At the beginning of the month, Yasiin Bey was making news for declaring an open rap battle challenge to any rappers that felt like stepping to the plate. Unfortunately, even though Lupe Fiasco quickly accepted, the battle has yet to happen. Instead, Bey returned with a new track, “Basquiat Ghostwriter,” with an accompanying video.
After all the headlines Yasiin Bey has been in, Mos Def makes a return. Though Yasiin and Mos are clearly two different names for the same performer, listening to the differences between “Basquiat Ghostwriter” and this new track “Sensei On The Block” makes it feel like otherwise.
Mos Def links up with Ski Beatz once again returns to his classic style of rhyming that we’ve all come to love him for. Steel drums always prove to help a song more than hurt it, and Ski Beatz proves that theory to be correct on the production of “Sensei On The Block.” The relaxed feel on the beat allow Mos Def’s verses come out sounding almost effortless. Hopefully this collaboration is just the first of a string of new releases to come from Mos Def.
Listen to “Sensei On The Block” below.
