1. Mos DefBlack On Both Sides
It was just one that talked to me quite a bit. I listen to Black Star as well around that period. It’s an album I always revisit, tunes like ‘UMI Says’. I love the track that he’s got with Busta Rhymes, ‘Do It Now’. That’s one of my favourite rap collabs. When I was starting to get more into the technical side of hip hop and what a good MC is, this is one of those albums that stood out to me. From lyrics to music it’s a ten out of ten to me. I think the honesty of what he’s talking about, you can tell it’s coming from a real place. And so for me, it’s just about being honest with myself, whether that’s political or emotional. That’s what I take from it.