Mos Def's 1999 album Black on Both Sides is considered a seminal hip-hop album.
Released on October 12, 1999, by Rawkus and Priority Records, Black on Both Sides was Mos Def's debut solo studio album. It followed his acclaimed collaboration with Talib Kweli, Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star, released in 1998.
The record combines socially conscious writing with live instrumentation and production from artists including DJ Premier, Diamond D, Ali Shaheed Muhammad, Ayatollah, Ge-ology and 88-Keys. Songs such as “Ms. Fat Booty,” “Mathematics,” “Umi Says” and “Black on Both Sides” helped establish its reputation for lyrical range, political awareness and musical experimentation.
Mos Def later adopted the name Yasiin Bey, so modern references may list the same artist under either name. Talib Kweli is the most likely source of confusion because of Black Star, while Q-Tip and Common were separate artists from the same broad era. The album reached number 25 on the Billboard 200 and was certified Gold by the RIAA in February 2000 after surpassing 500,000 U.S. sales.