[Mos Def] Against the canvas of the night Appears a curious celestial phenomenon Called Black Star, but what is it? [Talib Kweli] Black people unite and let's all get down We got to have what? We got to have that love [Mos Def] What is the Black Star Is it the cat with the black shades, the black car? Is it shinin from very far, to where you are? It is commonplace and different Intimate and distant Fresher than an infant [Talib Kweli] Black, my family thick, like black strap molasses Star, on the rise, in the eyes of the masses Black is the color of my true love's hair Stars are bright, shining, hot balls of air [Mos Def] Black like my baby girl's stare Black like the veil that the muslimina wear Black like the planet that they fear, why they scared? Black like the slave ship belly that brought us here Black like the cheeks that are roadways for tears That leave black faces well traveled with years Black like assassin crosshairs Blacker than my granddaddy armchair He never really got no time to chill there Cause this life is warfare, warfare [Talib Kweli] Deep on the front lines, and blacks is all there Black like the perception of who, on welfare Black like faces at the bottom of the well I've been there before To bring the light and heat it up like la cocina Make without imagine happen but maybe I'm just a dreamer I love rocking tracks like John Coltrane love Naima [M] Like the student love the teacher [T] Like the prophet love Khadija [M] Like I love my baby features [A] Like the creator love all creatures [Talib Kweli] Who are knowledge, truth, and peace seekers We on point like heat seekers Targettin the black marketing strategists Run up on em with the heaters Everybody followin with no leaders Feelin like we killin ourselves Because I know they can't defeat us It don't stop til we complete this, keep this fly There's so much to life when you just stay black and die [Mos Def] Blacker than the nighttime sky of Bed-Stuy in July Blacker than the seed in the blackberry pie Blacker than the middle of my eye Black like Fela man cry Some man wan ask "Who am I?" I simply reply, "The U.N.I., V.E.R.S.A.L. Magnetic" Work to respect the angelic Climb the mountain top and tell it 'til the valley's enveloped You're full of big chat but you nah know me I'm dark like the side of the moon you don't see When the moon shine newly [M] You know who else is a Black Star? (Who?) Me [T] You know who else is a Black Star? (Who?) Me [A] You know who else is a Black Star, who we? (And we) [A] be shinin and shinin, when we rhymin and rhymin We be shinin and shinin, when we rhymin and rhymin [Mos Def] Now everybody hop on the one, the sounds of the two It's the third eye vision, five side dimension The 8th Light, is gonna shine bright tonight It's the third eye vision, five side dimension [T] You know the light [M] Go from the dark [T] The other way is ass-backwards [M] It's absurd [T] Make you wanna crow like a blackbird [M] That's right [T] You livin from your first day to your last night [T] Sometimes you show your ass like [M] Lint on your clothes [T] When you froze in [A] THE BLACK LIGHT [M] Dead that [T] Before you get your head wrapped [M] Like Badu [T] We see through your voodoo [T] Just like Eve's Bayou, you dealin with that black magic [M] Try to civilize you [T] Not walk on by you [M] Like Sybil lies do get you black listed, it'll [T] Be unlucky for you like a black cat [M] A panther [T] Revolution is the answer [M] That's what we need [T] Greed plague my people like the cancer [M] True indeed [Mos Def] Now black people unite, and let's ALL GET DOWN Now everybody hop on the one, the sounds of the two It's the third eye vision, five side dimension The 8th Light, is gonna shine bright tonight Everybody hop on the one, the sounds of the two It's the third eye vision, five side dimension The 8th Light, is gonna shine bright tonight It's the third eye vision, five side dimension Equalin up to eight, light shine bright
Meditation, divinization, spiritual procreation, True manifestation of my internal inspiration, Spiritually, my range in infinity, Lighting up the tree of divinity, Blessed be the herb that keeps you high like a bird, ya heard It absurd, the blindness of the herd, Shoutout to everyone whose different from the rest, Exterminators of stress,
my favorite song off the album the beat has this soul and spirit to it it shouldnt be that special but for some reason its got this magic to it haha and mos and kweli tear it up where the vocals at?
> GALACTICAL is not a word. > star galactical doesn't mean anything > star galactical clusters definitely doesn't mean anything galactical star clusters almost means something but...
i wonder if any beings jam out to stuff like this in any other galaxy? funky aliensssss
Danny P I want alien weed
maybe instead of audio frequencies it's a light spectrum shifts that makes them groove, infrared, gamma and others
[Mos Def]
Against the canvas of the night
Appears a curious celestial phenomenon
Called Black Star, but what is it?
[Talib Kweli]
Black people unite and let's all get down
We got to have what? We got to have that love
[Mos Def]
What is the Black Star
Is it the cat with the black shades, the black car?
Is it shinin from very far, to where you are?
It is commonplace and different
Intimate and distant
Fresher than an infant
[Talib Kweli]
Black, my family thick, like black strap molasses
Star, on the rise, in the eyes of the masses
Black is the color of my true love's hair
Stars are bright, shining, hot balls of air
[Mos Def]
Black like my baby girl's stare
Black like the veil that the muslimina wear
Black like the planet that they fear, why they scared?
Black like the slave ship belly that brought us here
Black like the cheeks that are roadways for tears
That leave black faces well traveled with years
Black like assassin crosshairs
Blacker than my granddaddy armchair
He never really got no time to chill there
Cause this life is warfare, warfare
[Talib Kweli]
Deep on the front lines, and blacks is all there
Black like the perception of who, on welfare
Black like faces at the bottom of the well
I've been there before
To bring the light and heat it up like la cocina
Make without imagine happen but maybe I'm just a dreamer
I love rocking tracks like John Coltrane love Naima
[M] Like the student love the teacher
[T] Like the prophet love Khadija
[M] Like I love my baby features
[A] Like the creator love all creatures
[Talib Kweli]
Who are knowledge, truth, and peace seekers
We on point like heat seekers
Targettin the black marketing strategists
Run up on em with the heaters
Everybody followin with no leaders
Feelin like we killin ourselves
Because I know they can't defeat us
It don't stop til we complete this, keep this fly
There's so much to life when you just stay black and die
[Mos Def]
Blacker than the nighttime sky of Bed-Stuy in July
Blacker than the seed in the blackberry pie
Blacker than the middle of my eye
Black like Fela man cry
Some man wan ask "Who am I?"
I simply reply, "The U.N.I., V.E.R.S.A.L. Magnetic"
Work to respect the angelic
Climb the mountain top and tell it 'til the valley's enveloped
You're full of big chat but you nah know me
I'm dark like the side of the moon you don't see
When the moon shine newly
[M] You know who else is a Black Star? (Who?) Me
[T] You know who else is a Black Star? (Who?) Me
[A] You know who else is a Black Star, who we? (And we)
[A] be shinin and shinin, when we rhymin and rhymin
We be shinin and shinin, when we rhymin and rhymin
[Mos Def]
Now everybody hop on the one, the sounds of the two
It's the third eye vision, five side dimension
The 8th Light, is gonna shine bright tonight
It's the third eye vision, five side dimension
[T] You know the light
[M] Go from the dark
[T] The other way is ass-backwards
[M] It's absurd
[T] Make you wanna crow like a blackbird
[M] That's right
[T] You livin from your first day to your last night
[T] Sometimes you show your ass like
[M] Lint on your clothes
[T] When you froze in
[A] THE BLACK LIGHT
[M] Dead that
[T] Before you get your head wrapped
[M] Like Badu
[T] We see through your voodoo
[T] Just like Eve's Bayou, you dealin with that black magic
[M] Try to civilize you
[T] Not walk on by you
[M] Like Sybil lies do get you black listed, it'll
[T] Be unlucky for you like a black cat
[M] A panther
[T] Revolution is the answer
[M] That's what we need
[T] Greed plague my people like the cancer
[M] True indeed
[Mos Def]
Now black people unite, and let's ALL GET DOWN
Now everybody hop on the one, the sounds of the two
It's the third eye vision, five side dimension
The 8th Light, is gonna shine bright tonight
Everybody hop on the one, the sounds of the two
It's the third eye vision, five side dimension
The 8th Light, is gonna shine bright tonight
It's the third eye vision, five side dimension
Equalin up to eight, light shine bright
1:53 to 2:13........... Now that is what I'm talking about!!!
YES
Weldon Irvine
THIS IS PRODUCED BY MR. WALT OF THE BEATMINERZ.
It aint Hi tek, it aint black star, it aint 88-Keys.
MR. WALT.
Meditation, divinization, spiritual procreation,
True manifestation of my internal inspiration,
Spiritually, my range in infinity,
Lighting up the tree of divinity,
Blessed be the herb that keeps you high like a bird, ya heard
It absurd, the blindness of the herd,
Shoutout to everyone whose different from the rest,
Exterminators of stress,
Against the canvas of the night
Appears a curious celestial phenomenon, called Black Star
But what is it?
Black people; unite and let's all get down
We got to have what? We got to have that love
[Verse 1: Mos Def & Talib Kweli & Both]
What is the Black Star?
Is it the cat with the black shades, the black car?
Is it shinin' from very far to where you are?
It is commonplace and different
Intimate and distant, fresher than an infant
Black, my family thick like that-strap molasses
Star on the rise in the eyes of the masses
Black is the color of my true love's hair
Stars are bright, shinin', hot balls of air
Black like my baby girl's stare
Black like the veil that the Muslimina wear
Black like the planet that they fear, why they scared?
Black like the slave ship belly that brought us here
Black like the cheeks that are roadways for tears (Mm)
That leave black faces well traveled with years
Black like assassin cross-hairs
Blacker than my granddaddy armchair
He never really got no time to chill there
'Cause his life was warfare, warfare
See, on the front lines, the Blacks is all there
Black like the perception of who on welfare
Black like faces at the bottom of the well
I've been there before
To bring the light and heat it up like la cocina
Make without imagine happen, but maybe I'm just a dreamer
I love rockin' tracks like John Coltrane love Naima
Like the student love the teacher
Like the prophet love Khadija
Like I love my baby' features
Like the Creator love all creatures!
Who are knowledge, truth and peace seekers?
We on point like heat-seekers
Targetin' the black marketin' strategists
Run up on 'em with the heaters
Everybody followin' with no leaders
Feelin' like we killin' ourselves, because I know they can't defeat us
It don't stop 'til we complete this, keep this fly
There's so much to life when you just stay Black and die
Blacker than the nighttime sky of Bed-Stuy in July
Blacker than the seed in the blackberry pie
Blacker than the middle of my eye
Black like Fela man cry
Some man wan' ask, "Who am I?"
I simply reply, "The U.N.I.-V.E.R.S.A.L. Magnetic!"
Work to respect the angelic (Ugh!)
Climb the mountain top and tell it 'til the valley's enveloped
You're full of big chat, but ya nah know me
I'm dark like the side of the moon you don't see
When the moon shine newly
[Hook: Mos Def & Talib Kweli & Both]
You know who else is a Black Star? (Who?) Me
You know who else is a Black Star? (Who?) Me
You know who else is a Black Star? (Who?) We
(And we) Be shinin' and shinin', when we rhymin' and rhymin'
We be shinin' and shinin', when we rhymin' and rhymin'
Now, everybody hop on the one, the sounds of the two
It's the third eye vision, five-side dimension
The 8th Light is gon' shine bright tonight
It's the third eye vision, five-side dimension
[Verse 2: Mos Def & Talib Kweli & Both]
You know the light come from the dark
The other way is ass-backwards
It's absurd, make you wanna crow like a blackbird
That's right, you livin' from your first day to your last night
Sometimes you show your ass like
Lint on your clothes when you froze in the black light
Dead that! Before you get your head wrapped like Badu
We see through your voodoo
Just like Eve's Bayou, you dealin' with that black magic
Try to civilize you, not walk on by you
Like Sybil lies do, get you blacklisted
It'll be unlucky for you like a black cat, a panther
Revolution is the answer; that's what we need
Greed plague my people like the cancer; true, indeed
[Hook: Mos Def & Talib Kweli & Both]
Now, Black people unite, and let's all get down
Now everybody hop on the one, the sounds of the two
It's the third-eye vision, five-side dimension
The 8th light is gon' shine bright tonight (Uh, uh, uh)
Everybody hop on the one, the sounds of the two
It's the third-eye vision, five-side dimension
The 8th light is gon' shine bright tonight
It's the third-eye vision, five-side dimension
Equalin' up to eight, light shine bright
[Outro: Talib Kweli]
It's the Black [?](3:18) right there!
7
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The first proper track off the classic 1998 album Blackstar, which united rising underground heroes Mos Def and Talib Kweli, this song features the two rappers exploring the meaning of “blackness” through rhymes that are both poetic and playful, trading off short verses and finishing each other’s sentences like vintage Run DMC.
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Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star (1998)
Black Star
1.
Intro
2.
Astronomy (8th Light)
3.
Definition
4.
Re:Definition
5.
Children’s Story
6.
Brown Skin Lady
7.
B Boys Will B Boys
8.
K.O.S. (Determination)
9.
Hater Players
10.
Yo Yeah
11.
Respiration
12.
Thieves in the Night
13.
Twice Inna Lifetime
Credits
Featuring
Weldon Irvine
Produced By
Mr. Walt & Da Beatminerz
Written By
Yasiin Bey, Talib Kweli, Mr. Walt & DJ Evil Dee
Keyboards
Weldon Irvine
Scratches
DJ Evil Dee
Mixing Engineer
Mr. Walt & Kieran Walsh
Recording Engineer
Mr. Walt & Kieran Walsh
Mastering Engineer
Chris Athens
Phonographic Copyright ℗
Rawkus Records
Copyright ©
Rawkus Records
Publisher
Shades of Brooklyn Music
Distributor
Universal Music & Video Distribution Corp.
Mixed At
D&D Studios
Mastered At
Sony Music Studios (New York)
Recorded At
D&D Studios, New York, NY
Release Date
September 29, 1998
Tags
Rap
Jazz Rap
Boom Bap
Hip-Hop
Conscious Hip-Hop
East Coast
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Comments
Add a comment
MisterSplash
Contributor
7 years ago
Can anyone hear the slight sample of the whistle from the hook of Code Of The Streets by Gang Starr?
+20
Ozymandias MC
6 years ago
This shit is soo dope
+14
Ozymandias-MC
6 years ago
This shit is incredibly DOPE
+10
getsadzeg
Contributor
3 years ago
The bass is too good
+9
DrDeLeon
6 years ago
Top 100 songs ever written and ever performed credited to all involved in producing this song
+5
grim
Editor
3 years ago
props to the transcribers. this is a hard-ass song to transcribe, and y'all did it flawlessly. and, of course, much props to Mos and Talib for this dope piece of poetry. 🙏🏻
+3
jerKing
Contributor
4 years ago
black like the veil that the muslimina wear-deep shit
+2
KO
6 years ago
I like juice
+1
Trump12345
6 years ago
wo
+0
Trump12345
6 years ago
This shit is lit
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Thanks for upload :)
im high
my favorite song off the album
the beat has this soul and spirit to it
it shouldnt be that special but for some reason its got this magic to it
haha
and mos and kweli tear it up
where the vocals at?
Such a sick beat... Anyone know who produced it? Should probably just look on Wiki
it was mr. walt from 'da beatminerz'
good shit drwarren55
@88thetruth88 damn son! , nice lines! peace!
> GALACTICAL
is not a word.
> star galactical doesn't mean anything
> star galactical clusters definitely doesn't mean anything
galactical star clusters almost means something but...
i bet you’re fun at parties
does anybody kno where i can dl this mp3
Its an instrumental, there are no vocals
1:04
new album trailer on Luminary looks just like this cover
i thought there was a spider on my screen. dammit
this isn't produced by black star its a hi tek beat i'm pretty sure.
????
stop stop stop stop