Artist: Mos Def and Talib Kweli (as Black Star) featuring Common
Title: "Respiration"
Producer: Hi-Tek
Album: Mos Def & Talib Kweli are Black Star (1998)
I'm pretty sure I've mentioned this before, but September 29, 1998 was easily one of the most important release dates in hip hop history. I'm not sure exactly how it happened, but the stars aligned that day, making it far too easy for me to spend all of my expendable income at Best Buy, what with albums from Jay-Z, OutKast, Brand Nubian, and motherfucking A Tribe Called Quest dropping all on the same day. But the lowest-profile project that hit store shelves that day came from a tiny-but-well-meaning upstart label called Rawkus Records, and it featured two rookies (basically) teaming up because of their shared ideologies, and also to bask in the shared spotlight. I'm speaking, of course, about Mos Def and Talib Kweli, and their song "Respiration" was the track that hit me the hardest after having listened to all of them. And yes, I somehow listened to all five albums that day. Man, I miss having free time.
Anyway, "Respiration" is a three-verse ode to living in the Big Apple as run through an existentially melancholy filter. After an introduction lifted from the classic documentary Style Wars, Kweli's Reflection Eternal partner Hi-Tek brings in a moody, melodic instrumental, over whichYaasin Bey Mos Def almost immediately launches into his observational tirade, looming on the rooftops like Brooklyn's Batman, "blasting holes in the night 'till she bled sunshine". And I'm not just saying that because he actually references the Caped Crusader at one point; that shit was more of a coincidence than anything else. "Respiration" includes one of my favorite performances from the rapper-slash-actor: the line, "The shiny apple is bruised but sweet, and if you choose to eat / You could lose your teeth" looks pretty corny when written out like that, but I've always felt is one of the more poetic ways for a rapper to warn the listener that life in the city isn't all it's cracked up to be.
Poetry is essentially what "Respiration" is: had it not been for Hi-Tek's (masterful) instrumental, this could have easily been one of those overlong spoken-word pieces that I can't stand. It's amazing how a little thing such as music can change the context and scope of a performance. The Mighty Mos is quickly followed by his partner-in-rhyme Talib Kweli, who was still pretty green in 1998, turns in probably one of his better verses of the album, kicking things off by "breathing in deep city breaths", shining a little bit of light on his future potential ("For trees to grow in Brooklyn, seeds need to be planted"). And since "Respiration" is poetry set to a beat, what better guest star could one get than Chicago's Common, who dwells on his own experiences in Chi-town, which correlate with the tales of both of his hosts, in that they're all depressing and bleak, but not without hope. "Respiration" ends with an extended instrumental, featuring some great guitar work from DeChown Jenkins, that underscore the humanity that Black Star were trying to highlight.
"Respiration" is easily my favorite song on the album, one I still turn to today whenever I have to update my playlist. I realize that there are official remixes for this song, and that a "remix" post might have seemed more appropriate, but I went the mixtape route because that's how much I love this shit, and I'm willing to bet that a lot of you two will agree.
I've included the official video below. Although I dig the fact that "Respiration" was released as a single, I never heard it on the radio anywhere, and the video version is chopped down kind of significantly: one of the things I like about the original song is that the artists involved allowed the music room to breathe, running time be damned.
Anyway, "Respiration" is a three-verse ode to living in the Big Apple as run through an existentially melancholy filter. After an introduction lifted from the classic documentary Style Wars, Kweli's Reflection Eternal partner Hi-Tek brings in a moody, melodic instrumental, over which
Poetry is essentially what "Respiration" is: had it not been for Hi-Tek's (masterful) instrumental, this could have easily been one of those overlong spoken-word pieces that I can't stand. It's amazing how a little thing such as music can change the context and scope of a performance. The Mighty Mos is quickly followed by his partner-in-rhyme Talib Kweli, who was still pretty green in 1998, turns in probably one of his better verses of the album, kicking things off by "breathing in deep city breaths", shining a little bit of light on his future potential ("For trees to grow in Brooklyn, seeds need to be planted"). And since "Respiration" is poetry set to a beat, what better guest star could one get than Chicago's Common, who dwells on his own experiences in Chi-town, which correlate with the tales of both of his hosts, in that they're all depressing and bleak, but not without hope. "Respiration" ends with an extended instrumental, featuring some great guitar work from DeChown Jenkins, that underscore the humanity that Black Star were trying to highlight.
"Respiration" is easily my favorite song on the album, one I still turn to today whenever I have to update my playlist. I realize that there are official remixes for this song, and that a "remix" post might have seemed more appropriate, but I went the mixtape route because that's how much I love this shit, and I'm willing to bet that a lot of you two will agree.
I've included the official video below. Although I dig the fact that "Respiration" was released as a single, I never heard it on the radio anywhere, and the video version is chopped down kind of significantly: one of the things I like about the original song is that the artists involved allowed the music room to breathe, running time be damned.
Do you agree or disagree with this selection? Discuss below.
-Max
RELATED POST:
Mos Def & Talib Kweli - Mos Def & Talib Kweli are Black Star (review)
Meh ok album. Certainly not the best one that dropped that day (Aquemini I see youuuuu). Trouble i have with it is whilst the beats are generally really good, and Common makes Respiration, Kweli has never really impressed me as an MC (certainly not at this point in his career anyway) and Mos' voice and flow is generally annoying and a bit unfocused almost. Oh well. Hardly the classic it's billed as to me, but still a better album than vol. 2!
ReplyDeleteVolume 2?
Deletespottieottiedopaliscious is the best 'spoken word poetry' track to come out that day
ReplyDeleteI like that song too, but agree to disagree.
DeleteGreat song on a pretty good album. I actually like Thieves in the Night better, mostly because of the low-key instrumental.
ReplyDeleteA fucking missed opportunity for your remix series.
ReplyDeleteAs not only did the fucking awesome Pete Rock remix feature all new lyrics from our protagonists, it also features a SMOLDERING Black Thought guest verse.
Once again, a fucking missed opportunity.
I never said that I had never listened to the remixes, but the fact that I felt so strongly about bringing back the mixtape series just to write about the song should clue you in as to my ultimate thoughts regarding the remakes.
DeleteThis album is whack as fuck, but this tune, and the Pete Rock remix, are absolutely killer...
ReplyDeleteI always thought this album was kind of overrated (though still good), but this song is the fucking JAM. Definition is still my favorite track on the album though. I guess I can forgive the record for having so many shortcomings since it has those two monster tracks on it.
ReplyDeleteTo each his own, dunny.
ReplyDeleteI love this song until Common hops on.. for some reason I just can't stand Common. I feel like he represents everything corny with hip hop and his voice/lyrics do nothing for me.. I'm probably the only one who feels this way.
ReplyDeletepsssstttttt new redman album
ReplyDeleteYou won't see a review for it until at least next year, I'll tell you that right now.
Delete