The Modern Day Native Tongue... Mos Def... Kanye West... Common and Talib Kweli

[M Dogg™]

Back in the day, there was the Native Tongue group, that was always featured on each others stuff and produced backpack Hip-Hop classics. There was De La Soul, Tribe Called Quest, Black Sheep, Monie Love and many others. They were huge in changing the game, and even the higher selling artist looked up to them and basically it was Native Tongue that set the standard for other rappers to follow and step there game up.

The past 5-6 years, a few rappers that always colabo together seem to be in that same mold. Talib Kweli and his Blackstarr partner Mos Def, along with Chi Town's finest Common have been featured on each others albums, and other artist like Jay-Z have said they wished to rap with the skillz of these dudes. Also joining in is not someone you'll mistake for the next coming of Rakim, but Kanye West simple but clever rhymes mix in with just the hottest beats out today seem to fit perfectly the style these rappers bring. The 4 of them are basically the new stardard of todays rap game. Dave Chappell can't seem to have a show without one of them performing, and they basically are the main players in the "consciene" rap game.

So I bring this up for you to ponder and respond. Are Mos Def, Common, Talib Kweli and Kanye West the new Native Tongue and is it possible that eventually that they can effect the whole rap game the same way Native Tongue did.

[Jimmy Cash2120]

i don't think they'll change anything in hip hop but they are the new native tongue if you wanna call em that

[Twentytwofifty]

No way, they (except Kanye) aren't even at the top their game.  Mos Def's last album was awful, Common's got no love and Talib's was good but disappointing.

[M Dogg™]

No way, they (except Kanye) aren't even at the top their game.  Mos Def's last album was awful, Common's got no love and Talib's was good but disappointing.

really... but Talib, Common and Mos Def are 3 of the most respected emcees out today. If Kanye handles most of their beats, and gets them that radio mass appeal you still don't see them as doing big things. And Native Tongue was never huge stars, they were over shadowed by LL Cool J, MC Hammer, Eazy E and many others in the late 80's early 90's.