Mos Def w/ Slick Rick
The Ecstatic, 2009
My favorite track off 2009’s criminally overlooked The Ecstatic; a return to form for The Mighty Mos Def (now Yasiin Bey) after years in the wilderness. Fans weren’t expecting much from the rapper/actor after the disappointing decade following ‘99’s classic Black on Both Sides, but the album – and this track in particular – proved worth the wait. “Auditorium” follows the Stones Throw template of its surrounding songs, engaging a classic Madlib loop off the Beat Konducta in India compilation with a sample that only gets better the more you hear it. I’m not exactly sure what Slick Rick is talking about here – something about ending conflict in the Middle East with a hot verse? – but he’s a good fit for the track. In 10 years we’ll remember this as a classic.
[audio https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/14312140/03%20Auditorium%20(feat.%20The%20Ruler).mp3 ]
The Best Song You'll Hear All Day 