Still, given an acting schedule the past three years that has included roles in The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, 16 Blocks, Be Kind Rewind and Cadillac Records, it’s remarkable how razor-sharp The Ecstatic is - and how committed he remains to the musical side of his artistry. Tracks such as “Life in Marvelous Times” reveal the big vision you’d expect from a talent who has earned Grammy, Emmy and Golden Globe nominations, as well as acted in Suzan Lori Parks’ Pulitzer Prize-winning play Topdog/Underdog on Broadway. His dulcet flow and brisk storytelling hold it all together, as, joined by guests such as Slick Rick and Talib Kweli, his rhymes take the listener to the perilous inner city and even-more-treacherous distant lands, railing against the frailties and oppression that make them parallel worlds. Flash - is a Middle Eastern sampler platter served up with an island music cocktail and a side order of electro. The Ecstatic’s production - from the likes of Madlib, Oh No, Georgia Anne Muldrow and Mr. The man born Dante Terrell Smith has hit pay dirt by being bold musically and almost sage lyrically. Gabriel Boylan of Spin: “The former Black Star co-captain is among our greatest MCs, and ‘The Ecstatic’ is easily his finest full-length since ‘Black on Both Sides,’ his 1999 solo debut.” And from Sach O on Passion of the Weiss: “Mos Def has finally dropped the album you’ve been waiting for after a decade lost in the wilderness.” Writes Nate Patrin on Pitchfork: “This is Mos Def’s small-globe statement, an album that comfortably jumps stylistically across continents on a hip-hop goodwill-ambassador tour… an album that most people will hear first and foremost as the comeback bid of a rapper-turned-actor, but also an important indication that Mos… has a stake in something greater than just one corner of the rap world…”Īdds J. To hear some of the feedback, you’d think critics would have given the shirts off their back for the new project. Gimmick or innovation? It doesn’t matter - The Ecstatic, released in June on Downtown Records, is proving a style statement unto itself, earning the 35-year-old Brooklyn native some of the best reviews of a career that blossomed with his work in the late 1990s with Rawkus Records crew. Yes, it’s true: Clothing line LnA recently unveiled the Mos Def Music Tee, a shirt with album art, tracklist and a tag imprinted with a URL and download code for his fourth solo album, The Ecstatic. ‘Auditorium’, featuring British-born rapper Slick Rick, is vintage ‘Def, its dark Dilla production and string and flute arrangements providing a beautiful background to lyrics that parody the Iraq war.Perhaps the only development more surprising than Mos Def’s re-ascension to the hip-hop summit - some 10 years after Black Star, his collaboration with Talib Kweli, foreshadowed icon status - is the fact that he’s one of the first artists ever to have an album released as a T-shirt. It’s a relief that Mos Def’s laidback flow rescues what is an over-polished and otherwise unremarkable production.ĭub basslines comprise the heartbeat of the Madlib-produced ‘Pretty Dancer’ – a majestic workout supported by tight percussion – while the jazz-funk of final track ‘Casa Bey’ is reminiscent of Herbie Hancock’s early ‘80s hip-hop efforts. Sitting completely juxtaposed to said vibe is the following effort, ‘Life In Marvelous Times’, which is more in keeping with the over-saturated sounds of Kanye and Lil Wayne.
‘Quiet Dog Bite Hard’ is quite simply one of the best hip-hop tracks in years – smacking of The Roots’ ‘Don’t Say Nothin’’, its be-bop-swing infusion makes body parts you didn’t know could even move dance beyond control. ‘History’ reunites the Black Star team, with Talib Kweli joining in on the Dilla-produced track, its Mary Wells sample being the backbone of this instant classic. ‘The Ecstatic’ is littered with contributions from and collaborations with celebrated producers, including the late J Dilla and The Neptunes subsequently, the record resonates with inventive samples, choice guests and, most importantly, soul.
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