Author Topic: Mos Def - Black On Both Sides  (Read 967 times)

On The Edge of Insanity

Mos Def - Black On Both Sides
« on: June 17, 2003, 10:39:07 AM »
Mos Def
Black On Both Sides
Rawkus
1999

After various dope cuts on their compilations such as Soundbombing and Lyricist Lounge including the classic Universal Magnetic track, and his Black Star album alongside Talib Kweli, Mos Def finally dropped his first solo album in 1999. This album was eagerly awaited by many, waiting to see if Mos could follow up the quality of his tracks and lyrics before this album.

Fear Not Of Man - this is basically the intro to the album which basically has Mos talking over a dope musical arrangement for like two minutes before breaking into a little verse and repeated chorus. This is dope but I can't really give it a score because it is basically just an intro.

Hip Hop - the first real track on the album, and the title says it all really. This track basically has Mos talking about what hiphop is to him, in his normal dope lyrical flow, over a cool beat provided by Diamond. The chorus has the same voice that was used on LL Cool J's track of the same name simply repeating the phrase hiphop. Overall a pretty dope track and a good start to the album. 4/5

Love - once again the title does say it all. Mos spends this track rapping about love over a relatively simple but effective 88 Keys production. Mos comes dope lyrically once more, and this is really a nice chilled track with a dope little hook. 4/5

Ms Fat Booty - this is probably the track that most people have heard from this album. This is basically a light hearted love track by Mos, which really is pretty amusing at times because we have all been in similar situations if you listen properly to the lyrics. The way that Mos flips his words on this track whilst always staying totally on beat really is impressive, and in my opinion this is what makes this track a classic. Of course, it's cause is helped greatly by the amazing Ayatollah beat, and the Aretha Franklin sampled chorus which fits the song to perfection. Overall, this is a straight up classic track. 5/5

Speed Law - this 88 Keys produced track is once again deceptively simple yet draws you into the track without you even really realising it. Mos uses a quicker flow on this track, and once again pulls it off to great effect, rapping about people going through life too quick. The intersected voice which says what sounds like "watcher" keeps the beat moving along nicely every four bars or so, and Mos' sung chorus is also good. 4/5

Do It Now (feat Busta Rhymes) - now, why doesn't Busta do tracks like this on his own albums instead of all that experimental shit? This track really is hella dope. Each verse has each of the two rappers doing 8 bars each, with Busta flowing perfectly into the end of Mos, and both rappers coming with nothing but heat lyrically. The chorus sees their chemistry continued, trading lines as if they have been rapping together for years. The last verse features somebody singing in a reggae style, which I suppose must be Mos, because no samples or background vocalists are listed, which finishes the track off real well. Overall this is a very dope track. 4.5/5

Got - this track basically talks about all the rappers who front and pretend to be hard, and then find themselves in trouble. Mos tells the real on this track, over a dope beat with slightly strange bass. Mos comes off dope lyrically on this track and the hook is also pretty good, but it doesn't really seem on the level of the rest of the album before this track. 3.5/5

Umi Says - this track is basically just Mos laying out his soul on a track, sung in a reggae type style. The track is self produced, and you can tell that this track is very personal to Mos. I'm not gonna lie and say that Mos is a great singer, because he isn't, but what is so endearing about this track and that you can see that he has put his soul into this track, and therefore you can really relate to him on this track. 4/5

New World Water - produced by Psycho Les of the Beatnuts, this track does have a very Beatnuts style sound to it, which Mos sounds real good over. This track is actually about water, and all of the uses of water and how Mos feels that it is the central component of human life. Despite the slightly strange subject matter this track is still dope, and shows that Mos is open to what it going on in the world, and is willing to address such issues. 3.5/5

Rock N Roll - another sung track by Mos, this time about the origins of Rock and Roll. As we know by the fact that he has formed Black Jack Johnson, Mos is heavily into trying to bring black people back into rock music because he feels that black people are the origin of rock and roll. He tells the story well, from the people on the reservations to the present day. The hook tells the real on many white rock artists, and nearer the end of the track lists the people that he sees as rock and roll. His singing is again solid on this track. Near the end of the track, the song turns into a straight up punk rock song with a quick paced guitar and Mos singing much quicker to keep up with the track. Overall this is a pretty dope track. 4/5

Know That (feat Talib Kweli) - well, you knew that Talib Kweli would have to turn up somewhere on this album, and it may as well be on one of the dopest tracks on the album. Ayatollah drops a dope, pretty hyped beat, and Mos and Talib both spit total dopeness over it. Kweli completely rips it as he enters:
"Guess who? The illlest MC in the atmosphere, sole controller, who rome the front tier like a Buffalo soldier"
The hook is also pretty dope, and Mos' singing at the end of the track finishes it off perfectly. Overall this is a classic track. 5/5

Climb (feat Vinja Mojica) - this track is basically a co sung track by Mos and Vinja Mojica which is a very chilled track which for some reason sounds like something that somebody would sing whilst lead down looking at the stars. I know this sounds very weird but that is just the feeling that I get from this track. A beat enters after just over a minute, which speeds up the tempo a little but it is still pretty chilled. Overall, I really like this track as like a little interlude which really is something to just lay back and chill to. 4/5

Brooklyn - this track is basically just repping Brooklyn to the fullest. Once again a LL sample is used of the chanting of Brooklyn, Brooklyn from the start of his Doin It track. Mos comes hella dope on this one talking about his own turf, going through his life story at the same time. The beat changes third times during this track, but all of the beats are hella dope two of which are produced by Mos himself and one by Geology of B Boys Will B Boys fame. Overall this is another dope track. 4/5

Habitat - this has another nice musical arrangement of a bear, which follows most of the beats in being real laid back, with dope bass and what sounds like a dope little flute sample. Mos drops more dopeness on this track, and the hook is real nice and chilled. 3.5/5

Mr Nigga (feat Q Tip) - Q Tip drops by to provide Mos with the hook on another chilled sounding track this time produced by D-Prosper alongside Mos. The track itself is basically Mos rapping about the unfair treatment that black people receive everyday, even though they are meant to be treated as equals. The track will be eye opening to many people, yet whilst putting across a serious message, Mos once again manages to inject some humour into the proceedings which is what makes him such an endearing artist. Overall this is another classic track. 5/5

Mathematics - ok, one look at the credits and you know that this is gonna be a real dope track. I mean come on, Mos Def rapping over a DJ Premier beat, it can't get much better than that. The track itself doesn't disappoint either. Over Primo's bass heavy beat, Mos drops pure dopeness, starting both verses with counting from 1 to 9 in his rhymes. The mathematics topic continues throughout the track, whilst Mos raps about the current situation in America. The hook is vintage Primo, with vocal samples including Fat Joe from the John Blaze Remix perfectly scratched into one another. Overall this is another classic track. 5/5

May-December - the last track on the album is a co-production between Mos and 88 Keys, which is basically just a real dope musical outro to the album. It is obvious that Mos does have a lot of musical talent as well as being able to rhyme and sing, and this is a real nice way to end the album, but I will not rate it cause there is no rapping or singing content on the track.

Overall this was a very dope way for Mos to start his solo career. The majority of the album had a very laid back feel to it and was quite jazzy in a way, which I think was what Mos was attempting with this album. It was good to see an artist actually getting involved on the musical side of their album, with Mos playing instruments on many tracks alongside the now sadly departed Weldon Irvine. Lyrically Mos comes off dope on almost all of the tracks, and even his singing is solid, which is a good sign for his rock album. The issues which he chose to cover on this album were obviously very dear to him, and he showed that he wasn't afraid to make songs about unconventional topics, such as water. There are four classic tracks on this album ,and a lot of other dope tracks, and there isn't really anything that you will want to skip. Overall this is a real dope album, and Mos is gonna have to come with a classic album in the future to beat his debut.

Overall: 9/10

Black Pack

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Re:Mos Def - Black On Both Sides
« Reply #1 on: June 17, 2003, 03:07:33 PM »
I was dissapointed by it, Mos is capable of alot more than what he showed on Black On Both Sides.. like Blackstar was 5/5 material, this is more like 4/5 material. And after Blackstar I had expected this album to be classic but it isn't anywhere close to what I expected.


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_That_Cracka_J

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Re:Mos Def - Black On Both Sides
« Reply #2 on: June 17, 2003, 11:15:33 PM »
Never heard the album, but props on the review.
 

Skindiana bon3z

Re:Mos Def - Black On Both Sides
« Reply #3 on: June 17, 2003, 11:41:02 PM »
I agree with that review...this album is dope IMO...thanks for the review...props  ;D
 

Gerz

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Re:Mos Def - Black On Both Sides
« Reply #4 on: June 18, 2003, 12:24:31 AM »
I agree with that review...this album is dope IMO...thanks for the review...props  ;D

LMAO @ a white dude feelin a black guy talkin bout how it is to be black. You'll never be black u fuckin cracker, so u cant relate to it....Dont u love ur race?...lol
 

Gerz

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Re:Mos Def - Black On Both Sides
« Reply #5 on: June 18, 2003, 12:25:17 AM »
What does this pic tell you?...Cant u take a hint from that?





 

On The Edge of Insanity

Re:Mos Def - Black On Both Sides
« Reply #6 on: June 18, 2003, 10:56:30 AM »
What does this pic tell you?...Cant u take a hint from that?







Um, whitey is what some black people call the devil, it doesn't mean that Mos Def hates all white people.

Skindiana bon3z

Re:Mos Def - Black On Both Sides
« Reply #7 on: June 18, 2003, 11:13:49 AM »
I agree with that review...this album is dope IMO...thanks for the review...props  ;D

LMAO @ a white dude feelin a black guy talkin bout how it is to be black. You'll never be black u fuckin cracker, so u cant relate to it....Dont u love ur race?...lol

I never said I wanted to be black, LMAO...I just like his music and like Waitin for The Daz Album said....it doesnt mean he hates all white people...
 

_That_Cracka_J

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Re:Mos Def - Black On Both Sides
« Reply #8 on: June 18, 2003, 01:09:40 PM »
I agree with that review...this album is dope IMO...thanks for the review...props  ;D

LMAO @ a white dude feelin a black guy talkin bout how it is to be black. You'll never be black u fuckin cracker, so u cant relate to it....Dont u love ur race?...lol

Muthafucka, why do you turn EVERY thread into a race issue?  


Dumbass....
 

Skindiana bon3z

Re:Mos Def - Black On Both Sides
« Reply #9 on: June 18, 2003, 08:18:27 PM »
I agree with that review...this album is dope IMO...thanks for the review...props  ;D

LMAO @ a white dude feelin a black guy talkin bout how it is to be black. You'll never be black u fuckin cracker, so u cant relate to it....Dont u love ur race?...lol

Muthafucka, why do you turn EVERY thread into a race issue?  


Dumbass....

Yeah he's been doing this on almost everyone of his posts....that dumbass...
 

OpTiCaL

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Re:Mos Def - Black On Both Sides
« Reply #10 on: June 19, 2003, 07:18:37 AM »
I agree with that review...this album is dope IMO...thanks for the review...props  ;D

LMAO @ a white dude feelin a black guy talkin bout how it is to be black. You'll never be black u fuckin cracker, so u cant relate to it....Dont u love ur race?...lol

Muthafucka, why do you turn EVERY thread into a race issue?  


Dumbass....

Yeah he's been doing this on almost everyone of his posts....


Very annoying but thats what hes tring to be...

...well its was an excellent album...that_cracka_j   see if you can dl a copy

its well worth a listen..

thanks for the review!

pZ