Soul expansionist Bilal is best known as a consummate collaborator. From his work with the experimental Soulquarians collective — founded by D’Angelo, Questlove, and J Dilla — to his team ups with Solange AND Beyyoncé Knowles. In 2016, he nabbed a Grammy Award for his contribution to “These Walls” from Kendrick Lamar’s towering 2015 LP To Pimp A Butterfly.

Following the September 2024 release of Adjust Brightness (his first new studio album in nearly a decade) and ahead of a headlining show with special guest Georgia Anne Muldrow at The Troubadour on Tuesday, May 13; Bilal brings his cosmic-funk-soul spectacular to KCRW’s Annenberg Performance Studio. Scrub to 02:21:30 to hear Bilal catch up with MBE host Novena Carmel about making music to endure the passing of time and why J Dilla’s creative genius remains unparalleled… 20 years after his untimely death. Then strap in for a tour de force set of Adjust Brightness jams: “Sunshine,” “Evr Chgin Nrml,” “The Story,” “Lay Around,” and “Quantum Universe.”