Mos Def - Black on Both Sides

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Music reviews of Black on Both Sides

Music Review: More than Music
Rating: 5 Stars

Lyrically, Black on Both Sides poses a challenge to the African American community. Mos asserts
that the black youth are mislead in their quest to establish themselves as both people and as
African Americans. He fears that their goals and ambitions are tied too heavily into desires
that will lead to increased cultural and racial stagnation. These goals and ambitions are
largely influenced by today's popular culture, which pressures blacks to "keep it real."

For the large part, there are no prominent conflicting veins of thought. The message is largely
being adhered to by today's youth unchecked (consider that the most influential African Americans
in this country are not leaders, but athletes and entertainers).

In and of itself, the concept of "keeping it real" is not destructive. The intended outcome of
such a desire, however, has become misconstrued. Today, the quest for idealism and progression,
as a black culture (and possibly at large), has been abandoned. The black youth are instead
hammered with an ideology that puts them at odds with their own cultural brothers and sisters.

The essence of Mos Def's message lies in acknowledging your roots while similarly striving to
improve upon the deficiencies of the past through unity and consciousness. Even if African
American history is marred with tragedy, and even if today's youth are born into a regressive,
apathetic culture, Mos asserts that a collective understand of this modern dilemma can only lead
to positive things. Dismissing or ignorantly embracing it can only lead African Americans
further down the path they have followed.

In chaos, Mos is the underlying voice of reason -- conscious of his individual experience and
influences, yet always able to hold conversation above it. He addresses the youth's fixation with
hip hop on the album's second track (the appropriately titled "Hip Hop"):

"Hip Hop will simply amaze you
Craze you, pay you
Do whatever you say do
But black, it can't save you"

Ironically, Mos is not only slandering modern rap, but also is tempering his own music with the
knowledge that calls to action such as his are trite if they go unheeded. And Black on Both
Sides is indeed a call to action, a literary dissent beckoning for the revolution of the black
mind and soul. It's art with significance -- passionate, intelligent music that engulfs you in
its relevance and sense of necessity. This sort of passion and craftsmanship extends itself
beyond the lines of color or race -- I'm from a white, upper-middle class suburban upbringing,
and yet this album affects me deeply -- more so than anything I've heard from the last twenty
years. It's a shame that more people haven't afforded themselves the opportunity to enjoy it. If
Mos Def's calling was embraced by those in control of the media with a more wide scale effort,
this album would not only be defined by its great lyrical and musical accomplishments, but also
for being an advent of social change.

Description of Black on Both Sides