Talib Kweli
Talib Kweli Claims Emotional Distress in $300,000 Lawsuit Over Jezebel Article on His Twitter Ban
Black Star’s Talib Kweli & Yasiin Bey Dictate Their Art & Set The Price With New Album
The group Black Star which features Talib Kweli and Yasiin Bey, formerly known as Mos Def are making a comeback after over two decades. With their new album, ‘No Fear of Time’ the duo say they are in total control. Gettin’ what’s deserved The legendary rap duo, Blackstar, is back after their last release 24 years […]
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Yasiin Bey & Talib Kweli Release First Black Star Album In Over 20 Years, ‘No Fear of Time,’ Produced By Madlib
Black Star (Yasiin Bey and Talib Kweli) Set to Release New Album, ‘No Fear of Time’ Exclusively on Podcast Platform
After 24 years since the release of their debut album, Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star, Yasiin Bey (formerly Mos Def) and Talib Kweli, the hip-hop duo known as Black Star, are finally set to release their highly anticipated second album, No Fear of Time. The album will be available exclusively on the podcasting platform Luminary.
Set to be released on May 3, the album comprises nine tracks, all of which were recorded “guerrilla style in hotel rooms and dressing rooms around the globe.” No Fear of Time is said to hone a “future vibe with vintage soul,” ultimately living up to its highly anticipated coming from the iconic Brooklyn rap pair.
Luminary is also home to the duo’s podcast with Dave Chappelle, The Midnight Miracle. According to the platform, the first episode of season two titled, “Bugs Bunny Mathematicx,” “serves as audio liner notes to introduce the album.” The following episode, “Mineral Mountain,” features a Black Star freestyle with Black Thought produced by Madlib.
No Fear of Time will be the first of its kind—a hip-hop album released and confined to a digital platform for access, in this case, a podcasting platform. The album will not be available on popular streaming platforms such as Spotify and Apple Music. It will solely be available on the podcasting platform, Luminary.
Since their debut album, the duo has managed to continue creating their refined hip-hop sound throughout the victorious solo projects of both Yasiin Bey (Mos Def) and Talib Kweli, ultimately producing era defining hip-hop works.
At the time using the moniker Mos Def, in 1998 Yasiin Bey released his solo debut Black on Both Sides under Rawkus records. Bey’s musicianship is a full display with tracks such as “UMI Says,” “Mathematics,” and “Ms. Fat Booty.” The cosmic individuality showcased by Bey highlights his melodic fluctuation between rapping and singing, set the tone for the new millennium’s hip-hop sound. The album peaked at number one on the US Billboard Top Rap Albums chart in 1999.
In 2002, Talib Kweli released his debut album Quality, where the Brooklyn native displays a refined level of their boom-bap tendencies with a flair of rich instrumentation. The Kanye West produced single, “Get By,” hit the Billboard Hot 100 at number 77, ultimately making the album a commercial success. Quality peaked at number 6 on Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. Prior to Quality, Talib Kweli teamed up with producer Hi-Tek to form Reflection Eternal and released Train of Thought, which features one of Kweli’s referenced tracks, “The Blast/Down For The Count.”
“Our fans always ask about the possibility of a second Black Star album,” Talib Kweli shares on The Midnight Miracle. “To that end, we’ve had many false starts. But we also realize that great music happens organically and we’ve never wanted to force it. Black Star was and is a vibe.”
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Lyricist Lounge Celebrates 30 Years With A Show At The Apollo
“The Lyricists Lounge” started at a small studio space in 1991 as a get-together for underground artists with the sickest flows. Thirty years later, The Apollo Theater in New York will showcase the pillars and pioneers of hip-hop. Originally emerging from the New York club scene as hip-hop dancers, founders of the Lyricist Lounge, Anthony […]
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Black Star Share The Madlib-Produced Single ‘Mineral Mountain’ Featuring Black Thought
Last week, Talib Kweli and Yasiin Bey announced that their seminal hip-hop supergroup, Black Star, would be returning with their first new album since 1998’s cult classic, Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star. Dubbed No Fear Of Time and due out on May 3rd, the new album sees Madlib stepping in as the producer and now, the lead single, “Mineral Mountain” featuring Black Thought, has just premiered via Kweli and Bey’s Luminary Podcasts show that they co-host with Dave Chappelle, The Midnight Miracle.
If this seems like an unusual way to premiere a single, it’s because it’s in line with the unique way in which No Fear Of Time is being released. The album will be out exclusively on the Luminary network, which is also where Kweli hosts the Uproxx-produced People’s Party With Talib Kweli.
As for the new track, you’ll have to hop on Luminary to hear it in full, but an Instagram user has uploaded a couple of previews. On the first one, Bey unleashes a verbal assault over punishing drums and distorted strings from Madlib:
The second clip sees the trio joining forces over intergalactic effects and those same silky drums from Madlib:
Kweli has said that the ethos behind making the music for No Fear Of Time is no different than the first time around when Black Star dropped a classic, but that for the new album, the recording locations were more fluid. “This entire album, we have not set foot in one recording studio,” Kweli said in a statement. “It’s all been done in hotel rooms and backstage at Dave Chappelle shows.”
No Fear Of Time comes out 05/03 via Luminary. Get details here.