Customer Reviews

True Magic [Vinyl]

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(25)
3 star:		(11)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Mos Def loves hip hop. This is made fully apparent by the way in which he has chosen to present his newest venture 'True Magic'. Having taken a 180 degree about-face to the overly hyped slickness of the concept album 'The New Danger', Mos has decided this time around to revisit hip hop in its truest most sincere essence. I suppose you could call this one a concept album as well but this time the concept is, in his own words, 'simple and plain'.

The seemingly mishmashed chaotic nature of the songs and their arrangement is intentional: if it reminds you a little bit of an underground mixtape then Mr. Mos has accomplished a large part of his task. Mos Def, being the hip hop aficionado that he is, knows full well the fact that the underground mixtape is really the only place left where you'll find emcees spitting for the sake of spitting (and of course for some street cred) and not solely for the cash money; it's where the unadulterated true magic of hip-hop-as-art-form still maintains. And he captures the spirit of the mixtape in all its glory w/ the rapid-fire spontanaeity and excitement; most of the songs overlap and production quality seems inconsistent w/ each track. You don't quite know what to expect next -- which is where much of the excitent of listening to this album comes from -- yet as a whole it's cohesive, all held together by one thing: dopeness.

I wouldn't be surprised if even the date of this album's release coincided with this concept. In sharp contrast to the previous release, this one seemed to drop from nowhere with almost no fanfare or anticipation (save the early online leakage).

And make no mistake, the lack of elaborate cover art design is just as much a part of the magic as the music itself. Mos wants us listeners to get to the nitty gritty of this record: there's nothing else for us to focus on but the beats and the rhyme skills -- no slick packaging to gawk at, no longwinded liner notes to distract us from even one line of what the man's saying.

Another well known hip hop artist whom I equally respect has recently deemed hip hop dead. I was almost ready to agree. But it looks like the mighty Mos Def has once again come back right on time to show us that the opposite is actually true: it's black beating heart is very much alive and well, pumping in every stereo that runs 'True Magic'.

Let me preface this by saying I'm a huge Mos Def fan... Brought all his other albums, seen him in concert; in my opinion he's one of the best MC's out there today. Black on both Sides is legendary material. That's why I'm so disappointed in this album. I agree with one of the other reviewers, this sounds like filler material. It might be better than a lot of the crap on the radio nowadays, but it isn't up to par when compared to his previous work. Even the production sounds a little off. I don't know if he's getting 5 stars from some people based on reputation, but I've listened to his album over and over and still can't get into it. It's so frustrating cause Mos is so talented; what happened to the Mos that could break off a rhyme so drop and precise that it's mind blowing. He isn't on here. Please Mos give me something I can feel! Giving him 3 stars cause I have too much respect for him to give him anything lower... even though in this case it might deserving .

The new album is pretty solid. Here is the deal. Mos Def was under contract with Geffen, and he wants that deal done and over with. The album was rushed out, hence no album art, etc. Many stores had the album as early as mid december. Some stores actually started selling the album on the 19th of Dec. The original release date was the 26th of December, but was changed because it was the tuesday after Christmas. Then it was pushed to the 29th. Geffen was very frustrated with the release date, as well as the idea that the album wasn't advertised. The album officially debuted on the Billboard at #151. This triggered Geffen to recall the album, since The New Danger debuted much higher. Geffen can only do this by saying that this album is a sampler and changing the cd a bit. The rerelease of the album will probably be called Tru3 Magic now instead of True Magic, and the track listings by number will be different. The new disc will drop in the spring and feature a couple of new songs(including all the current songs) as well as album art and credits.

Stop complaining about how they charge you $10 for a sampler, when in fact this was the real deal. Geffen is being hard with Mos Def because he tried to get out quickly.

True Magic is very well done. In a world full of gangsta rap, Mos brings new light. The cd is very fresh, and well worth $10. Highlights on True Magic have to be: True Magic, Undeniable, Crime & Medicine, Dollar Day, Fake Bonanza. There wasn't a song on here I was disappointed with, and this is because the lyrics he speaks hit hard.

Mos Def to me represents BLACK MUSIC. I was so happy when he did the "rock" album. In consideration that rock owes it's everything to blues and R&B, it was fitting that he dabbled in that genre. Rock is at it's essence Black music (buy some Chuck Berry if you disagree). Mos has from what I can surmise found a way to explore Black music in it's many different forms. His "sung material" is reminiscent of field hollers and the early days of gospel, jazz and blues in the cotton fields of the South.

His lyrics are uplifting and enlightening and reflect a serious social sensibility. I only wish that more performers had the chops and the brashness to step out of their comfort zones. Mos celebrates himself and his culture through the different varieties, types and sounds of music he creates.

I've read that Mos needs to go back to his "roots" and do more Black Star type music....

It seems he has gone back to his roots after all...just a little farther back than most can remember.

We finally have it. After many years of waiting and anticipating, Mos Def has finally blessed us with a new album to follow-up Black on Both Sides and the strange offering The New Danger. Many fans were thrown off by The New Danger with its rock and blues influences throughout. True Magic is definitely a unique monster all its own (if you look at the picture, you will notice that the cd has no artwork or liner notes...it's just the disc!) After listening to True Magic, you will see that Mos Def is more about having fun with music nowadays than trying to prove a point. A lot of people will probably listen and think the songs sound rushed, but it seems to be more carefree and loose like an organized promo cd or mixtape. Even though most of the songs have that same feel, the standouts on here have to be "Crime And Medicine" (which borrow's the beat and melody from GZA's "Liquid Sword"), "Dollar Day (a melodic yet political battle cry about the whole Hurricane Katrina fiasco rapped over the beat from Juvenile's "Nolia Clap"), and "Lifetime" (an airy serenade reminiscent of "Umi Says" from Black On Both Sides). Other notables is the simple uplifting chants on "There Is A Way," the underground hip-hop feel of "Undeniable," and the analytical and accurate depiction of the mentality in the streets on "Fake Bonanza." There are some tracks that are more like extended interludes and aren't really tracks at all. So anybody that is a true die-hard fan of Mos Def will enjoy this album. Others who simply jumped on the bandwagon when "Umi Says" blew up and aren't really into Mos like that will still look at this as if it's The New Danger or something. Let's just hope True Magic is just a teaser, and there's really a more complete album on the way.

Anyone complaining about this album needs to listen to it again and again. As far as flow of the album, its simply wonderful listening straight through. There isn't a song on there I would skip. The wordplay and lyrics are some of his best and some of the best I have heard all year. Next to The Roots - Game Theory - this album outshines everything else. The lyrical content is current well put and the production is really original. Mos even reps GZA's Liquid Swords, which is arguably the best, or at least most lyrical hip-hop album in history, and Mos does it quite well. His flow just grabs you and the content speaks to anyone. "Dollar Day" jumped out at me as an instant classic. As far as the new albums out that speak about Hurricane Katrina, this song outshines them all, Mos simply kills it. Listening to the album, it seems that each song works well with the others. Nothing is overdone, and he covers an incredibly wide spectrum of issues that are all important. The album is simply wonderful to listen to, and if you have doubts, put it on repeat.

It's true that Mos Def's album was "rushed" out, leaving nothing but a CD in a cheap case, but if you're a fan of his music (which I assume most of you are, otherwise you wouldn't be looking to buy this album), then you will not be disappointed with this one.

Black on Both Sides is a classic as well as Blackstar- and what I'm a fan most of in Mos (and even Talib) is their CONTENT. They have ALWAYS brought substance to the table when it came to their lyrics- and True Magic is no different.

Tracks such as Undeniable, Crime & Medicine (remake off of GZA's Liquid Swords), Dollar Day, Napoleon Dynamite, Sun Moon & Stars & Fake Bonanza- ALL stood out to me as SOLID tracks. I admit that the flow b/w tracks didnt seem as smooth as they could have been in the album as a whole; seeming more like a "mixtape." But overall- I still enjoyed this album a great deal.

With all sincerity, True Magic is one of the best I've heard in a LOOONGG while... Audibly pleasing, word play is poetic, vocab use is profound, delivery is confident, and knowledge is deep. LOVED it.

Each song has a meaning, the beats plays a major part in manifesting Mos' vision and character.

This is a Mos Def record not to be missed. This is a Hip-Hop record not to be missed. Mos Def has always rapped, he's always sung, and he's always been one of the few to branch out and try different things within Hip-Hop. I doubt that will ever change. I don't recommend this album for people looking for battle rhymes and ridiculous metaphor/simile wordplay. His lyrics are top-notch as usual, but there's a definite purpose and no frills approach to the album (check the artwork LOL). Take each song for what it is.
I had the chance to see him at the Breed Love Ody$$ey tour and he performed "There Is A Way". It was an amazing sing-along with hundreds of people. There's a spirit to his music that makes him one of the greats. He might not SOUND like he's hungry anymore, but his message is even sharper than on "New Danger". Give it a listen, it's vintage Mos Def.

Mos def storms back on the scene with a very impressive, truly magical album. Unlike the last album, Mos def goes back to rapping on the majority of the album True magic. So if you are familiar with Mos def's lyrics, you are in store for some great verses that are laid on some tight tracks. Mos does do some singing on a few of the tracks, and they are decent also. Mos def is definitely a highly skilled emcee and this album needs to belong to your collection!!!!!