Yasiin Bey is dropping his first solo project in over five years, and it includes production from the legendary Large Professor.
Money Christmas is accompanied by artwork designed by Spanish-Moroccan artist Anuar Khalifi. Titled “Osanta Bin Lyin,” the painting adds to the Black Star MC’s bold political statements by depicting the late 9/11 mastermind Osama bin Laden in a Santa Claus costume.
Much like previous projects, the effort will not be released through traditional channels such as streaming services.
On Sunday (December 15), the artist formerly known as Mos Def premiered the project for fans during a livestream and revealed it will soon be available on Bandcamp for $9.99. Video playback from the stream will also be available this week for those who paid to watch the initial stream, and will also be available for purchase.
The material will also be released on vinyl in the coming months.
You can hear a preview of a Large Professor-produced track, “Condition of Terms,” on the second slide below.
While Money Christmas will end a drought of new solo music from Yasiin Bey, fortunately it doesn’t look like it will be followed by another dry spell.
According to a press release, the project is “the first of a number of upcoming releases intended to inextricably link the acquisition of music to the artwork and supporting video footage, creating a stronger and more creative bond with fans.”
Bey is no stranger to an unorthodox rollout, having released his 2019 album Negus exclusively as a listening experience in museums around the world.
The eight-track, 28-minute project, which has yet to be made commercially available, sought to “acknowledge the importance of Hip Hop as a fundamental American art form […] without the distractions of technology.”
Similarly, Black Star’s 2022 LP No Fear of Time — the duo’s first full-length offering in over two decades — made its own statement on the value of art by being initially released exclusively through the podcast network Luminary (which hosted Bey, Talib Kweli and Dave Chappelle’s The Midnight Miracle show).
The Madlib-produced album was released on physical formats earlier this year, with a portion of the proceeds going towards global relief efforts.
How has Mos Def become almost unbearably terrible? This is the clip he chooses to share???
Maybe because your ears are used to Drake, Lil Uzi, Migos, Future, Dababy, etc.
Pay yoo child support deadbeat dad mofo
only two SOBs getting so heated on every mos def post, that gold digger and that bastard kid
unc still dropping music?
If you’re going to trash Jesus’s birthday at least don’t be an ecstasy head and pay your child support and if you’re going to support Islam at least read the book you f****** moron it’s the most evil book known to man besides maybe the Satanic Bible but if you ask me what’s the difference
Your blood pressure is boiling again drop the donut and pick up a salad
do you realize how stupid you sounds saying you believe in jesus the son of god? and then go on to trash other religions?
Now that you mention it I think his children wouldn’t mind a couple presents for Christmas
Large Pro hates white people