Mos Def
The New Danger
(Geffen)
Mos Def isn’t your typical hip-hop artist—he transcends the genre barriers with a brand of socially aware hip-hop that’s eluded the mainstream thus far. His style of music incorporates a variety of different genres, which makes The New Danger a disappointing outing—it’s far too disjointed to hold down a steady groove. Mos Def’s work has a distinctive indie feel; he obviously does what he wants to do. But The New Danger is an unusual album that will have a hard time finding its niche.
—Trevor Savory