Black Star is back.
Friday, the legendary duo of Yasiin Bey and Talib Kweli—whose oft-discussed debut arrived all the way back in 1998—unveiled details for the imminent release of their Madlib-produced new album No Fear of Time.
The album, cover art for which can be seen up top, will be released as a Luminary exclusive on May 3. As up-to-date fans will point out, Kweli made headlines in February when he shared a photo of himself and Bey to Instagram and directed fans to the official Black Star account.
“The new Black Star album was recorded in hotel rooms and dressing rooms across the globe,” Kweli said at the time. “I love how my brother [Yasiin Bey] pushes me musically.”
To hear the wildly anticipated new album, fans will need to subscribe to the Luminary platform. Luminary, of course, is also the home of the duo’s The Midnight Miracle podcast with Dave Chappelle, as well as People’s Party from Kweli and Uproxx.
In comments included with Friday’s rollout-announcing press materials, Kweli said the creative process behind No Fear of Time was “very similar” to the process behind 1998’s Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star, which is widely considered a classic.
“There was one day we were just in a hotel listening to Madlib beats, and [Yasiin Bey was] like ‘Play that Madlib tape again,’” Kweli recalled. “I’m playing the beats and he starts doing rhymes to the beats. And that’s how we did the first song.”
For Luminary CEO Rishi Malhotra, the utilization of the platform in the formal return of Black Star marks a “proud” moment for the team.
“With No Fear of Time, Black Star has crafted an important record and a different kind of record release, partnering with Luminary—a cultural label that is becoming home for the world’s most thoughtful artists,” Malhotra said Friday, adding that both artists possess a “profound point of view” on our world.
Look for No Fear of Time, exclusively on Luminary, starting May 3. In the meantime, hear a preview of the new album below.
Midnight Miracle, meanwhile, has a pair of new episodes arriving. The one dropping today, titled “Bugs Bunny Mathematicx,” includes additional insight on the process behind No Fear of Time, while “Mineral Mountain” will give fans the experience of hearing a new freestyle from the duo featuring Black Thought.
