De La Soul brought a celebration of hip-hop history to SummerStage at Flushing Meadows-Corona Park on July 17, delivering a career-spanning set with special guest Talib Kweli joining the group for nearly half of the performance.

The night was part of a milestone year for SummerStage, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2026. The concert series began in June 1986, when the Sun Ra Arkestra performed at the Naumburg Bandshell in Central Park. Over the four decades since, SummerStage has presented thousands of artists and welcomed more than seven million people while bringing free live music to parks throughout New York City.

Pete Rock opened the show by taking the crowd through a selection of classic hip-hop, setting the tone for a night built around the music and culture’s history. During his set, the legendary producer and DJ brought out Bumpy Knuckles, Rome Streetz and AMXXR.

Rome Streetz also used the SummerStage appearance to debut his new song, “Son of a Gun,” from his new album Sock It 2 My Pocket.

De La Soul then took the stage and reached throughout their catalog, opening with “The Return of D.S.T.” before moving into early favorites including “Freedom of Speak,” “Eye Know,” “Say No Go” and “Potholes in My Lawn.” The set also featured songs including “The Grind Date,” “Oooh,” “Much More” and “Stakes Is High.”

The second half of the show turned into an extended collaboration when Talib Kweli joined De La Soul onstage. Together, they performed “Stakes Is High” and “The Bizness” before moving into a stretch that included Reflection Eternal tracks “Move Somethin'” and “The Blast,” as well as Kweli’s “Get By.”

Kweli remained onstage as the show continued with “Run It Back!!,” “The Package” and “Dinninit.” Pete Rock, who produced “The Package,” also came out during the song, adding another connection between the night’s opening set and De La Soul’s performance.

The closing stretch brought the focus back to some of De La Soul’s most recognizable songs, with Kweli joining them for “Buddy,” “A Roller Skating Jam Named ‘Saturdays'” and “Me Myself and I” before the night finished with “Rock Co.Kane Flow.”

Four decades after SummerStage first brought live music to Central Park, the July 17 show felt like a fitting celebration of the series’ history. With De La Soul at the center and appearances from Talib Kweli, Pete Rock, Bumpy Knuckles, Rome Streetz and AMXXR, the night brought together multiple generations of New York hip-hop for SummerStage’s 40th anniversary season.

De La Soul Setlist: The Return of D.S.T., Freedom of Speak, Eye Know, Say No Go, Potholes in My Lawn, Plug Tunin’ (Last Chance to Comprehend), The Grind Date, Oooh, Much More, Stakes Is High, The Bizness, Move Somethin’, The Blast, Get By, Run It Back!!, The Package, Dinninit, Buddy, A Roller Skating Jam Named “Saturdays,” Me Myself and I, Rock Co.Kane Flow.