The Instrumentals
Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star (often called simply Black Star) is the instrumental version of their debut album by Black Star, a Hip-Hop duo consisting of emcees Talib Kweli and Mos Def. The album was released on September 29, 1998, produced by Hi-Tek under Rawkus Records. The title is a reference to the Black Star Line, a shipping line founded by Pan-Africanist Marcus Garvey. The album deals with modern-day issues, philosophical ideas, and life in Brooklyn, New York City.
Black Star is a Hip-Hop duo formed in 1997, from Brooklyn, New York City. The duo is composed of Mos Def (Dante Terrell Smith, b. 1973) and Talib Kweli (Talib Kweli Greene, b. 1975). Their name is based on The Black Star Line, a shipping company founded by the Pan-Africanist leader Marcus Garvey. Black Star started from the underground Hip-Hop movement of the late 1990s and worked with other alternative rap acts as members of the Native Tongues Posse to help shape underground alternative Rap.