Mos Def recently released The New Danger and it did well but for those who want to know more of what was doing before that album or even before the Black Star album with Talib Kweli there is a album for you to check out. UTD or Urban Thermo Dynamics was a three-person group featuring Mos, CES, and DCQ before Medina Green. While this group is long gone and Mos has had major success on the wax and on the big screen this is an opportunity to hear Mos trying to get heard. The "Big U" as they were known talked about neighborhood strife, introduced themselves to the world and also had fun.

 
Among the album the songs you will need to hear are "Manifest Destiny", a track about taking your body where your mind goes daily, "Hard Core" which features Mos with a Onyx style grimy voice talking about stepping in the wrong neighborhood and the rules, "Victory", a track in which Mos does a little singing while talking about his youth, and "My Kung Fu", a track about rapping.

This album screams early 90's with the dark sounds and break beats.   Mos does his young thing and so does CES and DCQ especially on "Frontline", a track about the urban war outside.

It's interesting to hear Mos flow with a deeper voice and cadence. You can add this to your collection and you'll listen to it again with a respect for where Mos in particular has come from and where he is going.  

I'll give the LP 3 globes. It's enjoyable and a throwback to simpler (and somewhat better) times and music.