Black Star (rap duo)

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Black Star
Black Star - Ilosaarirock 2012.jpg
Members Kweli (left) and Yasiin Bey performing at the 2012 Ilosaarirock festival
Background information
Origin Brooklyn, New York City, U.S.
Genres
Years active1996–present
Labels
Spinoff of Soulquarians
Members Yasiin Bey
Talib Kweli

Black Star is an American hip hop duo formed in 1996, from Brooklyn, New York City. The duo is composed of rappers Yasiin Bey (more commonly known by his former stage name Mos Def) and Talib Kweli. The duo is named after The Black Star Line, a shipping company founded by Marcus Garvey. [2] Their critically-acclaimed debut album Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star was released on September 29, 1998. [3] After decades of only releasing singles and appearing on compilations, Black Star released their sophomore studio album No Fear of Time May 3, 2022 on the podcasting platform Luminary.

Contents

History

Black Star arose from the underground movement of the late 1990s, which was in large part due to Rawkus Records, an independent record label stationed in New York City. [3] They, together with other members of the Native Tongues Posse, helped shape underground alternative rap, bringing it into the mainstream. Both Yasiin Bey and Talib Kweli have gone on to greater commercial and critical success in their solo careers. [3]

In 2001, Black Star performed "Money Jungle" with Ron Carter and John Patton for the Red Hot Organization's compilation album Red Hot + Indigo , a tribute to Duke Ellington, which raised money for various charities devoted to increasing AIDS awareness and fighting the disease. In 2002, the song "Hater Players" was used in an episode of The Wire , "The Cost". In 2005, hip hop website TheSituation.co.uk reported Kweli said that a new Black Star album was "in the pipeline". [4]

A second album, to be produced entirely by Madlib, was confirmed to be finished in November 2019. [5] It was announced in 2022 that the album would be titled No Fear of Time . It was released on May 3 exclusively on the podcast platform Luminary. [6] On June 20, 2023, the album was released on Bandcamp. [7]

Discography

Studio albums

List of albums, with selected chart positions
TitleAlbum detailsPeak chart positions
US
[8]
US
R&B

[9]
US
Rap

[10]
Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star 5313
No Fear of Time
  • Released: May 3, 2022 (US)
  • Label: self-released
  • Format: streaming (podcast), digital download (Bandcamp) [11]
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Singles

List of singles, with selected chart positions, showing year released and album name
TitleYearPeak chart positionsAlbum
US
[12]
US
R&B

[12] [13]
US
Rap

[13]
CAN
[13]
"Definition"199860313 Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star
"Respiration" (featuring Common)1999546
"One Four Love Pt. 1"
(featuring Common, Kool G Rap, Pharoahe Monch, Posdnuos, Rah Digga, Shabaam Sahdeeq, and Sporty Thievz)
5546Hip Hop for Respect EP
"Fix Up" [14] 2011Non-album single
"—" denotes a title that did not chart, or was not released in that territory.

Other collaborations

Related Research Articles

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<i>Black on Both Sides</i> 1999 studio album by Mos Def

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Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star is the debut studio album by American hip hop duo Black Star, composed of rappers Talib Kweli and Yasiin Bey. The album was released on September 29, 1998, to critical acclaim. The title is a reference to the Black Star Line, a shipping line founded by Pan-Africanist Marcus Garvey. The album deals with modern-day issues, philosophical ideas, and life in Brooklyn, New York City as the two artists know it.

The Native Tongues were a collective of late 1980s and early 1990s hip-hop artists known for their positive-minded, good-natured Afrocentric lyrics, and for pioneering the use of eclectic sampling and jazz-influenced beats. Its principal members were the Jungle Brothers, De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, Monie Love, and Queen Latifah. The collective was also closely tied to the Universal Zulu Nation. Rolling Stone cites the track "Doin' Our Own Dang" as "the definitive Native Tongues posse cut".

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<i>Lyricist Lounge 2</i> 2000 hip hop compilation album

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Respiration (song)</span> 1999 single by Black Star featuring Common

"Respiration" is a song by American rappers Mos Def and Talib Kweli, collectively known as Black Star. It was released as the second single from the duo’s eponymously titled 1998 album. It features a guest verse from fellow American rapper Common and guitar playing by DeChown Jenkins. The song’s production was handled by Hi-Tek, who sampled "The Fox" as performed by Don Randi. In addition, the song's introduction samples a monologue from the hip hop documentary Style Wars. It is found on Best of Decade I: 1995-2005, a compilation of Rawkus Records' best songs. It can also be found on Howie B's compilation album Another Late Night: Howie B. The single reached #54 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.

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This is the discography of Talib Kweli, an American rapper.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Get By</span> 2003 single by Talib Kweli

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<i>Soundbombing</i> 1997 compilation album by Rawkus Records

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<i>No Fear of Time</i> 2022 studio album by Black Star

No Fear of Time is the second studio album by American hip hop duo Black Star, composed of rappers Yasiin Bey and Talib Kweli. It was released on May 3, 2022, via podcasting network Luminary. Entirely produced by Madlib, the album marks the duo's first full-length release in 24 years, following 1998's Mos Def and Talib Kweli Are Black Star.

References

  1. "Black Star feat. Yasiin Bey (formerly known as Mos Def) + Talib Kweli - SOLD OUT | Gigs and Tickets". SoundCrashMusic.com. March 30, 2014. Archived from the original on March 5, 2017. Retrieved November 30, 2019.
  2. "Black Star | Biography & History". AllMusic. Archived from the original on June 8, 2020. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  3. 1 2 3 Colin Larkin, ed. (2000). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Nineties Music (First ed.). Virgin Books. pp. 48/9. ISBN   0-7535-0427-8.
  4. "Talib Kweli". December 4, 2005. Archived from the original on December 4, 2005. Retrieved June 5, 2019.
  5. Erika Marie (November 7, 2019). "Talib Kweli Confirms Black Star And Madlib's Joint Album Is Finished". HotNewHipHop. Archived from the original on November 9, 2019. Retrieved November 8, 2019.
  6. Breihan, Tom (April 8, 2022). "Black Star Announce Madlib-Produced Reunion Album No Fear Of Time". Stereogum. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
  7. "No Fear of Time, by Black Star".
  8. "Black Star Album & Song Chart History: Billboard 200". Billboard . Prometheus Global Media . Retrieved March 8, 2021.
  9. "Black Star Album & Song Chart History: R&B/Hip-Hop Albums". Billboard . Prometheus Global Media . Retrieved March 8, 2021.
  10. "Mos Def Album & Song Chart History: Rap Albums". Billboard . Prometheus Global Media . Retrieved June 18, 2012.
  11. "No Fear of Time, by Black Star".
  12. 1 2 "Mos Def Singles at AllMusic". AllMusic . Retrieved February 4, 2011.
  13. 1 2 3 "Hip Hop For Respect EP Chart History". AllMusic . Retrieved February 4, 2011.
  14. "Fix Up - Single by Black Star" . Retrieved June 5, 2019 via Apple Music.