Black Star returned on Tuesday (May 3) with their first album in 24 years, but fans of Talib Kweli and Yasiin Bey won’t be able to access the project on their usual streaming platforms. Those interested in streaming Black Star’s long-awaited sophomore effort, No Fear of Time. will have to head over to the Luminary podcast network in order to enjoy. The veteran Hip Hop duo has often had a lot to say about DSP’s, with Yasiin Bey (formerly known as Mos Def) being particularly critical of Spotify over the years.
“You mean to tell me that the source of labor at the center of this experience is supposed to be satisfied and grateful with receiving a portion of a penny for their efforts and labor?” Bey said in a 2019 interview with Uproxx. “Now whoever else is happy with that, then that’s you — you can take your labor to the market however you see fit.”
Kweli echoed these sentiments in a recent interview with NPR, where he explained releasing the project on Luminary was a way to get people to respect art again.
“People spend money on things that are important to them,” he told the outlet. “But when you ask them to support art, they balk. Because why wouldn’t somebody go to a Spotify where you could pay $10 to hear any song you want? The onus is on me as the creator to figure out and set the price point and tell the people what my art is worth.”
No Fear of Time is entirely produced by Madlib and serves as Black Star’s follow-up to their 1998 classic Mos Def and Talib Kweli Are Black Star. Fans can head to the No Fear of Time website to subscribe to Luminary and stream the album.
Waiting for the rip then
If you don’t want to put it on a streaming platform it’s fine. But release the album to buy at the same time it’s being streamed on Luminary.
You want people to pay for your art, let us do it whilst keeping the copy. Paying to stream on Luminary is still streaming.. your fans are being asked to rent your music still.
Co-sign. Drop the CD, let people make a one off payment and OWN the material.
Hell to the no.
I subscribed to Luminary last year to listen to Yasiin and Dave Chappelles Midnight Miracle and it was worth it! I tuned in again to listen to the Black Star album and it’s amazing! Yasiin has a point ppl will pay for what the deem valuable! I agree with him and will continue to support!
I’d pay for a Mos Def/Madlib collab. Kweli’s voice is shot and he shows his aśś on social media too much.
100 percent on point with your comment. Twaweeb sucks.
Says the dude who didn’t listen to the album…Talib washed Mos on the whole record
Talib outshined Mos on this project tho
My favorite band is absolutely brilliant. Somewhere Dilla is coming on himself. I miss Hip Hop.
Dumbasses. I’m never going to hear it now, neither is 99 percent of the population. The game is dead. Period. Accept it and it hurts less. Go on TOUR and make your money. The shit will be on YouTube for free anyways stupid. SMH. Jackasses thinking they’re going to get paid off of an underground hip hop album. LOL. Why don’t you sell some CD’s or dvds of the project? Idiots.
Mos Def mad his acting career didn’t work out
What your “art” is worth? I’m just trying to eat and pay rent and hopefully listen to some good music to ease the stress. Used to love you guys. Yall way outta touch with the struggle now. Sorry you can’t a couple more M’s to your bank account. Please…
I bet they talk about the evils of greed and those who are less fortunate on this album too. Lol. Hypocrites selling fake empathy for millions and complaining it’s not enough.
A pirates life it is then!
How to listen to the new Black Star record. Open YouTube, type No Fear Of Time in the search bar. Click play. Viola.
It’s unfortunate for the artist as well as the fan. I understand both sides. That middle man running with all the cash is what I don’t understand. But it’s fucked up for the artist
Yall are trash. Then complain about the state of music and how real hip hop doesnt exist or whatever. This is why, yall dont support the real shyt. Dont complain about Gunna being number 1. Ima put my money into what these brothers is doin ill gladly pay for a Blackstar album.
Complaining about only getting a few cents per stream and they don’t have a Bandcamp page? Seriously, they could be collecting the full $10~$15 per download and still sell physical vinyl, cassettes, and CDs. Madlib knows this and dude produced the album, smh. How do they not have a BC page?
wait, he’s still working with chappelle? never thought I’d see the day when mos def would turn into a boomer.
Found the Karen that hasn’t seen Chappelle’s Show.
Whether they’ve made the correct platform choice or not, this is a really good album, i’ve just got it on repeat and it keeps getting better and better. Mos, Kweli and Madlib all in rare form.
I’ll wait for it to go to Spotify and they can pay him thru there
No problem with them selling their product for what ever they see fit, that’s their choice… I just wish there was a physical media to own, put on the record player, and put on the shelf, alot of us old school heads ain’t really down with streaming any way.
I respect what they’re saying….BUT, the truth is, it’s hard to go and subscribe to another platform just for their one album. I WISH like hell I could bump that album though. Just realistically speaking, but I’m not going to go and get another platform just to listen to it on. Iphone got me hostage bro. It’s the truth
100% Agree