Mos Def: The Ecstatic Vinyl 2LP

The way I feel sometimes its too hard to sit still / things are so passionate, times are so real – cant think of a more important time to repress this record than 2017. Mos Def sets himself apart from the rest of the post-Rawkus set by constantly tearing up the rulebook and thinking outside of the box, tapping into blues rock on 2004s The New Danger and using Juveniles Nolia Clap as a vehicle fora spine-tingling indictment of the Bush Administration on 2006s True Magic. For his fourth (and at time of writing, most recent) solo full-length, Mos reaches into the underground and scoops up cult Stones Throw beatsmiths Madlib, Oh No and Georgia Anne Muldrow. In 2017, this sort of cross-pollination is commonplace, but in 2009, Mos was a movie star, and him tapping Madlib for beats was a huge deal (seven whole years before Lib had a credit on a Kanye record). The Neptunes contribution (Twilite Speedball, rumored to be a rare Chad Hugo solo production) sounds right at home next to Madlibs beats for Auditorium (feat. Slick Rick) and Wahid, two of the albums toughest records. Other highlights include Pretty Dancer, Casa Bey and the Dilla-produced History featuring Black Star homie Talib Kweli. Mos leaps from raw spit to neo-soul croon (Roses) and bodega serenade (No Hay Nada Mas) as effortlessly as the man on the sleeve leaps between two buildings (a still from Charles Burnetts 1978 film Killer of Sheep). With original copies going for up to $400 (yes, really), this double vinyl repress is paramount (and it’s very necessary, get it clearly). Recommended.

• double vinyl pressing
• music label: Downtown Music 2009 / 2017

reviewed by hannibal chew 10/2017