Black Star (album)

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Black Star
Black Star cover
Studio album by Black Star
Released 28 August 1998 (US)
Genre Alternative hip-hop
Length 48:02
Label Rawkus/UMVD
Producer(s) Hi-Tek
88-Keys
Talib Kweli
J. Rawls
Professional reviews
Mos Def chronology
Black Star
(1998)		 Black on Both Sides
(1999)
Talib Kweli chronology
Black Star
(1998)		 Train of Thought
(2000)

Black Star is the self-titled debut by the pairing of rappers Talib Kweli and Mos Def. It is sometimes listed as Mos Def and Talib Kweli are Black Star. The album was released on August 26, 1998. The title is a reference to a shipping line founded by Pan-Africanist Marcus Garvey. Black Star deals with modern day issues, ideas, and life in Brooklyn, New York City as the two artists know it.

Contents

[edit] Overview

The album's fruition came about from the chemistry between the two rappers. Both had planned to release their albums around the same time, but postponed their individual projects and decided instead to collaborate on a full-length LP.

The late jazz musician, Weldon Irvine, played the keys on the album's opening song, "Astronomy". The song interprets the word, black, in a positive way and contains similes such as, "Black like my baby girl's stare".

The next song, and first single, "Definition", is a stern response to "hip hop's fascination with death", and a dedication to slain rappers Tupac Shakur, and Biggie Smalls. As the chorus goes:

One two three / Mos Def and Talib Kweli / We came to rock it on to the tip-top / Best alliance in hip-hop, wyahhhhh / I said one two three / It's kind of dangerous to be an emcee / They shot Tupac and Biggie / Too much violence in hip-hop, wyahhhhh

The chorus is also a play on Boogie Down Productions' anti-gun song "Stop the Violence". "Children's Story" is a re-imagined version of Slick Rick's original, with Mos Def cautioning against overly materialistic pursuits.

"Brown Skin Lady" is an affectionate tribute to african-american women. The song encourages black women to be proud of their hair and complexion, and to not be influenced by western beauty standards. Kweli says: "...Were not dealin with the European standard of beauty tonight / Turn off the TV and put the magazine away / In the mirror tell me what you see / See the evidence of divine presence"

The centerpiece of the album, "Thieves In The Night", was inspired by author Toni Morrison's novel The Bluest Eye. In the album's liner notes, Kweli explains that the paragraph "struck me as one of the truest critiques of our society, and I read that in high school, when I was 15 years old. I think it is especially true in the world of hip hop, because we get blinded by these illusions." The excerpt interpolated in the song is as follows:

And fantasy it was, for we were not strong, only aggressive; we were not free, merely licensed; we were not compassionate, we were polite; not good, but well behaved. We courted death in order to call ourselves brave, and hid like thieves from life.

And the version on the track:

not strong, only aggressive/ not free, we only licensed/ not compassionate, only polite (now who the nicest?) / not good but well-behaved/ chasin' after death so we could call ourselves brave, still livin' like mental slaves/ hiding like thieves in the night from life/ illusions of oasis making you look twice.

The album's cover was designed by artist Brent Rollins.

[edit] Critical reaction

Black Star was hailed as a hip hop classic and is often cited as an anchor for the new wave of rappers directly or indirectly inspired by the Native Tongues. As a result Rawkus Records became the premier independent hip hop label, with a reputation for delivering underground albums of considerable quality. The praise would continue on subsequent albums by the two MCs. Despite popular demand, Mos Def and Talib Kweli have yet to deliver a follow up album, however both have gone on to produce their own albums to much critical acclaim. They have been instrumental in the rise of Kanye West, currently one of rap music's most influential artists.

[edit] Track listing

# Title Producer(s) Performer (s) (in order of appearence)
1 "Intro" Hi-Tek; co-produced by Talib Kweli *Interlude*
2 "Astronomy (8th Light)" Mr. Walt Talib Kweli, Mos Def, Weldon Irvine
3 "Definition" Hi-Tek Mos Def, Talib Kweli
4 "RE: DEFinition" Hi-Tek Talib Kweli, Mos Def
5 "Children's Story" Shawn J Period Mos Def
6 "Brown Skin Lady " J. Rawls Talib Kweli, Mos Def
7 "B Boys Will B Boys" Ge-ology Mos Def, Talib Kweli
8 "K. O. S. (Determination)" Hi-Tek Talib Kweli, Vinia Mojica
9 "Hater Players" Shawn J Period Apani, Talib Kweli, Mos Def
10 "Yo Yeah" J. Rawls; co-produced by Talib Kweli Talib Kweli, Mos Def
11 "Respiration" Hi-Tek Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Common
12 "Thieves in the Night" 88 Keys Talib Kweli, Mos Def
13 "Twice Inna Lifetime" Hi-Tek Jane Doe, Punchline, Talib Kweli, Wordsworth, Mos Def

[edit] Samples

  • Definition contains a sample from "The P Is Free" by Boogie Down Productions
  • Definition contains an altered version of the chorus in "Stop The Violence" by Boogie Down Productions
  • Children's Story samples "Children's Story" by Slick Rick
  • Brown Skin Lady begins with a sample from the film Chameleon Street
  • Brown Skin Lady contains a sample from "We Almost Lost Detroit" by Gil-Scott Heron and Brian Jackson
  • K.O.S. (Determination) contains a sample from "Baby, This Love I Have" by Minnie Riperton
  • Respiration contains a sample from "The Fox" by Don Randi
  • Respiration contains a sample from the film Style Wars

[edit] Album singles

Audio samples of Black Star
Single cover Single information
"Definition"
"Respiration" (featuring Common)

[edit] Personnel

[edit] Chart positions

Billboard Music Charts (North America) - album

Chart (1998) Peak position
The Billboard 200 No. 53
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums No. 13

Billboard (North America) - singles

Chart (1998) Peak Position
Definition - Hot Rap Singles No. 3
Definition - Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks No. 31
Definition - The Billboard Hot 100 No. 60
Chart (1999) Peak position
Respiration - Hot Rap Singles No. 6
Respiration - Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks No. 54


 v • d • e 
Talib Kweli

Albums and EPs: Black Star | Train of Thought | Quality | The Beautiful Struggle | Right About Now | Liberation | Ear Drum

Singles: "Move Somethin'" | "The Express" | "The Blast" | "Down for the Count" | "Good to You" | "Fortified Live" | "Waitin' for the DJ" | "Get By" | "Peace of Mine" | "I Try" | "Never Been in Love" | "Flash Gordon" | "Fly That Knot" | "Getting Up Anthem" | "Listen" | "More Or Less"

Other: Reflection Eternal | Native Tongues | Blacksmith Records | Black Star
 v • d • e Mos Def
Studio albums
Black Star (1998) | Black on Both Sides (1999) | The New Danger (2004) | True Magic (2006)
Singles
"Definition"/"Twice Inna Lifetime" | "Respiration"/"Respiration (Flying High Mix)" | "Ms. Fat Booty"/"Mathematics" | "Umi Says"/"Universal Magnetic" | "Sex, Love & Money"/"Ghetto Rock"
See Also
Soulquarians | Native Tongues Posse | Black Star | Def Poetry | Selected filmography
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