Mos Def reissues ‘The Ecstatic’ album for first time in 15 years
Mos Def has finally reissued The Ecstatic after 15 years.
The rapper, also known as Yasiin Bey, released his classic album in 2009, but it’s been absent from vinyl and streaming for many years.
On June 22nd, Rhymesayers announced that the album is available for purchase on vinyl, CD, cassette, and digital, and can also be streamed via Qobuz.
The deluxe photo book edition, worth £185, includes a 120-page book featuring artist portraits, live performance photos, behind-the-scenes candids, quotes, and lyrics. There are also two bonus tracks: ‘Size’ and ‘The Tournament’.
The standard vinyl is £33, while the CD is £14, the cassette is £19, and the digital version is £10. As well as the music, various T-shirts, hoodies, and caps are also in the store.
The Ecstatic was released on Downtown Records in June 2009, with contributions from Madlib, J Dilla, Oh No, Chad Hugo, Preservation, Mr Flash, Georgia Anne Muldrow, and more.
It debuted at number nine on the Billboard 200 and was nominated for ‘Best Rap Album’ at the Grammy Awards. The song ‘Casa Bey’ was also nominated for ‘Best Rap Solo Performance’.
The vinyl reissue page describes the album as a “richly textured return to form that reaffirmed his status as one of hip-hop’s most adventurous and intellectually engaged voices.”
It continued, “Arriving a decade after his celebrated debut Black on Both Sides, the album was widely regarded as his strongest work in years, earning near-universal praise for its lyrical breadth, eclectic production, and thematic ambition.”
It adds that The Ecstatic “remains a mature, deeply felt body of work whose ambition, depth, and enduring resonance have solidified its place as a standout entry in yasiin bey (FKA Mos Def)’s catalogue and in modern hip-hop history.”