Black on Both Sides

Black on Both Sides
Studio album by Mos Def
Released	October 12, 1999
Recorded	October 1998 - July 1999
Studio	Sony Music Studios (New York City) Chung King Studios (Manhattan, New York) D&D Studios (New York City)
Genre	East Coast hip hop, Alternative hip hop, Underground hip hop, Conscious hip hop
Length	71:21
Label	Rawkus Records / Priority Records
Producer(s)	88-Keys, Ayatollah, D-Prosper, Diamond D, DJ Premier, DJ Etch-A-Sketch, Ge-ology, Weldon Irvine, David Kennedy, Mr. Khaliyl, Mos Def (also exec.), Ali Shaheed Muhammad, Psycho Les, Shaka (exec.)

Mos Def chronology
Next	The New Danger (2004)

Black on Both Sides is the debut studio album by American rapper Mos Def. It was released in October 12, 1999 via Rawkus Records and Priority Records. Recording sessions took place at Sony Music Studios, Chung King Studios and D&D Studios in New York City from October 1998 to July 1999. Production was handled by DJ Premier, 88-Keys, Diamond D, Ayatollah, Mr. Khaliyl, Ali Shaheed Muhammad, D-Prosper, Ge-ology, Psycho Les, and DJ Etch-A-Sketch, with co-production from Mos Def, David Kennedy and Weldon Irvine. It includes guest appearances by Q-Tip (of A Tribe Called Quest), Busta Rhymes, Talib Kweli and Vinia Mojica. Prior to the album's recording, Mos Def had collaborated with Talib Kweli as the duo Black Star and released the album Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star in 1998, which raised high expectations for a solo effort.

Black on Both Sides features an emphasis on live instrumentation and socially conscious lyrics. On February 2, 2000, the album was certified gold in sales by Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), following in sales in excess of 500,000 copies.

The album was both commercially and critically successful. It peaked at #25 on the Billboard 200, #3 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts and #1 on the Top Rap Albums chart in the United States. Black on Both Sides spawned the singles: "Mathematics", "Umi Says" and "Ms. Fat Booty" (which made it to #54 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart). Music videos were created for the songs: "Ms. Fat Booty" and "Umi Says.

Black on Both Sides received universal acclaim from music critics and is often to be considered Mos Def's best solo album. 

Track listing

No.	Title	Performer(s)	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Time
1.	"Fear Not of Man"	Mos Def	Smith	Mos Def	4:28
2.	"Hip Hop"	Mos Def	Kirkland, Smith	Diamond D, Mos Def (co.)	3:16
3.	"Love"	Mos Def	Njapa, Smith	88-Keys	4:23
4.	"Ms. Fat Booty"	Mos Def	Dorell, Smith	Ayatollah	3:43
5.	"Speed Law"	Mos Def	Njapa, Smith	88-Keys	4:16
6.	"Do It Now"	Mos Def, Busta Rhymes	Dillon, Smith, Smith	Mr. Khaliyl	3:49
7.	"Got"	Mos Def	Muhammad, Smith	Ali Shaheed Muhammad	3:17
8.	"UMI Says"	Mos Def	Kennedy, Smith	Mos Def, David Kennedy (co.)	5:10
9.	"New World Water"	Mos Def	Fernandez, Smith	Psycho Les	3:11
10.	"Rock n Roll"	Mos Def	Fernandez, Smith	Psycho Les, Mos Def (co.)	5:02
11.	"Know That"	Mos Def, Talib Kweli	Dorell, Greene, Smith	Ayatollah	4:03
12.	"Climb"	Mos Def, Vinia Mojica	Dunn, Erving, Smith	Etch-A-Sketch, Mos Def (co.), Weldon Irvine (co.)	4:02
13.	"Brooklyn"	Mos Def	Kennedy, Smith, Young	Ge-ology, Mos Def (co.), David Kennedy (co.)	5:09
14.	"Habitat"	Mos Def	Dunn, Irvine, Smith	Etch-A-Sketch	4:39
15.	"Mr. N***a"	Mos Def, Q-Tip	Davis, Prosper, Smith	D-Prosper, Mos Def (co.)	5:12
16.	"Mathematics"	Mos Def	Martin, Smith	DJ Premier	4:06
17.	"May-December"	Mos Def	Irvine, Njapa, Smith	88-Keys, Mos Def (co.)	3:29

Samples

Fear Not of Man

• "Fear Not for Man" by Fela Kuti
• "Morgenspaziergang" by Kraftwerk

Hip Hop

• "Slow Dance" by Stanley Clarke
• "The Warnings (Part II)" by David Axelrod

Love

• "Porgy (I Loves You, Porgy)" by Bill Evans Trio

Ms. Fat Booty

• "One Step Ahead" by Aretha Franklin

Speed Law

• "And That's Saying a Lot" by Christine McVie
• "Promise Her Anything But Give Her Arpeggio" by Big Brother & the Holding Company

Do It Now

• "Marcus Garvey" by Burning Spear

New World Water

• "Josephina De Granada" by Dick Schory
• "C.R.E.A.M." by Wu-Tang Clan

Rock N' Roll

• "Memphis at Sunrise" by The Bar-Kays
• "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)" by Marvin Gaye
• "Allustrious" by Mobb Deep

Know That

• "Anyone Who Had a Heart" by Dionne Warwick
• "Stop and Check Yourself" by Garnet Mimms

Brooklyn

• "What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?" by Milt Jackson
• "We Live in Brooklyn, Baby" by Roy Ayers Ubiquity
• "Who Shot Ya?" by The Notorious B.I.G.

Habitat

• "The Symphony" by Marley Marl feat. Masta Ace, Craig G, Kool G Rap and Big Daddy Kane
• "West Coast Poplock" by Ronnie Hudson & The Street People
• "KRS-One Attacks" by KRS-One

Mr. N*!^a

• "A Legend In His Own Mind" by Gil Scott-Heron
• "Sun Goddess" by Ramsey Lewis
• "Sucka N^%!a" by A Tribe Called Quest

Mathematics

• "Baby I'm-a Want You" by The Fatback Band
• "Funky Drummer" by James Brown
• "Angela Davis Interviewed by Art Seigner" by Angela Davis
• "Criminology" by Raekwon
• "On and On" by Erykah Badu

May-December

• "Jungle Jazz" by Kool & the Gang
• "Rock Your Baby" by KC & the Sunshine Band