Black On Both Sides
Black On Both Sides contains production by Ayatollah, DJ Premier, Diamond D, 88 Keys, Ali Shaheed Muhammad, and Psycho Les. The album is musically a combination of sample based production and live instrumentation. Mos Def's Black Star group mate Talib Kweli, Busta Rhymes and Q-Tip are featured guests on the project, along with singer Vinia Mojica.
On the album intro, "Fear Not Of Men," Mos declares, "Whatever is happening with us is what's happening with Hip-Hop. If we are smoked out, Hip-Hop is smoked out. If we are good, Hip-Hop is good."
"Speed Law," "Hip-Hop," and "Do It Now"(featuring Busta Rhymes) highlight Mos Def's high level lyricism, while "Got" gives him room to flex his storytelling abilities as he describes how not to get robbed.
Highlighting his ability to deliver socially relevant and prophetic lyrics, Mos' "New World Water" chronicled the world's water shortage and pollution a decade and a half before Flint, Michigan's water crisis.