Negative Attitude Overshadows Tunes

Mon., Jan. 10, 2000

Nathaniel Eng, Lewis & Clark

Mos Def “Black on Both Sides”

The great thing about Mos Def’s new album, “Black on Both Sides,” is how musically well-rounded it is. Why should he focus just on hip hop when he can drop a rock and roll track and bust smooth vocals? Mighty Mos Def is truly talented in all arrays of music.

Like all other rap CDs, this album is packed with star appearances by emcees, such as Talib Kweli, Q-Tip and Busta Rhymes.

Every track is filled with a new surprise. His newest and latest single “Ms. Fat Booty” is a well-done song reliving his memories of a relationship gone wrong. Another standout in the new album is “Rock and Roll,” where he paused in the middle of the song to give props to Bad Brains and Fishbone, two original black rock groups. The last track, “May-December” is a melodic instrumental, which acts as a very nice ending to a great album. Every song on the album is a jewel.

To be completely honest, this is the best album I have heard in a long time. My only complaint is Mos Def’s prejudice concerning the white race. Don’t take it out of context when he says “white people ain’t got no soul” in his song about great musical acts, but he definitely has a negative attitude. He even goes as far as to apologize for his views on the back of the album’s cover. I respect him, his views and his music, but I feel he can go too far with the white/black relationships in America.

Grade: B

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