new brief!!

mos def and talib kweli are black star*

decided to move onto a slightly more political album again - had a good time working on doom's because it was a fun and playful change to the more serious themes of nas' illmatic. however i'm kind of craving something a bit more layered in terms of themes and intention and i feel like this album will be a perfect way to move on with this project.

this album is an homage to marcus garvey, a black rights political activist that was prominent in the first half of the 20th century and it's themes align perfectly with my views and thoughts on black politics - it's an underground, counter mainstream rap of the time in it's refreshing lyricism that focuses on themes of empowerment, freedom of the mind and radical love for being black in a time where racial tensions were breeding violence and hate between black people.

it's such a lovely album to hear especially in awareness of how it contrasts mainstream hip hop around that time - and i think it has stories that are worth telling. i'm becoming more familiar with it as i'm starting this project so like with illmatic it really feels like i'm studying it and researching it which keeps me excited and engaged.

images


research book


next step
*rewatch hip hop history episode that covers this album and draw from it

things to read, watch, draw and collect from
*interviews
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ne1kMrCt5Bg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQT1rvSrKnU
*live performance
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENGa6KCXrsk
*music videos
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EuJaStSL0xM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eeTnog5RRQo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rx5aVI2zsFE

*reads
http://read.tidal.com/article/mos-def-talib-kweli-are-black-star-20th-anniversary
https://acrossthemargin.com/twenty-years-later-black-star/
https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/rediscover-mos-def-and-talib-kweli-are-black-star/