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Rating: The Rawkus label, a cult of the underground rap scene at the end of the millennium, had the great merit of releasing countercurrent albums that, defying the music business, the mainstream, and easy money, always satisfied those who sought in the genre that original genuineness that seemed to be lost. The Black Star project definitely fits into this perspective.
Mos Def and Talib Kweli, the undisputed kings of the New York underground, decided in 1998 to join forces and gift their fans (and not only them) a fascinating album rich in nuances, which visibly increased their fame and ended up establishing them as two of the greatest rap entities of recent years.
Thirteen tracks, few features, refined and robust sounds that do not stray excessively from the classic standards of the genre (a tremendous achievement indeed, thanks to sampling heavyweights like DJ Hi-Tek, Beatminerz, J. Rawls, and Shawn J. Period): this is the recipe from our travel companions who, far from experimentalism for its own sake, create a solid and impactful album that will occupy your CD player for quite a while.
It is indeed difficult not to nod your head to the rhythm of engaging and immediate tracks like Astronomy, where, accompanied by sustained rhythms and powerful bass grooves, they deliver lines such as: "Now black people unite, and let's ALL GET DOWN, now everybody hop on the one, the sounds of the two, it's the third eye vision, five side dimension, the 8th Light, is gonna shine bright tonight...", inviting black youth to awareness of their roots and brotherhood with their peers, a theme revisited in many moments of the album.
Also noteworthy are the hip hop-ragga of Definition, the storytelling of Children Story, a lively critique of the commercial drift of modern rap all pants and platinum chains, K.O.S. (Determination), with a calm atmosphere where the profound rhymes of Talib Kweli shine ("The most important time in history is, NOW, the present, so count your blessings cause time can't define the essence...") and the magnificent voice of vocalist Vinia Mojica, then proceeding with the heartfelt portrait of the Big Apple in the masterpiece Respiration, which also features the warm voice of veteran Common, and the grim metropolitan tableau of Thieves In The Night, reaching the end of the album with the superb posse-cut Twice Inna Lifetime.
Of course, the Black Star project won't appeal to the typical baggy-jeaned fan looking for booty-shaking ladies and disposable hi-POP, but those who love music and true vibrations (which certainly don't come from the subwoofer of the trendy DJ of the moment...) can't miss it. And perhaps, once again, the Eighth Light will shine bright...
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