If you don’t reside in New York, then you may not know about the NYPD’s controversial “stop-and-frisk” initiative that essentially gives the fuzz the right to pull an individual over and search their person with no logical reason outside of “probable cause.” Many folks have spoken against the measure, and today the mighty Mos Def delivers a video denouncing the whole thing.
Journalist (such a rarity these days to say that) Sama’an Ashrawi continues his All-Star Tribute to the Underground Kings with this sit-down with the artist formally known as Mos Def.
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Here goes much better footage of Mos bringing out Kanye to perform “Can’t Tell Me Nothing” at the La Bataclan in Paris.
PREVIOUS: Mos Def – The Light Is Not Afraid of The Dark (prod. Kanye West) [Unreleased]
A few weeks ago we saw Yasiin Bey perform an unreleased Kanye West-produced cut. Now, OKP provides the original recording version that was originally recorded during the Tru3 Magic sessions. Take a listen below.
In preparation of the release of Yasiin and Mannie Fresh’s upcoming LP, OMFGOD, we are blessed with the first leak, Black Jesus over some minimalist Mannie Fresh production. 2Fresh, 2Dope. Hit the jump for a video of Yasiin performing the song in Phoenix, Arizona.
So today must be “reclusive rapper Friday” I guess, as yet another one – Jay Electronica – pops up with The Bullits, Mos Def and Lucy Liu once again for this cut off the soundtrack for the Western film They Die By Dawn And Other Stories (check the trailer up top), dropping June 4th. Props to Rolling Stone.
The artist formerly known as the mighty Mos Def took to Chicago’s Shrine to perform his Kanye West-produced song originally slated to be on Tru3 Magic, and the Camovement crew was on hand to capture the man with the red microphone in action.
DJ Dub teams up with OnSMASH to put together a mix of Mos Def Yasiin Bey’s classics, b-sides and blends. Stream/download link after the jump.
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Bring back Black Star, please.
Bright light from a distant star.
Sitting down with Rolling Stone, Talib Kweli gave a new (hopefully solid) date for the release of his sixth studio album Prisoner Of Conscious… April 23rd.
Four years in the making, Prisoner of Conscious represents a more nuanced selection of songs, which feature guests including Kendrick Lamar, Nelly and Busta Rhymes. It retains the live instrumentation Kweli incorporated on The Beautiful Struggle and Eardrum; a sample of Eric B & Rakim’s “Paid in Full” for the Trend-produced song “Turnt Up” prevented a scheduled November release. The delay allowed Kweli time to “rethink” the album, and he tacked on two more songs in December.
“I tried to focus more on the musicality of the album and make decisions based more on how the music feels, rather than make decisions based on what I wanted to say,” Kweli said. “This is the most time I’ve ever spent on a record.”
Kweli also goes on to discuss a possible Black Star reunion with Mos Def Yasiin Bey, finishing up with “I would love to get back into it whenever he’s ready.”
At the Sean Price x Murs x 9th Wonder release show a few weeks ago, Young Guru actually debuted this track for the crowd (as well as a couple other Mos Def tracks), but nobody really got the true feel and message of it due to the riot-starting backdrop blasting through the speakers. Well, here’s your chance.
PREVIOUS: Mos Def & Mannie Fresh Record “OMFGOD pt.3″ (Video)
