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How friggin great is Mos Def. A new track has surfaced (thanks to Kanye) called “The Tournament”. Apparently it’s an outtake from his sweet LP The Ecstatic. This could have easily fit into that album, but I’m just happy to hear it now in all of its Godfather sampling glory. Take a listen:
mp3: Mos Def – The Tournament”
And just because I’m feelin it…a classic for you:
mp3: Mos Def and Talib Kweli Are Black Star – Definition
Mos Def’s The Ecstatic is perhaps one of my favorite hip hop albums out this year. “Supermagic” is the first video from it and it’s just Mos doing his thang with multitude of trails…check it:
mp3: Mos Def – Supermagic
In related news JP’s Blog just dropped that Mos Def will be appearing on three tracks on the new Gorillaz album Plastic Beach. YES! Read the full post here.
Let me preface this little spiel by saying that I am a long time fan of Mos Def. A first time listener to Mos Def’s The Ecstatic most likely will have a different view than I.
I can’t remember the year, but I remember vividly the first time a pal of mine put on the recently released Mos Def and Talib Kweli are Black Star album. I quickly dubbed that thing and wore the tape out. Time passed and Mos Def gained more prominence with the release of Black On Both Sides. I recall sitting with a group of my close comrades taking it in – being wowed by the broad spectrum of styles Mos was tackling. Then silence for a while. Mos Def did the acting thing. Was he ever going to rap again on a full length? The answer was “sort of ” with the release of his second album The New Danger – a Jeckll and Hyde type album switching between some solid hip hop tracks and some not so solid rock/hardcore Blackjack Johnson tracks. He was testing some new things out, and I respected that, but really didn’t like the album that much. Years passed and eventually he put out True Magic, a straight up rap album. I enjoyed this album more then most people, but now revisiting it does come across as little flat. Where was the exploration the Mos Def usually strives for? The answer to that has come in his new album The Ecstatic. It seems Mos Def has come full circle bouncing his exceptionally strong rhymes over a multitude of genres (latin, jazz, club, electro, hip hop, funk) put together by a number of super producers (Madlib, Oh No, Mr. Flash). The Ecstatic is a massive feast for the avid music fan as it keeps you on your toes for the full 45 minutes leaving you guessing what style/energy Mos Def would come at you with next. It’s not filled with guest rhymers (like so many rap albums), but the two notables are like icing on the cake. Slick Rick the Ruler lends a hand on “Auditorium” and Talib Kweli joins his Black Star member on “History” – a track that simply KILLS (please say there will be another Black Star album…please).
Without dragging on too much longer (I could go on and on) GET THIS ALBUM.
mp3: Mos Def – History (featuring Talib Kweli)
mp3: Mos Def – Casa Bey
and some more…
mp3: Mos Def – Crime and Medicine off True Magic
mp3: Mos Def – Hip Hop off Black On Both Sides
mp3: The Roots – Double Trouble (featuring Mos Def)
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Listen to more Mos Def on: The Hype Machine | ElbowsBuy music by Mos Def from: Amazon
Another track has been released off of Mos Def’s upcoming The Ecstatic album. This one is a 70s disco funk dream entitled “Casa Bey”. Mos tears it up of course…then finishes it off with some delicate piano to end it…beautiful. This album is going to be killer.
mp3: Mos Def – Casa Bey
mp3: Mos Def – Life In Marvelous Times
The Ecstatic comes out on June 9th.
Nice. That’s how I feel about ‘ shows in the area. The mighty mighty Mos Def rolls into Rams Head Live here in Baltimore so you know that’s a winner. Elsewhere around the city True Womanhood, Weekends, and Bad Liquor Pond play a scary good show at the Metro Gallery. Down in DC Drug Rug and Kashgar play DC9 while Carol Bui, Title Tracks and Paul Michel play the Rock and Roll Hotel. Up north in Philly the Danger Danger Gallery has a good one with Josh Reichman Oracle Band and Slim Twig while Sam Roberts Band and Mother Mother play the World Cafe Live. Finally don’t forget about midwest rockers Jimmy Eat World and their show at the Trocadero.
mp3: Mos Def – Life In Marvelous Times
mp3: Mother Mother – Train
mp3: Josh Reichman Oracle Band – Believe In Souls
mp3: Jimmy Eat World – Believe In What You Want
mp3: Drug Rug – Tiny People
mp3: True Womanhood – The Monk
Photo by Melanie Hoff
And it begins…a week of some really dynamite shows throughout the region. DC is the place to be on this chilly Monday night. Where you ask? Well the 9:30 Club has the mighty mighty Mos Def – nuff said. That’s where you should be. Buuut…maybe you’d be interested in Obi Best and Shapiro over at DC9 or perhaps even the Sam Roberts Band and Mother Mother at the Rock and Roll Hotel. Up north in the Phill-city and sweet show at Kungfu Necktie is blazing tonight with Pomegranates, Mercury Radio Theater, and Western Dresses. And finally if you really want to far out then head over to Johnny Brenda’s to catch Icy Demons, Buffalo Stance, and Ape School. Enjoy!
mp3: Mos Def – Mathematics
mp3: Mother Mother – Wrecking Ball
mp3: Sam Roberts Band – Detroit ‘67
mp3: Pomegranates – Whom/Who
mp3: Obi Best – Nothing Can Come Between Us
mp3: Icy Demons – Miami Ice
Okay, I’m officially pumped about Mos Def’s new album The Ecstatic. “Quiet Dog” is the new track out and it pours out beats, hand claps, and one hard lyrical river from the mouth of Mos Def. Check it:
mp3: Mos Def – Quiet Dog
I don’t know about you, but Mr. Def really reminds me of The Roots’ Black Thought on this one. Album due out on February 24th.
This past Tuesday Mos Def put out the first single, “Life In Marvelous Times”, off of his next album The Ecstatic, on Itunes. Let me just clear the air and say this song is refreshing to hear. I’ve been a big Mos Def fan since way back in the day when the Black Star album was first released. He’s since hit some musical speed bumps (though Tru Magic slowly grew on me), but now appears back to lyrical (and musical) form. It also doesn’t hurt that the track is produced by the amazing French disco house extraordinaire, Mr. Flash. Take a listen and tell me it doesn’t get you pumped for the album.
mp3: Mos Def – Life In Marvelous Times sorry. had to take it down, but here’s the stream:
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