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Black on Both Sides

Black on Both Sides is an alternative rap album by Mos Def, released on October 12, 1999 (see 1999 in music). Intended as a return to the roots of hip hop, the album was hailed as a classic soon after its release, despite poor sales. The album's blend of socio-political rhymes with jazz and other unusual sources of samples endeared Mos Def to listeners who had tired of gangsta rap and its cliches.

Track listing

Fear Not of Man (Smith) - 4:28
Hip Hop (Kirkland/Smith) - 3:16
Love (Njapa/Smith) - 4:23
Ms. Fat Booty (Dorell/Smith) - 3:43
Speed Law (Njapa/Smith) - 4:16
Do It Now performed by Mos Def / Busta Rhymes - 3:49
Got (Muhammed/Smith) - 3:27
Umi Says (Kennedy/Smith) - 5:10
New World Water (Fernandez/Smith) - 3:11
Rock N Roll (Fernandez/Smith) - 5:02
Know That performed by Mos Def / Talib Kweli - 4:03
Climb performed by Mos Def / Vinia Mojica - 4:02
Brooklyn Habitat (Kennedy/Smith/Young) - 5:09
Mr. Nigga performed by Mos Def / Q-Tip - 4:39
Mathematics (Martin/Smith) - 5:12
May-December (Irvine/Njapa/Smith) - 4:06
May-December (Irvine/Njapa/Smith) - 3:29

Personnel

Weldon Irvine - Piano, Arranger, Keyboards, Producer, String Arrangements
Jane - Design
The Beatnuts - Producer
Busta Rhymes - Performer
Diamond D - Producer
DJ Premier - Producer
David Kennedy - Producer, Engineer, Mixing
Ali Shaheed Muhammad - Producer
Vinia Mojica - Vocals
Mathias Q-Tip - Performer
Mos Def - Bass, Percussion, Conga, Drums, Keyboards, Producer, Vibraphone, Executive Producer
Kiku - Design
Talib Kweli - Performer
88 Keys - Producer
Etch-A-Sketch - Producer
Shaka - Executive Producer
Psycho Les - Producer
Johnny Why - Guitar, Engineer
Calablzitaz Tiernaz - Photography
Alvaro Gonzalez-Campo - Photography
Ayatollah - Producer
Ge-Ology - Producer

Chart positions Billboard (North America) - album

 1999	The Billboard 200	                No. 25
 1999	Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums	                No. 3

Billboard (North America) - singles

 1999	Ms. Fat Booty	Hot Rap Singles	                           No. 20
 1999	Ms. Fat Booty	Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks	   No. 54
 2000	Ms. Fat Booty 2	Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks           No. 98

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