I make this thread because while it was slightly before my time, it’s crazy looking back that they were tryna position him to be this big movie star.

Somebody as super outspoken as he is on a bunch of stuff being as mainstream as he was is crazy. Rappers don’t reach the level of mainstream he today speaking about things like him or even Common did. Common got a song about communism and freeing asata shakur. This song just got me thinking about the state of mainstream hip hop and the lack of taking stances on issues or really even having a real perspective

Dude this is so weird I was just thinking last night about how Mos Def was so f***ing famous at one point while being extremely outspoken and radical in his music.

Such an anomaly.

Like everybody loved Mos Def fr

Different time fr

Like imagine f***in Armand Hammer or something being all in the movies and on TV rn 🤣

As long as you don’t talk about them, you are good

Mighty Mos

I wish I was old enough to experience how famous he was at his height cause it’s mind blowing to think some of the stuff he was saying would even be allowed lmaooo.

Immortal Technique is the most vindicated rapper of all time

He’s a very interesting guy. He’s said and done things I don’t agree with but I can’t deny he has some of the most integrity of any artist

He definitely had a dedicated fated fanbase and got press but he wasn’t a big star. Vince Staples is probably a decent modern a***ogy in terms of level of celebrity.

Mos really did remove himself from being a cultural darling. In music and very much so in Hollywood. I respect it because it was a genuine decision and one he’s stuck to as the years went along.

His next album after The New Danger, True Magic was randomly just released through Geffen after this on a random Thursday night with no announcement lol. Back then music dropped on Tuesday and there was no surprise drops not to be a dinosaur.

I distinctly remember because that’s when I was getting into his music. And my older cousin who worked at Best Buy just showed me it was out on shelves.

Also this song was only on the first pressing of the new danger than got dropped off of future pressings and even on streaming now it’s janky bc only the edited version is on streaming lol.

Well Mos Def made a lot better music than most people who fill that lane imo and hes a great actor

He’s a radical dude but he has star power fr

This was the magic of rap before we let Drake Kanye Wayne make it all about mainstream palpability and sales

And yes 50 Pac and Jay did it too but it didn't eclipse the genre's ethos hence this thread existing about outspoken ass Mos def having hella media visibility at the time without having to have hit songs with Lil Jon or some s***

Everything he says in this song is facts

“A tall Israeli is running this rap s***!” I assume is about Lyor

I’m nosey I always wanna know how niggas like him make bread lmfao

Such a legend

The hard ass beats on that made me feel like it was a mixtape that just got put on streaming lol

Damn

I could def see Mos Def being way bigger if he leaned into being in that Kanye Pharrell Andre Lupe lane of eccentric mainstream rap dudes at the time / leaned into those relationships and collaborations

Wonder what happen for him to wanna change

If I was a rapper and got even one or two big checks I'm buying gas stations and s*** before chains and cars lol

He kinda implies what happened in the song in op

Chappelle losing his show and the fall out from all that most likely

yasiin was way ahead of all of us

Yeah lol there wasn’t even album artwork when it dropped it was just a blank case and a printed image of him on the cd with the words true magic. Really did feel like a mixtape.

I think he got disenchanted with the industry a lot earlier than most do.

He had all the connections and praise to be that guy as you stated. From David Bowie, to Kanye, to being in Jay Z’s “Change Clothes” video lol.

He also had fashion influence before it was this big factor. Rocky and Kanye always give him his flowers even on that.

He had motion in a lot of lanes but just would exit the freeway is the best way I can describe it. Just seems like he didn’t want it. But I think it was a genuine decision and he wasn’t like self martyring in his decision.

him being outspoken and radical is what killed his career, its not by virtue of audiences of his time that he got popular

there is no way in hell vince staples was comparatively as popular as mos def