Mos Def, 'The Ecstatic'

Release date: June 9, 2009
Record label: Downtown
Official Web site: http://www.myspace.com/mosdef

The buzz: The mighty Mos Def exploded straight outta Brooklyn in the '90s, starring in the conscientious hip-hop duo Black Star with Talib Kweli. He then turned out a series of astounding solo efforts such as his 1999 debut, "Black on Both Sides," and its rocking 2004 follow-up, "The New Danger." Along the way, he's mesmerized in Spike Lee's "Bamboozled" and Michel Gondry's "Be Kind Rewind," hosted Russell Simmons' "Def Poetry" showcase, appeared on Broadway in plays like the Tony-nominated and Pulitzer-winning "Topdog/Underdog" and generally kept hip-hop honest in a post-9/11 age of crappy bling-rap.

The verdict: After his 2006 effort "True Magic" featured production from underwhelming helmers like the Neptunes and Rich Harrison, Mos Def signed Los Angeles' genius Madlib and his brother Oh No for production duties. Indeed, Madlib's laid-back jazz provides "The Ecstatic" with its best moments, from the rolling thump of "Revelations" and "Pretty Dancer" to the politically savvy "Auditorium," which features old-school champ Slick Rick. Oh No gives Madlib good chase on the psych-rock haze of "Supermagic," which is the best track on the release. But other tunes, especially the soulful team-up with Talib Kweli on "History" (produced by the late J Dilla),  body-rock your brains just as well. Mos Def's hyper-aware culture raps keep it smart the whole way. 

Did you know? Mos Def started out as an actor, starring in the TV movie "God Bless the Child" at the age of 14, and studied experimental theater at New York University.

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