Heat Rocks

Marcus Moore on Mos Def's "Black on Both Sides" (1999)


Listen Later

Show: Heat Rocks   Guest: Marcus Moore

The Album: Mos Def's Black on Both Sides (1999)

Writer Marcus Moore, currently a senior editor at Bandcamp, happened to be coming through to Los Angeles for his first time ever and we took advantage by inviting him to join us to talk about Mos Def's debut album, Black on Both Sides. Coming out just a year after Mos and Talib Kweli created a new generation of conscious hip-hop fans with their Black Star collaboration, Black on Both Sides was also the culmination of a coming-out party for the Brooklyn rapper/actor that began earlier in the decade as he began racking up all manners of outstanding cameo spots.

During our convo with Marcus, we got into Mos' portrait of Brooklyn, how his singing took everyone for a (pleasant) surprise, why "Ms. Fat Booty" wasn't necessarily representative of the album as a whole and whether or not Mos ever was able to exceed the excellence of his debut.

More on Mos Def and Black on Both Sides: 

  • "If Mos Def’s “Black On Both Sides” Came Out Today, It Might Be Considered The Blackest Album of All Time" (Very Smart Brothas)
  • Original 1999 review for The AV Club

More on Marcus Moore:

  • Marcus' upcoming book on Kendrick Lamar
  • His review of Yasiin Bey's December 99th (Pitchfork)
  • Bandcamp | Twitter

Show Tracklisting (all songs from Black on Both Sides unless indicated otherwise):

  • Know That
  • Umi Says
  • Nas: NY State of Mind
  • Biggie: Live Freestyle 1995
  • Mos Def: BET's The Cypher
  • Mos Def, Q-Tip, Tash: Body Rock
  • UTD: My Kung Fu
  • De La Soul: Big Brother Beat
  • Ms. Fat Booty
  • Jay-Z: Jigga What, Jigga Who
  • The Roots: You Got Me
  • Techn9ne: Questions
  • Reflection Eternal: Fortified Live
  • Love
  • dialogue from 16 Blocks
  • Rock N Roll
  • Public Enemy: Fight the Power
  • Rock N Roll
  • Love
  • New World Water
  • Boogie Down Productions: Beef
  • Fela Kuti: Water No Get Enemy
  • Climb
  • Umi Says
  • Aretha Franklin: One Step Ahead
  • Ms. Fat Booty
  • Roy Ayers: We Live In Brooklyn
  • Brooklyn
  • Ms. Fat Booty
  • Mathematics
  • May-December

If you're not already subscribed to Heat Rocks in Apple Podcasts, do it here!

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Heat RocksBy MaximumFun.org

  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9

4.9

445 ratings


More shows like Heat Rocks

View all
Judge John Hodgman by John Hodgman and Maximum Fun

Judge John Hodgman

7,701 Listeners

Sawbones: A Marital Tour of Misguided Medicine by Justin McElroy, Dr. Sydnee McElroy

Sawbones: A Marital Tour of Misguided Medicine

14,827 Listeners

The Adventure Zone by The McElroys

The Adventure Zone

35,602 Listeners

The Kasper Hauser Comedy Podcast by MaximumFun.org

The Kasper Hauser Comedy Podcast

67 Listeners

Can I Pet Your Dog? by Renee and Alexis

Can I Pet Your Dog?

1,278 Listeners

Adam Ruins Everything by MaximumFun.org

Adam Ruins Everything

1,264 Listeners

Dr. Gameshow by MaximumFun.Org

Dr. Gameshow

1,133 Listeners

Rendered by Julie Sabatier

Rendered

66 Listeners

Round Springfield by Allie Goertz, Julia Prescott, and Maximum Fun

Round Springfield

393 Listeners

Beef And Dairy Network by MaximumFun.org

Beef And Dairy Network

1,529 Listeners

Magic Lessons with Elizabeth Gilbert by Elizabeth Gilbert and Maximum Fun

Magic Lessons with Elizabeth Gilbert

1,422 Listeners

Queery with Cameron Esposito by Cameron Esposito

Queery with Cameron Esposito

3,244 Listeners

I, Podius by Maximum Fun

I, Podius

425 Listeners

Valley Heat by Doug Duguay

Valley Heat

972 Listeners

Feeling Seen by Jordan Crucchiola, Maximum Fun

Feeling Seen

48 Listeners

Comfort Creatures by Ella McLeod, Alexis B. Preston

Comfort Creatures

57 Listeners

Be Podding You by Maximum Fun

Be Podding You

38 Listeners

Walkin' About by Allan McLeod

Walkin' About

194 Listeners

Primer by Maximum Fun

Primer

58 Listeners

MaxFun Presents by Maximum Fun

MaxFun Presents

10 Listeners