Blackstar- Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star: On May 26, 1998, Mos Def and Talib Kweli released their debut album as a duo. Simply put, two of the best MCs ever, got together, postponed their solo LPs, and made a classic album. These two lyrical geniuses have a chemistry that is second to none and they display it on this album from beginning to end. Til this day, great MCs have gotten together to make a collab album, but this absolutely “NO SKIP” album will NEVER get outdone.
Producers: Shawn J. Period and Hi-Tek.
Guest Appearances: Common, Wordsworth, Punchline, and Jane Doe.
They show great chemistry throughout the whole album. A great back and forth flow on Astronomy… Kweli does an amazing solo track on K.O.S.(Determination)…. an incredibly classic track in Respiration… my favorite verse on the album is Talib’s 2nd on Hater Players… but TWO tracks on this album are my FAVORITES, check them
Shawn J. Period also the man (though only 17 when he did Mos’ 12″ Rawkus solo debut.Let’s not forget UTD’s-Manifest Destiny w/ brother DCQ, & sis Ces.So yes,“Universal Magnetic”)WTF is he at.Cuz when you post these 97.6% of time they are in my heavy rotation for life list.So i in this case did a refresher course.I knew from when (i have these interviews on DAT tape Stroy Mills) i interviewed for my OK Player Show in late ’98 that DJ Spinna was like a production mentor to Shawn.& The LP’s production wreaks of SPINNA.Who at time from pre-production to the release of this LP.Racked up a body of work.I’m not sure many can touch.All those dope domecracker rmx’s to Polyrhthmic,his BeyondReal lable,camp,& group w/ MC Criminul > Jay I Gee’s whose across the globe was as definitive of Spinna’s sound as one will find.I know it’s not about SPINNA.Just to me having heard from Shawn’s own mouth,that Spinna was “ on the help-out ” we all can read between lines.
Fave track.BBOY’s will bboys,& an incredible Lyrical reworking, along with bomb squad meets NT’s production brilliance of Children’s Story.Hater Players on the HM tip , for cleverness alone.Also a fat co-sign to Kweli’s 2nd verse on HaterPlayers and to me being the emcee who improved at every aspect of emceeing from first time i saw him & MD ,along with Mr.Mann do Fortified Live at WETLAND’s CMJ week ’97.He’s TOP-NOTCH.chalk-up another W for winner in T7B Cipher.
THIS MOVEMENT WAS ICONIC FA US. THIS LP HELPED ME GROW AS A MC AND PERSON. NUFF RESPECK DUE