Cordae Brings ‘The Crossroads’ To Life With Mother’s Help In NPR Tiny Desk Concert

Cordae makes his official NPR Tiny Desk Concert debut after performing for the series’ “At Home” spin-off in January 2022. In the new 20-minute showcase released on Wednesday morning (March 19), the rapper finds himself at home and cements his roots with a guest appearance from his mother.

Performing the “06 Dreamin’” track from his latest album The Crossroads, the 27-year-old explained how the work is inspired by his mom, Jennifer Dunston, who once had aspirations of a singing career. The song even samples one of her tracks.

In the full intimate showing, he also performed “Saturday Mornings” which features Lil Wayne and “Nothings Promised” from The Crossroads.

“I felt like I was at a crossroads in my life,” detailed the DMV native to Billboard of the album. “It was like life or death. … If I go right, everything is gonna be perfect, and yay, life is great, and if I go left, all life is horrible.”

He added, “I’ve kinda realized that one decision doesn’t hold that much weight. It’s a culmination of decisions.”

Earlier this year, tennis star Naomi Osaka announced that she and Cordae had split, however they remain on good terms. The former couple share one daughter, Shai, and had been dating since 2019.

“Hi everyone, just wanted to say that Cordae and I are no longer in a relationship,” explained Osaka. “No Bad blood at all, he’s a great person and an awesome dad. Honestly really glad our paths crossed because my daughter is my biggest blessing and I was able to grow a lot from our experiences together [heart emoji].”

Watch Cordae perform for NPR Tiny Desk Concert above.