Track Listing

1. Hip Hop
2. Love
3. Know That
4. Mathematics
5. Palestine
6. Next Universe
7. Brooklyn In 3 Moods
8. Magnificent
9. New World Order
10. Home
11. Speed Law
12. Do It Now - Mos Def & Busta Rhymes
13. Ms Fat Booty - Mos Def & Busta Rhymes
14. Fear Not Of Man
15. Universal Magnetic

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #24479 in Music
• Released on: 1999-10-18
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Explicit Lyrics

Amazon.co.uk Review
Black on Both Sides is a manifestation of compelling, honest hip-hop. The genre's underground torchbearer, the mighty Mos Def (half of Black Star), injects intellect, humour, and knowledge into all of his rhymes. Overall, the album has an understated quality, but pure enjoyment comes with discovering the clever lyrical gems Mos drops. The expansiveness of his mindstate is showcased best on "New World Water", in which he fully represents our uses of, needs for, and exploitation of water. On "Ms. Fat Booty", a love tale with unexpected twists is woven intricately around Aretha Franklin's wailing vocals. Whether rapping, singing, or lecturing, Mos Def is firmly rooted in African American consciousness and examines social issues with great ease. Black on Both Sides will endure for many years; it's an album worthy of numerous listens. --Celine Wong

CD Description
Mos Def, one-half of the much loved Brooklyn duo Black Star, breaks out on his own with the most intense solo debut in hip-hop since THE MISEDUCATION OF LAUREN HILL. Like MISEDUCATION, BLACK ON BOTH SIDES stretches the definition of the genre to incorporate all aspects of music of the African Diaspora, from reggae to jazz, to form a new kind of sound. Def sings, Def raps, Def does all that and then some. The wide scope of the album is most evident by the collaborators he chooses to work with, who run the gamut from the underrated mastermind of a Tribe Called Quest, Ali Shaheed Mohammad, to the wrongly unsung hero of rare groove, keyboardist Weldon Irvine.
The message in Mos Def's music is that like in bluesand jazz before it: hip-hop is not a separate "giant livingin the hillside" but a reflection of who we are. In "Fear of Not Man", Mos queries his audience, "next time you ask where hip-hop is going, ask yourself where am I going?" In "HipHop" he warns, "ahip hop will simply amaze you, praise you,pay you, do whatever you say to, but black, it can't save you".

Customer Reviews

I'll still be listening to this in 10 years time
I have an enormous collection of hip hop, ranging from the early 90s to 2day, but nothing stands out like this. To say the very least, Mos Def is an immensly talented mc and his rhymes are witty, entertaining and thought provoking. Black on Both Sides is refreshing, even though Mos Def isn't rapping about the same subjects as 2days latest stars like 50 cent etc (which makes a nice change!) there is a track for every1 and every mood. For me 'Ms Fat Booty', 'Do it now', 'New World Water', 'Know that' ft Talib Kweli and the unusual 'Climb' really stand out. He mixes chilled out hip hop jazz beats with sharp lyrics which makes this cd so easy to listen to. I suppose alot people say this about loadsa music, but this cd is so worth the money, even if you arent usually drawn to more underground artists, Mos Def has something about him that is so uplifting. I also like the way the tracks are neatly mixed one to another. I suppose this is like a more educated, less egotistic version of Nas, or a less harsh Pharoah Monche. Whatever your tastes, this cd is so diverse its worth having, any self respecting hip hop fan would agree!! Peace

Landmark release from one of hip-hop's finest
After his patchy 2004 release, The New Danger, this remains the definitive Mos Def album: a towering achievement by a unique artist whose appeal stretches way beyond the boundaries of rap and hip-hop. Painted from a rich and diverse musical palette, Black on Both Sides simply dazzles at every turn. It eschews the overly slick production and the cloying references to guns and b*tches usually associated with the genre, and instead focusses its attention on themes of a rather more universal nature. On 'Rock `N' Roll', for example, Mos seeks to redress the balance in the collective consciousness of the music buying public ("You may dig on the Rolling Stones, but everything they did they stole") while on `New World Water' he reflects lucidly on that most precious commodity, otherwise known as H2O.

As a whole, BoBS is an intelligent, understated oeuvre - but it is not without bite; see, notably, the aforementioned `Rock `N' Roll', `Know That' (my personal favourite track, featuring long-time partner-in-rhyme, Talib Kweli) and `Mr Nigga', in which Mos deals a deft blow to institutionalized racism with lines about amusing encounters with first-class air stewardesses.

Soothing, inspiring, and empowering, Black on Both Sides is that rare thing in music: an album to suit any mood. Definitely one of my top 10 records of all time...

Matt Pucci

A near-perfect example of what real hip-hop is all about
'Black on Both Sides' is quite simply, an amazing album that proves without question that Mos Def is the most talented person in all of hip-hop and quite possibly, all music genres.

Mos Def appeared on the Black Star LP in 98 which, in my opinion, was one of the best hip-hop albums of all time. It contained a collection of classic tracks with intelligent rhymes examining social ills in America and generally thought provoking lyrics. 'Black on Both Sides' continues this and adds to it with innovative and polished production that makes this album a must, whether you want to be inspired and educated or just want something phat to bop your head to. This album has it all.

If I had to choose some tracks out of all these cuts, i would go for the scarily good 'Hip Hop' and the DJ Premier-produced 'Mathematics'.

Mos Def is only gonna get better after this and you'd better believe that one day he is gonna drop the best album of all time. Miss this album and you are missing the most important debut album of your generation. Believe that!

If you like your hip hop to come with immature lyrics and lazy samples (see: Puff Daddy, Will Smith, Master P, Jay-Z etc.) then perhaps this isn't the album for you. For all the other real hip hop heads and anyone else interested in just good music, do not hesitate in buying this album. You will not be disappointed. You have my word.

Put simply, if 'Black on Both Sides' is not in your CD collection, you should be ashamed.