Track Listing

1. Supermagic
2. Twilite Speedball
3. Auditorium - Mos Def, The Ruler
4. Wahid
5. Priority
6. Quiet Dog Bite Hard
7. Life in Marvelous Times
8. Embassy
9. No Hay Nada Mas
10. Pistola
11. Pretty Dancer
12. Workers Comp
13. Revelations
14. Roses
15. History - Talib Kweli, Mos Def
16. Casa Bey - MEAD, Mos Def

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #10830 in Music
• Released on: 2009-06-09
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .20 pounds

Customer Reviews

Excuse me?
This, along with DOOM's Born Like This, is one of the best hip-hop albums of the year so far, it could even be better than the aforementioned - I recently watched a video interview with Mos Def, where he discusses DOOM and his deep respect for him ("I'd bet a million dollars on DOOM against Lil Wayne"). These two rappers, in my opinion, are two of the most important and impressive working today, and tend to work with the right producers and collaborators with no doubt.

Mos spans a range of styles, thanks to production from his buddies including Madlib, Mr Flash (Ed Banger), and the late J Dilla (legend), and excellent appearances from Slick Rick and Talib Kweli. This album flows as well as Black on Both Sides, but overall is a beastier, more soulful effort, which really is exhilarating to listen to.

A lot of people might not agree, but this proves how cool Mos Def can keep, he really is keeping a consistently solid image which can't really be matched by anyone out there, flying solo like himself. I love the samples used throughout, especially the jazz tendencies and occasional Eastern skits. Even the most overproduced (by Mr Flash) track 'Life in Marvelous Times' manages to keep it together...but at least it's better than Kanye West or any R'n'B slaughter - in other words, its appeal doesn't deteriorate after the first listen. This album is sweet, and will stay so for quite a while, in my eyes. This is decent hip-hop and should not be ignored.

Killer of Sheep

Highly recommended. Mos Def has made a classic with this one.

Superbly produced, and written, it's also fairly eclectic (r&b, reggae, even arabic influences. And singing.)

The record kicks off on a serious note with a sample the words of Malcolm "...people in power have misused it and there has to be a change..."

The record keeps up its conviction throughout, all killer no filler.

lacking real tunes....
There's no disputing Mos Def's talents as a rapper - he's one of the very best. And it's this talent that made me approach this new effort, albeit with caution as I was disappointed with The New Danger.

And I'm even more disappointed with this one - there are some good tunes on this album but simply not enough. Instead there are a lot of light tracks with few layers and little texture, good samples wasted as they are needlessly looped and end up going nowhere.

Some people will call this a welcome departure from bland mainstream hip-hop. And it is - up to a point. But at the end of the day, if a hip hop album doesn't consist mostly of tunes that make my head vigorously nod, then it's seriously lacking in basic hip hop ingredients.

And will someone tell him that his singing voice isn't as good as he thinks it is!

This sounds harsh but after masterworks such as Black On Both Sides and Black Star with Taleb Kweli, he set a standard he hasn't been able to reach since, let down by his weakness for self-indulgence. I give this 3 stars only because of my respect for his undoubted killer talents.