Posts Tagged: Mos Def
25
Jun 09
Mos Def – The Ecstatic, Album Review & Giveaway
Mos Def
The Ecstatic
Downtown Records
out June 9th
[77]
[Rating Scale]
[rating:77/100]
The opening of Mos Def’s latest album, The Ecstatic, could hardly be more timely. His propensity for Arabic prayers and activist quotes seems particularly apropos given the fact that the album was released just three days before the Iranian election that has sparked protest and uprising. The opening lines of the album – taken from Malcolm X’s 1964 Oxford Union Debate – could be a direct address to Iran: “You’re living at a time of extremism, a time of revolution, a time when there’s got to be a change. People in power have misused it, and now there has to be a change and a better world has to be built and the only way it’s going to be built is with extreme methods.”
This puts me in an interesting position. Because The Ecstatic is not a political album. It’s not really a statement on the world today, or an in-depth look at the issues. It’s just a really good album from a talented artist who happens to have serendipitously contextualized his art-form. Sure, it has an international feel, with a sprinkling of middle eastern beats and a sampling of Spanish turns of phrase (including most of “No Hay Nada Mas”) giving some worldly flavor to the record. But despite possible aspirations to the contrary, The Ecstatic doesn’t have international importance. This is a statement that Mos Def is back in the rap game, not a statement that Mos Def is a statesman.
19
Mar 08
New MP3s: Ludacris, Alicia Keys Remix; New Roots (Again)
1. Ludacris, Ultimate Satisfaction (Cabin Bwoy remix) MP3 | AUDIO
Ludacris’s “Ultimate Satisfaction” gets even more ultimate (or at least druggier) with a sample from Underworld’s “Born Slippy,” made famous by the classic heroin comedy Trainspotting.
2. Alicia Keys – Like You’ll Never See Me Again (Jony Rockstar Remix) MP3 | AUDIO
Here’s my favorite song off of As I Am given a little upbeat(ish) twist. It’s clean, cut and refreshing. I’ve been getting tired of the grime. Nice change.
3. The Roots feat. Mos Def, Styles P & Dice Raw – Rising Down (Hum Drum) MP3 | AUDIO
Damn, a third straight cut from The Roots’ upcoming Rising Down in stores April 29th. This one might be my favorite. Though “Birthday Girl” was quite a number.
4. Bloc Party vs. Ting Tings – Thats Not My Flux (Sunderland Mash) MP3 | AUDIO
Here’s a semi-new Bloc Party and Ting Tings mashup by DJ Sunderland. Its a pretty decent mashup, one of the best I’ve heard in a while. But nothing revolutionary. But enjoy anyway.
16
Nov 07
Two Mixes to Get You Through The Last Few Hours
TGIF! Happy our is every hour, am I right? Probably not, I am sure most of you are stuck at work, or school. Me too. As everyone knows, the quick fix to surviving a Friday at work or at school is, of course, an truly outstanding, re-imagined song(s). I refrain from the term remix because the following tracks have pushed beyond the limits of an ordinary remix and transcended into a level of re-imagination. I didn’t really think re-imagination was possible, but if Mark Ronson can do it…
Here are your two you can make it till fucking 6pm! treats:
- First off is this brilliant Arctic Monkeys and Killers mash up entitled “Scumbody Told Me”, this song skillfully meshes the twangy guitar riffs the Arctics drenched on the crowd favorite “When The Sun Goes Down”, and the Killers’ debut single that lead them to the love/hate infamy they now possess.
MP3 | Arctic Monkeys vs The Killers – Scumbody Told Me - Wow, can you believe someone has remixed Justice’s “D.A.N.C.E.”?! Groudbreaking! It amazes me that no one has ever tried to do this before, oh wait… but when P4K dished that Benny Blanco, Mos Def, and Spank Rock were on the track, I was on board. A Hip-Hop remix intrigued me, after one listen, I was hooked. One of the best D.A.N.C.E remixes to date, rivals Stuart Prices mix… yes I said it!
MP3 | Justice – D.A.N.C.E. (Benny Blanco Remix Feat. Mos Def and Spank Rock)
