IDK made his late-night television debut last night with a blinding performance of his Is He Real? song “No Cable” on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. While live performances have experienced a shift in impact without the benefit of studio audiences during pandemic prevention lockdowns, IDK and his band used the opportunity to create a more intimate art piece with the help of the Uproxx Studios soundstage in Culver City, California.
Despite releasing in 2019 on his major label debut album, Is He Real?, “No Cable” speaks to unfortunately relevant themes today. The flashy performance utilizes some stark lighting techniques to keep the focus firmly on IDK — except when scenes of protest are projected on the backdrop behind him, along with the shockingly long list of names of victims of police violence. The spotlights are further used to powerful effect when IDK’s second verse finds him questioning the role America has cast for him as a Black man.
IDK recently followed up Is He Real? with IDK & Friends 2, which also serves as the soundtrack to the film Basketball County: Something In The Water, which IDK narrated. IDK previously visited Uproxx Studios for an in-depth conversation with Talib Kweli on the Uproxx podcast, People’s Party.
Watch IDK perform “No Cable” live on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert above.
IDK is a Warner Music artist. .
