Mos Def released a solo album, Black on Both Sides, which had a jazzy, R&B flavor. The releases heightened Mos Def's notoriety and established him as a socially conscious, introspective, and insightful rap artist. In Black on Both Sides, which was certified gold, Mos Def makes references to the insults and injuries black men often feel at the hands of police officers. He also took time to question the amount of money allocated in the U.S. defense budget. The albums established Mos Def as a master of the art of conscious rap.
The reaction surprised Mos Def himself. "I was in L.A. right after the album came out and I'm on stage performing and I'm lookin' at people reciting words of the songs off the album," he told Entertainment Weekly 's Fierman. "And I'm like, 'Am I seein' this right? I know this record has not been out that long.'" Read more about Yasiin Bey (Mos Def) here.
