With the help of producers the Neptunes, 9th Wonder, Kayne West and Rich Harrison, among others, Mos Def dispels all those theories with his latest and final release for Geffen records. Smooth and soulful, Tru3 Magic draws from the best qualities of both his previous solo albums without re-treading familiar ground; rather, Mos uses those qualities as a springboard for his best work to date.
The album opens with the title track, a low-key vocal delivery over a stop-and-go beat, and it’s hard to avoid comparisons to Jay-Z’s Black Album almost right out of the gate. The impressive “Undeniable,” however, is immediately reminiscent of K-os, smooth flow falling like droplets over a repeated three-note riff and minimal beat with a sparse chorus. “Don’t stop the rock,” Mos chants while the song fades down.
“U R The One” finds Def trying to make sense of a love gone sour. Backed by a gliding string section, his vulnerability shows through on verses such as “got me pullin’ over gettin’ smoked out, fightin’ tears that I can’t hold down.. I can’t believe it, this fucker got me weepin’.. I keep it a secret so my friends won’t peep it… but late in the evening I’m up, my chest heavin.” In a landscape rife with bullshit club tracks and stage-prop beefs to sell records, speaking from the heart is a refreshing change.
Things take a darker turn on the less remarkable “Thug is a Drug.” Reminiscent of 50 Cent, the song is a snapshot of ‘gangsta life’ that, with the help of gunshots and screaming woman effects, falls short of convincing. Machine-gun tumbling drum breakdowns, low-end keyboards and a solid delivery give it pose, but the bite just isn’t there.
An infectiously mumbly chorus is the glue that holds “Crime & Medicine” together, basically a cover of GZA’s classic “Liquid Swords.” Dante even tips his hat directly with the “When the MCs came…” line. A reggae-flavored chorus fits smoothly with a two-chord guitar creep laid over a kick/snare beat and makes the song worthwhile.
Mos definitely hits a high with “A Ha,” a flow better than anything off The New Danger riding the groove over synths, scratching and a fuzzy bassline.
Many will recognize “Dollar Day (Surprise, Surprise)” from Mos Def’s impromptu flatbed-truck performance outside this year’s MTV Video Music Awards that also got him arrested. The song is prefaced by Mos describing an ironic exchange between a Katrina survivor and the rescue unit that found her. Mos nailed the vocals in one take, thoroughly conveying the sense of outrage felt towards the Bush administration’s complete failure in response to Hurricane Katrina. The song centers around a Nolia Clap beat, made popular by Juvenile and named for the Magnolia Housing Projects in New Orleans. It works.
Clocking in at just over two minutes, “Napoleon Dynamite” bounces right through with a hot little horn-laced blaxploitation sample for a hook, bemoaning the local police. The accompanying sirens and sounds of breaking glass are more of an annoyance than anything, and with a beat that never goes anywhere, the track feels generally disposable.
“There is a Way,” an infectious melody with only four lines total, is beautiful in its simplicity. Built around a slow drum and bass groove, Mos sings the title line backed by a female choir on the first half of the song. The second half is the same formula, his “don’t give up” trading off with their “don’t give in.” Not likely to be a featured track, but worth a listen.
The funky ”Sun, Moon, Stars” can do no wrong; it’s a definite highlight on Tru3 Magic. A deep bass groove, hand claps and tambourines provide the current and Mos glides through sweetly, weaving short rhymes to and through a chorus made for the ‘rewind’ button on your stereo. It’s addictive.
A high picking piano line and four-part cymbal bursts accentuate the headlights-in-the-rain sense of danger on the lyrically impressive “Murder of a Teenage Life,” Mos Def darkly retelling the story of a young man’s murder in the ghetto. His anger bleeds through and rises till the very end, shouting “They shot the boy!” three times, layered over three shouts of “Murder!” on the final notes.
“Fake Bonanza” starts tight and mean and remains magnetic through a bluesy, quiet finish. Of all the tracks on Tru3 Magic, this one is most reminiscent of the fantastic Black Star, Def’s project with Talib Kweli. Highlight: Mos defiantly declaring, “Don’t believe in heaven & aint tryin’ to get in.”
“Perfect Timing” simply doesn’t sound like a complete idea at first, with circular rhymes eventually taking shape and rising to the still-unanswered question “Who shot Biggie, Pac and Jam Master Jay?” An offbeat track overall, and the echoes are annoying as all hell.
Mos Def examines an existence worth appreciating with the graceful album-closer “Lifetime,” singing instead of rhyming over a delicate beat backed by quiet horns. Best moment: a gorgeous drum breakdown at 1:23 the song.
Tru3 Magic, doesn’t possess the hunger first heard on Black on Both Sides. It’s replaced instead by a diversity, confidence and maturity that cannot be faked, coupled with a sense of social and spiritual urgency. Although live drums were used on most of the album, there’s considerably less of a rock presence than on The New Danger, allowing for a more balanced sonic tapestry. Pulling from jazz, blues, rock, funk, hip-hop and soul, Black Dante gives the album a sense of identity by interweaving it all without weighing it down, creating his most memorable work yet.
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