an artist’s stage during a show. I’m sure they would not have treated a white, UK artist this way, especially when we hadn’t disrespected the curfew at all.
When I came off stage, I asked to speak to the man who came on the stage. I was instead greeted by aggressive security guards who began to disrespect me immediately, so I argued with them and held them accountable for how they treated us as guests who helped the venue make money. O2 Manchester called security on their main act for the night to enforce us leaving the stage at 11PM, even though we were already in the process of leaving the stage at that exact time.
Fan accounts and all other accounts besides the venue, who has lied about their disrespect and refused to apologize, will back my account up. The only reason we even came close to the curfew is because the venue pushed the show back, not us. Even if we had gone over the curfew (we did not), there are protocols in place for this scenario. If the venue feels the artist needs to be told something while performing, they are to ask artist managers to relay the message, not just walk on stage during our show. If a scenario presents itself where the artist is still going over curfew after being warned, then you fine the artist.
What you are never supposed to do is walk on stage during the show. You are also never supposed to call security on the artist. The security is supposed to be protecting the artist, not treating the artist like some unwelcome criminal. O2 Manchester owes Black Star, Black Star management and Black Star fans an apology for the way they treated us.”
Mos Def response to booing at London show
byu/RahMaarvi inMosDef
However, some fans are claiming it’s them who are owed the apology. Kweli and his Black Star cohort, Yasiin Bey — AKA Mos Def — were across the pond to celebrate 30 years as a group but the reunion didn’t appear to be a blast for all ticketholders.
The group was booed at their November 11 show for hitting the stage late and Mos Def essentially told the crowd, “Don’t get hit where you’re split!!!”
Dah well … B-boys will be b-boys!!!
