Watch: Ab-Soul Releases Raw and Vulnerable Tiny Desk Performance on Birthday

On Thursday, to mark his 36th birthday, Ab-Soul released a Tiny Desk concert, which he called his "second second chance."

The performance is a must-watch for all hip-hop fans. Backed by a hand-picked group of musicians he dubbed the "Soulersystem," Ab-Soul delivered a raw and rousing performance.

Ab-Soul's career is a prime example of how rap has grown over the past 50 years. For his Tiny Desk set, he hand-picked a live band and gave a display of raw honesty and next-level lyricism. https://t.co/p73zxwu2aj

— NPR Music (@nprmusic) February 23, 2023

The Carson, California native's music is defined by vulnerability, pathos, and hope, all of which were on full display in his first-ever appearance on NPR's Tiny Desk Concert series.

Surrounded by childhood pictures, some of which graphically detailed his fight with the rare disorder Stevens-Johnson syndrome, which ravaged his skin and left him legally blind, the artist, born Herbert Stevens IV, powered through tracks from his critically-acclaimed new album "HERBERT."

He also paired never-before-heard rhymes with instrumentals from 2012's "Control System" between sets.

Watch the full performance below: