Black Star (rap duo)

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Black Star
Members Kweli (left) and Mos Def (right) performing at the 2012 Ilosaarirock festival
Members Kweli (left) and Mos Def (right) performing at the 2012 Ilosaarirock festival
Background information
OriginBrooklyn, New York, U.S.
GenresAlternative hip hop[1]
Years active1997–present
Labels
Associated actsSoulquarians
MembersMos Def
Talib Kweli

Black Star is an American hip hop duo formed in 1997, from Brooklyn, New York City. The duo is composed of rappers Mos Def and Talib Kweli. The duo is named after The Black Star Line, a shipping company founded by Marcus Garvey.[2] They have released a number of singles and one album, Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star on September 29, 1998.[3]

History[]

Black Star arose from the underground movement of the late 1990s, which was in large part due to Rawkus Records, an independent record label stationed in New York City.[3] They, together with other members of the Native Tongues Posse, helped shape underground alternative rap, bringing it into the mainstream. Both Mos Def and Talib Kweli have gone on to greater commercial and critical success in their solo careers.[3]

In 2001, Black Star performed "Money Jungle" with Ron Carter and John Patton for the Red Hot Organization's compilation album Red Hot + Indigo, a tribute to Duke Ellington, which raised money for various charities devoted to increasing AIDS awareness and fighting the disease. In 2002, the song "Hater Players" was used in an episode of The Wire, The Cost. In 2005, hip hop website TheSituation.co.uk reported Kweli said that a new Black Star album was "in the pipeline".[4]

A second album, to be produced entirely by Madlib, was confirmed to be finished in November 2019, and is awaiting release.[5]

Discography[]

Studio albums[]

List of albums, with selected chart positions
Title Album details Peak chart positions
US
[6] 		US
R&B
[7] 		US
Rap
[8]
Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star 53 13 —
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Singles[]

List of singles, with selected chart positions, showing year released and album name
Title Year Peak chart positions Album
US
[9] 		US
R&B
[9][10] 		US
Rap
[10] 		CAN
[10]
"Definition" 1998 60 31 3 — Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star
"Respiration" (featuring Common) 1999 — 54 6 —
"One Four Love Pt. 1"
(featuring Common, Kool G Rap, Pharoahe Monch, Posdnuos, Rah Digga, Shabaam Sahdeeq, and Sporty Thievz) 		— 55 4 6 Hip Hop for Respect EP
"Fix Up"[11] 2011 — — — — non-album single
"—" denotes a title that did not chart, or was not released in that territory.

Other collaborations[]

References[]

  1. ^ "Black Star feat. Yasiin Bey (formerly known as Mos Def) + Talib Kweli - SOLD OUT | Gigs and Tickets". SoundCrashMusic.com. March 30, 2014. Archived from the original on March 5, 2017. Retrieved November 30, 2019.
  2. ^ "Black Star | Biography & History". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 2020-06-08. Retrieved 2020-06-08.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b c Colin Larkin, ed. (2000). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Nineties Music (First ed.). Virgin Books. pp. 48/9. ISBN 0-7535-0427-8.
  4. ^ "Talib Kweli". 4 December 2005. Archived from the original on 4 December 2005. Retrieved 5 June 2019.
  5. ^ Erika Marie (November 7, 2019). "Talib Kweli Confirms Black Star And Madlib's Joint Album Is Finished". HotNewHipHop. Archived from the original on November 9, 2019. Retrieved November 8, 2019.
  6. ^ "Black Star Album & Song Chart History: Billboard 200". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved March 8, 2021.
  7. ^ "Black Star Album & Song Chart History: R&B/Hip-Hop Albums". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved March 8, 2021.
  8. ^ "Mos Def Album & Song Chart History: Rap Albums". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved June 18, 2012.
  9. ^ Jump up to: a b "Mos Def Singles at AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
  10. ^ Jump up to: a b c "Hip Hop For Respect EP Chart History". AllMusic. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
  11. ^ "Fix Up - Single by Black Star". Retrieved June 5, 2019 – via Apple Music.

External links[]

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