No matter what, Black Star will go down in history as one of the most respected hip-hop duos of all time. Yasiin Bey (fka Mos Def) and Talib Kweli are noted legendary lyricists, and when they combine their talents, very few duos can confidently stand up to them. This past weekend the two hip-hop stars played a very rare one-off show in Denver, Colorado at the Ogden Theater. Equally renowned DJ and producer Madlib had a show at another location the same night, and Yasiin Bey made a special guest appearance during his set to unveil some exciting unexpected news.
Although those who were in attendance knew they were in for a unique performance, none of them expected to be the first to hear of a special announcement made by Yasiin and Madlib. According to accounts from fans on Reddit who were in attendance, both Yasiin and Madlib have confirmed that there will be a brand new Black Star album coming 2018, with none other than the legenary Madlib on production duties.
As if our minds weren’t blown already with the announcement of a new Black Star album, the fact that Madlib will be on the same project is stunning. If you’re not familiar with Madlib, his discography and production credits are something to admire. Excluding his work with the two Black Star rappers, he’s made beats for Kanye West, Anderson .Paak, Freddie Gibbs, J Dilla, De La Soul and worked on Madvillainy with MF DOOM, arguably one of the greatest hip-hop albums of all time.
The excitement from this announcement can be heard by hip-hop heads all around the world. 2018 marks the 20th anniversary of their one and only studio album Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star. Seems like a perfect time for a comeback.