MOS DEF THE ECSTATIC ARTWORK FULL

MOS DEF THE ECSTATIC ARTWORK FULL

The first couple of songs on the album were heavily produced kaleidoscopic trips into hectic experimental hip hop, full of digital chaos in the form of sonic lasers, synths, and vocal distortion.

By the time the first song came on, everyone stopped looking around and a wave of concentration careened over the room. Everyone was looking around at each other, exploring this unique environment, waiting for the classical music to end and for Yasiin BeyвЂ™s rap вЂ“ mostly rap at least вЂ“ album to start. Of the 75 people in the space, most were sitting, but many were also standing. There is seating in the exhibit room, including what looked like upside down milk crates with seat cushions fastened on top (note these seats were sold in the gift shop for about $400). There are three large murals across the walls: one colorful abstract piece, one reminiscent of a starry night sky, and the third and most mesmerizing is a tribute to the late Nipsey Hussle on a red cloth with gold cursive letters sewn on. The classical music segment is 10-15 minutes, which gives you time to walk around and examine the artwork in the room. Classical music, which was originally composed for this exhibit, plays on the headphones as an introduction to Yasiin BeyвЂ™s album. Without phone access, the audience doesnвЂ™t have any outside distractions, and is forced to fully engaged with the experience. Upon entering, you are given over-the-ear headphones and asked to put your phone in a sealed bag. Bey associates the term with Prince AlГ¤mayyГ¤hu Tewodros and others who have led noble lives, including Henrietta Lacks and Nipsey Hussle.вЂќ HereвЂ™s where Yasiin Bey goes into detail about the inspiration for the project: вЂњNegus (pronounced neh-goose) takes its name from the word for вЂњkingвЂќ or вЂњrulerвЂќ in Ge` ez, one of the ancient Semitic languages of Ethiopia. Now, as we describe the particulars of the Negus experience, try to compare it to how you listen to music in general, and think about how youвЂ™d feel if one of your favorite artists put out music like Yasiin Bey has.Д«efore walking into the exhibit, thereвЂ™s an introduction and background written on the wall, similar to how descriptions are commonly displayed for museum exhibits. ItвЂ™s the soundtrack to so many of the various things we do everyday. Think about all the different environments you listen to music in: where are you? Who you are with? What you are doing? ThereвЂ™s no singular answer to any of these questions because we all take music with us everywhere we go nowadays. Of course, thereвЂ™s the music component, but there are many other elements that play an equal or out sized role in the project, all of which are intrinsically part of the listening experience. Of course Black on Both SidesвЂ™В timelessness would still create buzz вЂ“ but the anticipation would be lackluster without The Ecstatic.Д¬urrently, Negus is more of an experience than it is a traditional album. ItвЂ™s hard to imagine a huge amount of people would be willing to buy a ticket, go to a museum in Brooklyn, and sit and listen to an album while surrounded by strangers, if Yasiin BeyвЂ™s most recent album wasnвЂ™t any good. The interim period generated a massive buzz and endless speculation about the album that would eventually come to be the classic Blonde.) If The Ecstatic were not a great album, itвЂ™s hard to believe Negus the exhibit would exist in the first place. After the success of OceanвЂ™s beloved debut album Channel Orange, he more or less disappeared for the next 4 years. Nothing builds anticipation quite like a popular artist making something great, and then stepping away while theyвЂ™re ahead. Such a long hiatus in between albums helps boost both intrigue and hype for his new material, especially since his last album, 2009вЂ™s The Ecstatic, received such high praise across the boards. ItвЂ™s been 10 years since Yasiin Bey last released an album. The listening sessions will run through January 2020, and the album component will not be released on streaming services or hard copy вЂ“ not any time soon at least. His new album Negus is exclusively available during ticketed listening sessions taking place at the Brooklyn Museum. Yasiin Bey, formerly known as Mos Def, is re-imagining what it means for fans to experience music.

Mos def the ecstatic artwork