The Ecstatic is the fourth studio album by American rapper Mos Def, released on June 9, 2009, by the independent record label Downtown Records. After venturing further away from hip hop with an acting career and two poorly received albums, Mos Def signed a recording contract with Downtown and recorded The Ecstatic primarily at the Record Plant in Los Angeles. He worked with producers such as Preservation, Mr. Flash, Oh No, and Madlib, with the latter two reusing instrumentals they had produced on Stones Throw Records. The work of Stones Throw rapper MF Doom was also cited by Mos Def as an influence, while singer Georgia Anne Muldrow, formerly of the record label, performed as one of the album's few guest vocalists, along with rappers Slick Rick and Talib Kweli.
The Ecstatic
Mos Def in 2008
US marines in Baghdad during Operation Iraqi Freedom, April 2003. The album features criticism of the Iraq War.
Attendees of the 1928 Moorish Science Temple Conclave; the photo was used for the album's back cover.
Yasiin Bey, formerly known as Mos Def, is an American rapper. A prominent figure in conscious hip hop, he is recognized for his use of wordplay and commentary on social and political issues, such as police brutality, American exceptionalism, and the social status of African Americans.
Yasiin Bey performing at the 2012 Ilosaarirock festival
Yasiin Bey in 1999
Yasiin Bey performing at Rock the Bells in New York