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.
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“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.
