Black Star

1	Intro / Black Star 1:11
2	Astronomy (8th Light) / Black Star 3:23
3	Definition / Black Star 3:26
4	Re: Definition / Black Star 3:02
5	Children's Story / Black Star 3:32
6	Brown Skin Lady / Black Star 5:46
7	B Boys Will B Boys / Black Star 2:36
8	K. O. S. (Determination) / Black Star 4:49
9	Hater Players / Black Star 4:08
10	Yo Yeah / Black Star 1:10
11	Respiration / Black Star 6:05
12	Thieves In The Night / Black Star 5:16
13	Twice Inna Lifetime / Black Star 5:38

Barnes & Noble

Taking Black nationalist inspiration from Marcus Garvey and drawing on such musical influences as A Tribe Called Quest's Midnight Marauders and Brand Nubian's One for All, Black Star's Mos Def and Talib Kweli have created one of the most important hip-hop recordings ever. Highlights include "Astronomy (8th Light)," which is propelled by a hypnotic spoken intro that segues into the insinuating bass line, and the dancehall inspired "Re: Definition." Refuting the nihilism of gangsta rap and the conspicuous consumption of mainstream hip-hop, the duo offers conscious rhymes free of sanctimony and pop zeal. Favoring lean backing tracks, while highlighting strong bass hooks, sophisticated drum syncopation, and the rhythmic variety of their lyrical cadences, Black Star turn down the volume without losing the beat -- reviving hip-hop's role to provide social commentary in the process. Martin Johnson

All Music Guide

While Puff Daddy and his followers continued to dictate the direction hip-hop would take into the millennium, Mos Def and Talib Kweli surfaced from the underground to pull the sounds in the opposite direction. Their 13 rhyme fests on this superior, self-titled debut as Black Star show that old-school rap still sounds surprisingly fresh in the sea of overblown vanity productions. There's no slack evident in the tight wordplays of Def and Kweli as they twist and turn through sparse, jazz-rooted rhythms calling out for awareness and freedom of the mind. Their viewpoints stem directly from the teachings of Marcus Garvey, the legendary activist who fought for the rights of blacks all around the world in the first half of the 20th century. Def and Kweli's ideals are sure lofty; not only are they out to preach Garvey's words, but they also hope to purge rap music of its negativity and violence. For the most part, it works. Their wisdom-first philosophy hits hard when played off their lyrical intensity, a bass-first production, and stellar scratching. While these MCs don't have all of the vocal pizzazz of A Tribe Called Quest's Phife and Q-Tip at their best, flawless tracks like the cool bop of "K.O.S. (Determination)" and "Definition" hint that Black Star is only the first of many brilliantly executed positive statements for these two street poets. Jason Kaufman