Nowhere near enough credit. The Brooklyn area crew produced the dopest brand & style back in the early 90's. Yo thank god for Rawkus Records. These guys gave the Brooklyn boys a chance to create this certain brand, a blend of the popular style at the time, being the New York Hip-hop Jazz swing, fused with the gritty street style which only worked for Manhattan that early on. However, Mos Def's cool delivery, Bush Babes inputs, dope samples & the all round feeling put down in these records made them all popular in the underground sector.
There will be haters around, labelling Mos a sell out, seeing as hes been more successful as an actor, but yo he himself but Brooklyn on the map in terms of underground hip-hop is concerned.
In my opinion, Mos Def did a lot for his area crew, working with artists such as De la Soul, Beatnuts, The Roots and of course Talib Kweli. When the Blackstar colab hit, shit was set. This record ripped in the underground sector. The two biggest jams at Rawkus at the time were always bound to be hot when they got together. "Mos Def & Talib Kweli are Blackstar", released in 1998 is still regarded as one of the best collaboration albums in the underground sector in the whole of New York. Jet to Long Island and you will still hear 'Boogie Down Production' Samples on the Blackstar album jazin. Definition (which got a spot in the top 100 Hip Hop songs of all time by VH1), samples "Remix for P is free", one of KRS-One's biggest hits in the early 80's. Of course this record was gonna make dough. Dope.
The hottest shit to come out of Brooklyn in my opinion is the track "Tinsletown to the Boogiedown", which featured on the Mos Realist, Mos Def's greatest hits. This was a 'Scritti Politti' track which featured Mos Def. These guys did a lot of work with Def during his rap career & everytime they got together you know the shit was hot. Another one of my favourite tracks to come outta Brooklyn was a laidback, Tribe kinda sounding record, "Another World". This was a Blackstar Track, yet featured on the second Blackstar album, Wide Angles. As they broke away from the gritty gangster rep tracks, the fusion of their skills came through strongly in this album.
This all being said, my allllllll time favourite Mos Def track is a joint named "Universal Magnetic". The 12" Single featured A-Side "Universal Magnetic" with the B-side "If You Can Huh You Can Hear", it also featured on the "Uni Says" single as a B-Side. One of Mos Def debut tracks, got him poppin in the underground sectors. So under-rated.
I'm gonna leave you with a few tracks all from all over the joint which built up Mos Def to who he is today. Peace
Universal Magnetic-Mos Def
Tinseltown to Boogiedown-Urban Thermo Dynamics
Another World-Blackstar
Definition-Blackstar
Fear Not Of Men-Mos Def
