To say there’s a stain on Black Star’s legacy would be putting it mildly. Having made just one arguably classic LP that sought to preserve a generation’s consciousness, today Talib Kweli is Hip Hop’s leading Twitter cyberterrorism vigilante while the artist formerly known as Mos Def has just released his most off-putting material to date. While we should always allow our heroes personal space and free will (even if it means wasting time engaging social media trolls), Yasiin Bey’s public journey over the past decade has been confusing and disconcerting, as he’s gone from people’s champion to eccentric nomad without many answers as to why.
Those of us willing to acknowledge the debacle that was Tru3 Magic recall it was a major misstep lacking in the common obligatory effort of a CD booklet, let alone artwork and credits. A decade later we’ve witnessed increasing reclusiveness, relocation to Africa and Yasiin Bey’s subsequent deportation back to the states, a saga that’s all but squandered his former prime opportunity to establish balance between the commercial and underground worlds. Since successfully escaping the inherent burden of being a savior figure, his creative direction on December 99th chooses complete freedom in place of his charmingly swift rapping genius that’s now possibly on a permanent back burner.
Aiming to recreate the wheel and brand Yasiin Bey as an entity wholly separate from past recordings, December 99th gives a huge platform to Twitter personality and aspiring multi-talent Ferrari Sheppard. Unpolished and learning his way around musical production on the fly (with the instrumental outro “Heri” being the only moment where things truly gel), Sheppard’s amateurish production sort of fits within what’s an aimless freeform experiment.
While full of strong and distinct vocals, “NAW” is a pretty poor attempt at forward-thinking alt-rock where “Blade in the Pocket” and “Tall Sleeves” feature bird whistles, chants and rambling that turtle head the toilet water pretty fast. Barely discernible on “SPESH,” the same lack of clarity most give Desiigner/Future/Wap flak for, doesn’t get a pass, even if Yasiin’s harmonies possess soulful conviction. Seemingly operating off of feeling at this point, hearing one of our sharpest orators limited to random Motherland influenced tribal noises can only feel disheartening.
Making sure to praise Allah at the start of most songs, Yasiin Bey’s higher power combined with Ferrari Sheppard’s untrained musical ear leads to utter disarray. In a world where his elder brothers A Tribe Called Quest proved they could grow artistically while retaining their essence this year, Bey pushes the envelope towards absurdity as December 99th lends itself to performance art and personal truths wrapped in riddles. While it’s possible the project could find a place amongst the truly free-spirited who will force themselves to extract deeper meaning, it’s barely relatable or easily translated to the masses. Rather than a collection of songs that were ready for public consumption, this work comes off as more as a passion project, especially compared to Kendrick Lamar’s demos that were adored on the heels of a cultural masterpiece. When you’re fed up with trying to decipher the album’s lyrics and remain stumped after researching them and listening along, that speaks volumes about who and what Yasiin Bey is headed into 2017.
You got this one right, DX.
This might be the worst album of the year for any genre. I’d rather listen to my shit hitting the toilet water over this garbage.
They gave it extra with 2.4 heck this shit was slaw
What?
This shit was worse than 2.4 in my opinion. This shit was slaw. I hated it. More than I hate slaw.
lol cole slaw is trash!
When the best song on your album is an instrumental track, on an album that has boring production no less… yeah your albums is bad. Mos started wearing skirts and just gave up on being an MC.
Let’s just pretend this never happened and Mos Def retired with Ecstatic.
This is an AMAZING PROJECT
explain your view just as everyone else is to provide Balance
Successful MCs sometimes think they are above rap and try to branch off too far in new directions. Hip hop artist must understand that rap music is a genre where fans are less elastic and typically won’t accept their favorite MCs making music that is dramatically different than what made them successful in the first place. Artist must evolve in music to search for new fans and outlets. I get it. But the music still be good. Yasiin Bey’s album is simply awful. Not for the fact that he is attempting something different…the music just isn’t good. I’m someone who listens to almost anything if it is dope. This album is far from good music. Yasiin likely always wanted to make an abstract album that is far away from hip hop. He did that but unfortunately the effort is just terrible. An inconvenient truth is the Mighty Mos Def, one of the best MCs to ever do it is indeed gone forever.
I’m a Mos Def-fan and love his live-shows, BUT, this project is horrible. Him singing uninspired and off-key like that throughout the whole album is just unforgivable. Yasiin Bey need to let go of his ego and bring in some guests that sparks his inner mc in the studio. It would be tragic to see him finish his career like this.
I remember when Mos Def was the future of Hip Hop, rip his music career.
GARBAGE
Yeah, this album is unlistenable. I saw him devolving into this. Several years ago I noticed that in interviews he was acting like a egomaniac, even though he was always known for being humble. Then it seemed like he lost his sense of humor. Then he started doing these songs with Ski that were basically all just a long hook throughout the song. Now, I can always appreciate creativity and trying new styles, and those ‘Hook songs’ with Ski were actually dope, but I wondered if he was losing his ability to write. Rap is different than any other kind of music, because it has way more lyrics. If your mind is focused too much on one thing (like drugs..), you can’t write verses anymore. I’m only speculating, but I think he’s a fiend. He just seems strung out. To make it worse, he seems like he’s kinda hiding. I hope he straightens out, and gets through whatever is haunting him. If there’s nothing haunting him, and this is just the new ‘liberated’ Mos Def, then more power to him, but this music that is reflecting his new personality is terrible. I wonder if any rappers have reached out to him to see where his head is at.
Are you a wizard?
Pretty well explained. I would summarize it saying that drugs and fame can bebe abebea really bad thing.
Bring Back Mos Def!!!
Whoever wrote this article definitely did not listen to this album. Amateurish production? Damn that’s an irresponsible analysis.
The guy is a douchebag and an Islamophobe. The production is on point and the whole album is Creative.
Jesse its very clear to us that you are not a Hip Hop Fan. This album is by far “off putting”. You like Kodak and Lil Yachty Brocolli but you find actual rapping and singing “off putting”? It doesn’t suprise me bc these days everybody is fucking weird and like weird shit.
The album has many deep songs and messages, especially the 1st track. Mos raps and sings about mental defects men/women have nowadays. Its very evident by his lyrics “How much do you love yourself?” “Do you know what love is?” ‘Do you even like yourself?”… Of course lets skip out on the most important part of the album which is his lyrics and lets talk about him PRAISING ALLAH!
And heeere we go, here comes out your TRUE face. You are an Islamophobe. You were to lazy{or too racist} to even do a quick google search on BISMILLAH which actually means “In the name of God”… it has nothing to do with PRAISING. You shouldn’t have NEVER did a review on this album. You should stay far away from Hip Hop bc you dont know shit about Hip Hop.
We live in a age where these imbecile journalists praise no talent homo’s like Young Thug and call him the new “source of creativity” in Hip Hop but when actual creativity arrives they shun it and call it “off-putting”. Its like people have no brains nowadays. Beyonce sings ”
If he fucks me good Im taking him to Red Lobster” and DEDICATES the song to Black Lives Matter and Trayvon Martin and these brainwashed idiots believe it. They dont have a brain to think for themselves. Fuck You Jesse and go fuck up your own culture.