Yasiin Bey aka Mos Def has gone through some odd behavior these past few days.
First, he challenged anyone to a rap battle in a video posted online, saying he was “tired of these dudes pretending like they dope”. Lupe Fiasco openly accepted the challenge on his Instagram where he wrote “If Mos wanna battle, he can get a whiff of the wrath”.
Mos then took a step back, claiming to writer Ferrari Shepard that the video was leaked without his permission. But tonight, he releases a mysterious new song called ‘Basquiat Ghostwriter’ which is full of raps that many of us may not understand on the first listen and which also sounds like a rough recording. Stream it below.
UPDATE: Now with video and a message from Yasiin:
Good tidings in this season of the lion. Black August action.
Peace. Happy Wednesday morning. In commemoration of the birth week of one Marcus Garvey, herein is an arrangement of visuals for the sonic composition “Basquiat Ghostwriter”, directed and produced by A Country Called Earth. Special thanks to I. Attallihi, J. Cuba and S. bin Sharifu.
FREE THE LAND. We are already in outer space. The local time is always now. Free Shmurda. If you are reading this, you are already reading. Weappreciateyuh.
Negus. Eternal pedigree. Noble Empire. So real. Surreal.
L T P F J. peace.
– Yasiin Bey