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Mos Def

The New Danger

(Geffen)

New Yorker Mos Def is an enigma.  Simultaneously praised for leading the pack and criticised for being too progressive for the masses, he  adds blues, funk, instrumentalism, rock and soul to his poetic take on underground hip-hop.

The New Danger is the latest gripping chapter in his gripping litany.

On his second solo outing since his 1999 debut, Black on Both Sides, Mos Def again unleashes his impassioned heart, lyrical charisma and philosophical soul. The beauty of his earnest yearnings and contemplative being will captivate and mystify listeners. Experience his magical trance at work in the nine-minute opus Modern Marvel. This is a  slow, moody reflection on 'this life', with Marvin Gaye's What's Going On track worked in for  inspiration.

For those expecting a dose of that earthy, sock-it-at-you Mos Def vibe, check out the rap-punk-rock tribute Ghetto Rock. Featuring Dr Know from Bad Brains, this is one of a few tracks with his hard-edged band Black Jack Johnson. Another rap-musical wonder is the dramatic Life is Real, on which we're reminded to 'reach the world but touch the street first'.

It takes an acquired, nurtured taste to savour the Mos Def flavour. His  five years in theatre and collaborative work have  fine-tuned his emotional expressiveness and explorative diversity. The ambition behind The New Danger will  probably lose many along its 18-track way. But those who get it will be enraptured by Mos Def.



Mos Def