Spring Break
Mos Def is 'Ecstatic' on new LP
Stephen Ortiz
Issue date: 6/15/09 Section: Focus
What's not to like about Mos Def?
A thought-provoking MC on the mic and a proven actor on the big screen, the Grammy-nominated rapper has returned big in 2009 with his fourth solo record, "The Ecstatic," and shows that 2006's "True Magic" was a fluke - Flaco Bey still has it.
Mos Def comes out of the gates swinging and doesn't ever stop. No track overstays its welcome, sounds out of place or breaks flow with the rest of the album. Part of the magic comes from the collection of beats that Mos has at his disposal. While only a few stand out as exceptional, no two sound too much alike to drag the album down. You get the feeling he's always aiming to be as artsy as he can be. It's that quest for an original sound that puts "The Ecstatic" head and shoulders above the competition.
But hey, what would a beat be without some clever punchlines, a catchy hook and a message? Mos Def is on top of his game from the moment he picks up the mic on the album's opener "Supermagic," a frantic, fast-paced jam over a great guitar riff, with rhymes that praise these exciting times rather than lament the dismal state of our world.
Standout moments come in the form of the clap-happy and infectious "Quiet Dog Bite Hard" and the quaint and caring "Pistola." The first is special mostly because of how catchy it is, but the latter is well-crafted in all respects. The chorus uses bells and a half-sung hook that make for a sunny-day feel.
"The Ecstatic" finds a special moment in the dark and brief "No Way Nada Mas," on which Def rhymes in Spanish, and amazingly well at that. Over a somber guitar, Def begins in an almost haunting tone by saying, "Bueno … 'Flaco.' Llame me 'Flaco.'" And whether you understand what he's saying or not, from there on the song hooks you. There's some real emotion in his voice that's rare in rap music.
"The Ecstatic" is among the best rap albums of the year so far, and seeing as it's been released not even a month after Eminem's "Relapse" and Redman and Method Man's "Blackout 2," Mos Def is making a strong name for himself this summer. While a few tracks are forgettable, every song is a winner overall. If you love smart hip-hop, you owe it to yourself to check this album out.
A thought-provoking MC on the mic and a proven actor on the big screen, the Grammy-nominated rapper has returned big in 2009 with his fourth solo record, "The Ecstatic," and shows that 2006's "True Magic" was a fluke - Flaco Bey still has it.
Mos Def comes out of the gates swinging and doesn't ever stop. No track overstays its welcome, sounds out of place or breaks flow with the rest of the album. Part of the magic comes from the collection of beats that Mos has at his disposal. While only a few stand out as exceptional, no two sound too much alike to drag the album down. You get the feeling he's always aiming to be as artsy as he can be. It's that quest for an original sound that puts "The Ecstatic" head and shoulders above the competition.
But hey, what would a beat be without some clever punchlines, a catchy hook and a message? Mos Def is on top of his game from the moment he picks up the mic on the album's opener "Supermagic," a frantic, fast-paced jam over a great guitar riff, with rhymes that praise these exciting times rather than lament the dismal state of our world.
Standout moments come in the form of the clap-happy and infectious "Quiet Dog Bite Hard" and the quaint and caring "Pistola." The first is special mostly because of how catchy it is, but the latter is well-crafted in all respects. The chorus uses bells and a half-sung hook that make for a sunny-day feel.
"The Ecstatic" finds a special moment in the dark and brief "No Way Nada Mas," on which Def rhymes in Spanish, and amazingly well at that. Over a somber guitar, Def begins in an almost haunting tone by saying, "Bueno … 'Flaco.' Llame me 'Flaco.'" And whether you understand what he's saying or not, from there on the song hooks you. There's some real emotion in his voice that's rare in rap music.
"The Ecstatic" is among the best rap albums of the year so far, and seeing as it's been released not even a month after Eminem's "Relapse" and Redman and Method Man's "Blackout 2," Mos Def is making a strong name for himself this summer. While a few tracks are forgettable, every song is a winner overall. If you love smart hip-hop, you owe it to yourself to check this album out.
Be the first to comment on this story