The Brooklyn duo Black Star released their debut album 24 years ago when Talib Kweli and Mos Def were known as the Ghetto Kings. Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star is considered one of the greatest hip hop records of all time, and features 13 songs as well as contributions from Weldon Irvine, Vinia Mojica, Apani B Fly, Punch & Words, Jane Doe, and Common, the latter of whom gave a hand to the timeless inner-city song “Respiration”. In addition to creating an iconic discography, Kweli and the man now known as Yasiin Bey traded bars with the top lyricists of the culture. They incorporated them into their solo careers. Over the years, lucky fans often saw them reunite. More recently, the Kweli has been giving updates on the new Black Star project.
It appears that the wait is now over, as Kweli and Bey have announced the release of their sophomore album No Fear of Time, a collection of nine songs with contributions from Black Thought, Yummy Bingham, and Madlib, with the latter handling the album’s production. You will need to subscribe to the podcast network Luminary to listen to the podcast, as it is also where Black Star members were able to participate in the popular show “The Midnight Miracle.”
Additionally to No Fear of Time, Kweli recently spoke with NPR about the project and their unique choice to put it on one platform. His explanation of the album’s title is as follows:
I think the main message is to advance in your career without letting trends, money, clout, or time dictate your decisions. We should learn to get closer to whatever our core beliefs are, whether that is a faith in God or a set of morals we follow. “Get closer to what you believe in.”
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