Audiopile Review: Black Star AND Madlib? In THIS economy??? Regular readers will probably have guessed we were going to say that. But we could have gone with: “Yasiin Bey (aka Mos Def) AND Talib Kweli AAAND Madlib etc.” That would surely give you some appreciation of the economically unviable level of underground hip-hop talent on ‘No Fear of Time’, which is only the Black Star duo’s second album, despite their debut being released way back in 1998. ‘No Fear of Time’ was released digitally in 2022 via podcasting network Luminary (no, us neither). The beats, of course, are phenomenal. Madlib never disappoints, and we’re genuinely sad he’s no longer putting out an album seemingly once a month, like he used to. But it’s that chemistry between the two emcees which really makes this album feel like a major event. Incredible that their effortless to-and-fro has not diminished one bit in the quarter-century gap between albums. Guess that’s what happens when you have no fear of time.

A quarter century since their 1998 debut, No Fear of Time finally reunites one of the greatest hip-hop duos of all-time, Black Star. Group members yasiin bey and Talib Kweli first joined forces to deliver their iconic breakout, Mos Def and Talib Kweli are Black Star, which quickly became one of hip-hop’s most revered works and launched both already-rising stars into the stratosphere. Although each has since enjoyed success and acclaim in their individual careers, they’ve never realigned for a sophomore follow-up to that release until now.

Produced entirely by renowned beatsmith Madlib, No Fear of Time has a future vibe with vintage soul. The 9-track album was recorded guerrilla-style in hotels and dressing rooms around the globe, and initially saw a non-traditional release, being made available exclusively on a subscription-based podcast platform. Now, the album is officially available on physical formats for fans worldwide to own and appreciate the triumphant return of Black Star.