Mos Def Radio

I hadn't listened to hip-hop in a while and started the day with Beck radio again and switched to Mos Def after an hour or so. This is a great station. All the regulars are here, including: Talib Kweli, Common, The Roots, De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, Dilated Peoples, Fugees; and also welcomed appearances by Atmosphere, Lupe Fiasco, Gangstarr and more. The vibe stayed strong and lively pretty much the entire time.

Pandora played "Modern Marvel," by Mos, early on, a song I love but did not always have the patience to listen to all the way through. I have been painting my bathroom all day, and so had no problem letting the song play. It was beautiful, and really took me back to when The New Danger first came out, and it was so different, I didn't know what to make of it. A while later, "Just Like Music" by Erick Sermon, which also features a haunting Marvin Gaye sample, played and brought it back around to the Mos Def track.

Unfortunately, I have not taken the time to listen to Mos' latest, The Ecstatic. The first song the Genome Project selected was a track from that album called "Life in Marvelous Times," which surprised me with its original and upbeat sound. I had all but given up on Mos after his last effort, True Magic, which has some interesting material but it ends up disappointing. When "Thug is a Drug," the only song Pandora retrieved from that album, thank goodness, played, I had to skip it because it was sounded so out of place.

I swear it was as if Pandora and I were in tune to each others' inner thoughts and feelings. One song played that reminded me of a Nas song called "Undying Love." I wished that song would play next, but instead, several songs later, "You're Da Man" came on, which has a similar, intense, dark, beat, and isn't as terryfying as "U.L." "N.Y." state of mind also came on.

Atmosphere is another one of those artist I've heard great things about but haven't really delved into. "When Life Gives You Lemons You Paint That Shit Gold," was one of the best songs I heard today. I thinkI used to resent his nasal delivery, but now I really like his lyrics and his beats.

"The Mask," by the Fugees was another one of my favorites, and several songs by Gangstarr hit the spot, as well. Good Station for any occasion.