Details
Track Listing
1. Intro
2. Astronomy (8th Light)
3. Definition
4. Re:Definition
5. Children's Story
6. Brown Skin Lady
7. B Boys Will B Boys
8. K.O.S. (Determination)
9. Hater Players
10. Yo Yeah
11. Respiration
12. Thieves in the Night
13. Twice Inna Lifetime
| Details | | Contributing artists: | Common, Weldon Irvine | | Distributor: | Universal Distribution | | Recording Type: | Studio | | Recording Mode: | Stereo | | SPAR Code: | n/a |
Album Notes
Black Star: Mos Def, Talib Kweli (rap vocals).
Additional personnel: Apani, Common, Jane Doe, Vinia Mojica, Weldon Irvine.
Producers: DJ Hi-Tek, Talib Kweli, Mr. Walt, Shawn J. Period, J. Rawls.
After listening to this album, one hopes that the duo of Mos Def and Talib Kweli (both respected individual artists in their own right) would make this unification thing a permanent deal. In the wake of the disbanding of A Tribe Called Quest, hip-hop needs more efforts like the one put forth by these two. A well-crafted piece of work, with an infusion of concepts such as cultural awareness, spiritual reflection, self-actualization, and upward mobilization (sound familiar?), this album will uplift you and move your butt at the same time. Cuts like "K.O.S. (Determination)" and "Brown Skin Lady" should become classics if there is any justice in the hip-hop world. And "Thieves in the Night" is not far behind them.
Industry Reviews
3.5 Mics (out of 5) - ...With a delicate balance of Black Nationalism, well-chosen interludes and lyrics to go, high-pitched metaphor specialist Kweli and straight-up showman Mos prove that they're more than just 'lyrically handsome'...
The Source (11/01/1998)
3 Stars (out of 5) - ...not only an eagerly awaited rap album but also a desperately needed one....Black Star are socially conscious and lyrically sound--with their hearts close to the underground.
Rolling Stone (10/29/1998)
...Mos Def and Talib Kweli truly are 'the best alliance in hip-hop,' with Mos's stylized, grainy delivery serving as yang to the smart, spoken words of Kweli's yin...
CMJ (01/11/1999)
...Mixing rugged street beats and rhymes brainy enough for boho B-boys (they cite literary references and quote Nina Simone) makes this Black Star shine bright. - Rating: A-
Entertainment Weekly (10/23/1998)
Included in Wire's 50 Records Of The Year [1998]
The Wire (01/01/1999)
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