Magnetic: Mos Def News

Thanks to the folks over at the ill new Hip-Hop Spot Forums, there’s going to be a lot more video love coming over the Magnetic pipes from now on.

First installment is a home video of Mos performing Boogie Man at the Black August benefit show at BB Kings in August. You’ll have to deal with some people talking around the guy taking this video, but it’s worth it for this intimate look at Mos rockin’ the mic on stage.

Black August is an annual hip-hop benefit concert designed to raise awareness of civil rights and other social issues important to the Hip-Hop Community.

This post is tagged: downloads, hip hop, live music, mos def, music, rap, videos.

All the news about Mos Def these days is really just news about Alicia Keys’ third #1 album. So, time to turn to the blogosphere for something that I hope will become a regular feature, Blogwatch. This is where I scan the blogs for people talking about Mos Def, and report it here. This will also provide a little link-love to those those precious few blogs that do talk about Mos Def.

The first installment proves that I’m not just a Mos Def fanboy. In a post cleverly titled, “Black On Both Sides: Mos Def and Hypocrisy” Jay from gotmilkfart calls out Mos Def for his appearance in a GMC Denali ad. Jay equates Mos Def rhyming about a truck to the slew of other rappers throwing their success into the face of their minions in the ghetto, only reinforcing the notion that “trucks = success” and the quick, easy path to status, fame, and wealth.

the impoverished mind only sees the end product. by any means necessary they want to achieve this goal – this status symbol because anything better than ghetto is great. what the impoverished mind doesn’t see is that there are many barriers that they have in front of them and me, as a minority, alike. instead of pimping the system and working through school, the impoverished mind wants the greatest goal for the least input and least time. the impoverished mind then turns to dealing drugs on his block, shooting and robbing. or more legitimatley and promising (if you can even say that) turns to playing basketball or rapping – disregarding academics and how minimal his or her chances are in actuallly making it to the nba or cutting a deal with sony records.

And all this after pointing the finger on the track “Got” off of Black on Both Sides:

This one goes to all them Big Will cats
With ice on they limbs and big rims on they Ac
You rollin’ round town with your system bumped
And your windows cracked low to profile and front
Now I like to have nice things just like you
But I’m from Brooklyn, certain shit you just don’t do

Thoughts? Post them in the comments here or at the original article at gotmilkfart.

This post is tagged: advertising, blogs, hip hop, mos def, rap.

In a recent Soundslam interview, it’s revealed that Mos Def called Maspyke “one of the most important groups.”

On the basis of this ringing endorsement, I previewed each track of Maspyke’s latest release, Static, on iTunes to get a feel for them and see just how important they may be. Or at least see if it’s something I’d buy…

While I didn’t get “important” from the album (this could be due the fact that I just previewed the tracks), some of the adjectives that did come to mind: jazzy, raw, smoked out, smart, challenging, complex. My thoughts changed with each track, and that’s a good thing. There is music in these beats.

This isn’t the normal drivel coming out of hip-hop lately, that’s for sure. No poppin’ glocks or pimpin’ hos, thankfully. It’s groovy and gritty. Soft and hard. Goldilocks would like this… It’s just right.

I can see why Mos likes them, and I’ll have to take his much more educated opinion on their importance to the game. Of course, these days, “important” means “never played” and “small market,” but with any luck in this case it might turn out to mean “long-lasting” and “prolific.” These guys definitely have potential, and I want to hear more to see if they can live up to Mos’ projection.

The answer to whether they are important: we’ll see. The answer to whether I would buy this album: Mos Definitely!

This post is tagged: albums, hip hop, mos def, music, rap.

Billboard.com is reporting that Alicia Keys: Unplugged was the top-selling album last week.

The album, which moved 196,000 copies in its first week and is also available as a DVD, features Mos Def, Common, and others.

Check out music critic and listener reviews at Metacritic to get an idea of what people are saying about the record. (Hint: It’s pretty good.)

Do you have the album? Post what you think of it in the comments.

This post is tagged: albums, alicia keys, hip hop, mos def, music, rap.

AllHipHop.com is reporting that Mos Def will contribute new music (!!) to a compilation album being put together by Isonic Media Group and Bungalo Records in support of the Millions More March held last Saturday. Kanye West, who spoke at the event, Ma$e, Goodie Mob, Ludacris, and old-school rapper Too Short are also on the CD, which will be an enhanced CD with interactive components such as audio, video, and live chat.

This post is tagged: hip hop, mase, millions more march, mos def, music, rap.