Black Star arose from the underground movement of the late 1990s, which was in large part due to Rawkus Records, an independent record label stationed in New York City, NY, USA. They released their self titled debut album in 1998. Though the record achieved little commercial success, they (and other members of the Native Tongues Posse) helped shape underground alternative rap and helped bring it further into the mainstream eye. Both have gone on to greater commercial and critical success in separate solo careers.
A sample on the album from the film Chameleon Street has generated the often repeated and often misattributed quote, "I'm a victim brother. I'm a victim of 400 years of conditioning. The man has programmed my conditioning. Even my conditioning has been conditioned!"
Most recently Mos and Kweli appeared together in the movie Dave Chappelle's Block Party, alongside Jill Scott, Dead Prez and The Fugees, among others. They even contributed a new song, "Born & Raised", to the movie's soundtrack.
In November 2009, members and collaborators of Black Star released a collaboration album with the alt-blues/rock band, The Black Keys, under the title "The Blakroc Project." Project members included RZA, Jim Jones, Mos Def, Q-Tip, and others.
According to hip hop website TheSituation.co.uk, Kweli has said that a new Black Star album is "in the pipeline". On Talib Kweli's Myspace he posted up a video saying that "We're going to find Mos Def and put it on camera that there will be a second Black Star album. Black Star released their second album titled entitled No Fear of Time in 2022.
Discography
===========
Albums
Black Star (1998)
No Fear of Time (2022)
The Blakroc Project (2009) Collaborative album with The Black Keys
Singles
"Definition"(1998)
"Respiration" (1999)
Other collaborations
"Know That" from Mos Def's 1999 album, Black on Both Sides
"Joy" from Talib Kweli's 2002 album, Quality
"Supreme Supreme" from Talib Kweli's 2005 album, Right About Now
"Bright as the Stars" from Mos Def's 2005 single, "Ah Ha"
"What It Is" from Talib Kweli's 2005 mixtape, The Beautiful Mixtape Vol. 2
"Born & Raised" from the 2006 soundtrack, Dave Chappelle's Block Party
"This Means You", produced by DJ Hi-Tek on the album Train Of Thought
"What's Beef", live from Chappelle's Show
"Get By [remix]", from Kanye West's mixtape Freshman Adjustment 3
"Gitcha, Gitcha, Gitcha", from Talib Kweli's 2004 album The Beautiful Struggle
"Little Brother", The Hurricane
"History" from Mos Def's 2009 album The Ecstatic.
There is another band with the same name:
2) A dark rock band, formed in Jakarta, Indonesia (2000), based on the common taste of its members, Emir (vocal), Aloel (guitar), Yudi (guitar), Q-nos (bass), Ine (keyboard) and Roby (drum). They had always adored british bands such as Radiohead and Muse, and started playing to cover their music. The name "Black Star" itself was taken from a track in Radihead's album, The Bends.
In 2005, they started recording their own material. Swiftly they gained attention of indie music community and acquired got good reviews by the media, especially for their single "Schizofrenia". Their long-anticipated debut album has been released in March 2009. The first single from the album, Abnormal Aku, in collaboration with Cholil Mahmud from Efek Rumah Kaca, was a huge success in local indie scene. The album has a theme of diseases, from biological, social to psychological diseases. This shows the empathy from the band towards their surrounding envronment.
Their second album, titled "Luar Angkasa", was released on 14th February 2016 with Demajors Independent Music Industry (DIMI).
Free tracks can be downloaded at their offical website, http://www.blackstarid.com.
Buy their album at http://cdbaby.com/cd/blackstarpop
B Boys Will B Boys
Black Star Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yo yo, we gonna, we gonna slow it down
So we can speed it up y'all
Right now I want everybody come to the front
That's right, move forward
I want all the poppers and the breakers, to form this circle
I want all the poppers and the breakers
The writers and the exciters, to get in this circle
'Cause I'm seeing too many stars up in here tonight yo
I'm seeing the Rock Steady Crew
I'm seeing Ken Swift, I'm seeing Mr. Wiggles
I'm seeing Modesho, I'm seeing Crazy Legs
Man I'm seeing the Zulu Nation up in here
I'm seeing the Rawkus family, Shabaam Shadeeq, Company Flow
Menelik, I'm seein G-ology, Shawn J. Period
Man this the Black Star movement
Mos Def, Talib Kweli we gon' keep it live
For the B boys and be girls universally
Rock Steady Japan, Rock Steady Europe
Rock Steady New York, yo we just gonna keep it live
All over the world, get live
Party people, in the place to be
My name is Talib Kweli
Yo, I got my man on the side of me
Mos Def-initely, and we, are
(Fresh) Black Star
(Fresh) G Young
(Fresh) Hi-Tek
(Fresh) Native Tongue
(Fresh) Shawn J.
(Fresh) Eighty-eight
(Fresh) Ninety-eight
We bout to motivate, come on y'all
Here's a little story that must be told
(About two young brothers who was put on hold)
They tried to stop the goal
(We on a spiritual plane)
Tried to kill the pride
(And destroy the name)
We just two bad brothers
(Who will never quit)
I'm Mos Def
(Kweli (We the ultimate))
Make sure that you tell
(Everybody you know)
To get on line
(Take a ride)
To the Black Star show!
(Black Star)
Shining
(Shining, we in the house)
Shining
(Shining, we in the house y'all)
(Black Star)
Shining
(Shining, we in the house)
Shining
(Shining, we in the house y'all)
(Black Star)
Shining
(Shining, we in the house)
Shining
(Shining, we in the house y'all)
(Black Star)
Shining
(Shining, we in the house)
Shining
(Shining, we in the house y'all)
The song "B Boys Will B Boys" by Black Star starts with a call to action for all the poppers and breakers, writers, and exciters to come to the front and join the circle. Talib Kweli and Mos Def, also known as Black Star, continue to mention various legendary names in the hip-hop community that they see in the crowd, including the Rock Steady Crew, Ken Swift, Mr. Wiggles, and Crazy Legs. They even extend an invitation to B boys and B girls all over the world to join the movement and get live.
The lyrics then switch to a storytelling style, as Mos Def and Kweli share that they are two brothers who were once put on hold and had their pride and name threatened. They're on a spiritual plane and will never quit, and as Black Star, they are shining and in the house. The song ends with a repeated chorus of "Shining, we in the house y'all."
The song's lyrics speak to the importance of hip-hop culture and the unity it can bring. The call to action for all the poppers and breakers to form a circle and make it real live is a nod to the importance of the hip-hop community coming together and showcasing their talents. The lyrics also speak to the struggles that Kweli and Mos Def faced in their own lives and careers, but their determination and never-quit mentality helped them persevere and become the legend Black Star is today.
Line by Line Meaning
Yo yo, yo, what's up, yo yo
Greetings, hello there, what's happening, greetings
Yo yo, we gonna, we gonna slow it down So we can speed it up y'all
We will start slow to increase the tempo later
Right now I want everybody come to the front That's right, move forward
I request everyone to come closer towards the stage
I want all the poppers and the breakers, to form this circle I want all the poppers and the breakers
I request all the people who specialize in popping and breaking moves to come forward and make a circle
The writers and the exciters, to get in this circle And make it real live yo
Also, I suggest the people who excel in creative writing and performance to join the circle and enhance our experience
'Cause I'm seeing too many stars up in here tonight yo I'm seeing the Rock Steady Crew I'm seeing Ken Swift, I'm seeing Mr. Wiggles I'm seeing Modesho, I'm seeing Crazy Legs Man I'm seeing the Zulu Nation up in here I'm seeing the Rawkus family, Shabaam Shadeeq, Company Flow Menelik, I'm seein G-ology, Shawn J. Period Man this the Black Star movement Mos Def, Talib Kweli we gon' keep it live
I'm seeing a lot of successful names in hip-hop tonight, such as Rock Steady Crew, Zulu Nation, and Rawkus family, who represent the Black Star movement, and together we will keep the vibrations of hip-hop alive
For the B boys and be girls universally Rock Steady Japan, Rock Steady Europe Rock Steady New York, yo we just gonna keep it live All over the world, get live
This performance is dedicated to all the breakdancers around the world, from Japan to New York, and we aim to keep it energetic and exciting for everyone
Here's a little story that must be told (About two young brothers who was put on hold) They tried to stop the goal (We on a spiritual plane) Tried to kill the pride (And destroy the name) We just two bad brothers (Who will never quit) I'm Mos Def (Kweli (We the ultimate))
This story is important to share (about two young men who faced obstacles). People have tried to slow us down, but we're on a spiritual journey. They have tried to destroy our pride and reputation, but we will never give up. My name is Mos Def and beside me is Kweli, together we are the ultimate force.
Make sure that you tell (Everybody you know) To get on line (Take a ride) To the Black Star show! (Black Star) Shining (Shining, we in the house) Shining (Shining, we in the house y'all) (Black Star) Shining (Shining, we in the house) Shining (Shining, we in the house y'all) (Black Star) Shining (Shining, we in the house) Shining (Shining, we in the house y'all) (Black Star) Shining (Shining, we in the house) Shining (Shining, we in the house y'all)
Ensure that you spread the word to everyone you know and encourage them to attend the performance of Black Star. We are shining and present in this moment, and we are shining with you all. Our light will continue to shine brightly everywhere we go.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Dante Smith Gerard Young, Talib Kweli Greene
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind