Mos Def Black on Both Sides

3.5 stars out of 5 - "...manages the oxymoronic feat of being a humble MC....His often nationalistic rhymes are complimented by jazzy, mostly sample-free tracks....Who says that modesty and reverence don't have their place on hip-hop hits?"
"...a tightrope walk across diverse hip-hop styles....Merging old-school bravado with new-school poetics, [Mos Def] spouts incisive Afrocentric reality that takes all sides into account." - Rating: A-
4 out of 5 - "...One of the best rap albums of recent years and not a lame skit in earshot..."
3 stars out of 5 - "...A throwback to the sophisticated heyday of the Native Tongues Posse, with extra poignancy and a bracing Busta Rhymes cameo to boot."
4 out of 5 - "...This is the return of the '100-percent intelligent black child'...and he's smarter and more independent than ever....Everyone who likes rap music even a little should hear what Mos has to say..."
Included in Wire Magazine's "50 Records Of The Year ['99]"
"HipHop's most eloquent spokesman takes his rightful place on the throne....A deeply personal project...one that takes in a vast range of emotions and scenarios....a complex and many layered work..."
"...simply one of the most unhindered and aesthetically ambitious hip-hop records in recent memory..."
Ranked #5 in CMJ's "Top 30 Editorial Picks [for 1999]."
4 mics out of 5 - "...the mighty Mos Def leads the charge for change....an 80-year-old couldn't make an album this mature."
"...Among the genre's all-time greats..."