Black on Both Sides

Mos Def

1999

Mos Def’s Black on Both Sides is a statement about Black identity, culture, and societal perceptions. With this album, he tackles stereotypes, challenges misconceptions, and highlights the complexity and depth of Black experiences.

“It’s a collection of songs designed to relay a theme and a message about Black people in the world. I have to do that. Because there’s so much propaganda that exists about who we are, what’s important to us, our abilities. I did it to dispel a lot of the myths that exist about hip-hop, about Black culture, about Black society, about our sensitivity to politics, our level of awareness.” – Mos Def