Black on Both Sides
Black on Both Sides'' is an
alternative rap album by
Mos Def, released on
October 12,
1999 (see
1999 in music). Intended as a return to the roots of
hip hop, the album was hailed as a classic soon after its release, despite poor sales. The album's blend of socio-political rhymes with
jazz and other unusual sources of samples endeared Mos Def to listeners who had tired of
gangsta rap and its cliches.
Track listing
- Fear Not of Man (Smith) - 4:28
- Hip Hop (Kirkland/Smith) - 3:16
- Love (Njapa/Smith) - 4:23
- Ms. Fat Booty (Dorell/Smith) - 3:43
- Speed Law (Njapa/Smith) - 4:16
- Do It Now performed by Mos Def / Busta Rhymes - 3:49
- Got (Muhammed/Smith) - 3:27
- Umi Says (Kennedy/Smith) - 5:10
- New World Water (Fernandez/Smith) - 3:11
- Rock N Roll (Fernandez/Smith) - 5:02
- Know That performed by Mos Def / Talib Kweli - 4:03
- Climb performed by Mos Def / Vinia Mojica - 4:02
- Brooklyn Habitat (Kennedy/Smith/Young) - 5:09
- Mr. Nigga performed by Mos Def / Q-Tip - 4:39
- Mathematics (Martin/Smith) - 5:12
- May-December (Irvine/Njapa/Smith) - 4:06
- May-December (Irvine/Njapa/Smith) - 3:29
Personnel
- Weldon Irvine - Piano, Arranger, Keyboards, Producer, String Arrangements
- Jane - Design
- The Beatnuts - Producer
- Busta Rhymes - Performer
- Diamond D - Producer
- DJ Premier - Producer
- David Kennedy - Producer, Engineer, Mixing
- Ali Shaheed Muhammad - Producer
- Vinia Mojica - Vocals
- Mathias Q-Tip - Performer
- Mos Def - Bass, Percussion, Conga, Drums, Keyboards, Producer, Vibraphone, Executive Producer
- Kiku - Design
- Talib Kweli - Performer
- 88 Keys - Producer
- Etch-A-Sketch - Producer
- Shaka - Executive Producer
- Psycho Les - Producer
- Johnny Why - Guitar, Engineer
- Calablzitaz Tiernaz - Photography
- Alvaro Gonzalez-Campo - Photography
- Ayatollah - Producer
- Ge-Ology - Producer
Chart positions
Billboard (North America) - album
1999 The Billboard 200 No. 25
1999 Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums No. 3
Billboard (North America) - singles
1999 Ms. Fat Booty Hot Rap Singles No. 20
1999 Ms. Fat Booty Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks No. 54
2000 Ms. Fat Booty 2 Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks No. 98