Yes, it’s true: Clothing line LnA recently unveiled the Mos Def Music Tee, a shirt with album art, tracklist and a tag imprinted with a URL and download code for his fourth solo album, The Ecstatic. Album DescriptionPerhaps the only development more surprising than Mos Def’s re-ascension to the hip-hop summit - some 10 years after Black Star, his collaboration with Talib Kweli, foreshadowed icon status - is the fact that he’s one of the first artists ever to have an album released as a T-shirt. Your browser does not support the audio element. Its ambition and execution rank it as one of the best albums of 1999, and it consolidates Mos Def's position as one of hip-hop's brightest hopes entering the 21st century. In short, Black on Both Sides is a tour de force by an artist out to prove he can do it all. In keeping with his goal of restoring hip-hop's sociopolitical consciousness, Def's lyrics are as intelligent and thoughtfully crafted as one would expect, but he doesn't stop there - he sings quite passably on several tracks, plays live instruments on others (including bass, drums, congas, vibraphone, and keyboards), and even collaborates on a string arrangement. But they're supported by a rich depth that comes from forays into reggae (as well as its aura of spiritual conscience), pop, soul, funk, and even hardcore punk (that on the album's centerpiece, 'Rock n Roll,' a dissection of white America's history of appropriating black musical innovations). The main reference points are pretty much the same - old-school rap, which allows for a sense of playfulness as well as history, and the Native Tongues posse's fascination with jazz, both for its sophistication and cultural heritage. Black on Both Sides strives to not only refine but expand the scope of Mos Def's talents, turning the solo spotlight on his intricate wordplay and nimble rhythmic skills - but also his increasing eclecticism. He met them all with Black on Both Sides, a record every bit as dazzling and visionary as Black Star.

Consciously designed as a return to rap's musical foundations and a manifesto for reclaiming the art form from gangsta/playa domination, it succeeded mightily on both counts, raising expectations sky-high for Mos Def's solo debut. Mos Def's partnership with Talib Kweli produced one of the most important hip-hop albums of the late '90s, 1997's brilliant Black Star.

Purchase and download this album in a wide variety of formats depending on your needs.

Mos def black on both sides download