Published at 3:06 PM on October 12, 2007

By Jeremy Goldmeier

Mos Def dumps Geffen for Downtown Recordings

It's no secret that Mos Def's last two solo releases have been disappointing and troubled outings. Much of that unpleasant material stems (if you believe Internet rumors) from Mos's uneasy relationship with Geffen Records, which absorbed the Rawkus imprint in 2002. His last record, the tragically bungled True Magic, fulfilled his contract with Geffen.

Now it appears that Mighty Mos is moving on to (hopefully) greener pastures. He's signed, sealed and delivered himself to Downtown Recordings, where he'll join a stable of artists that includes Gnarls Barkley, Art Brut and Cold War Kids.

Meanwhile, Mos Def and Spank Rock recently completed a remix of Justice's ubiquitous "D.A.N.C.E." track. Perhaps they could join the all-star live backing band for the French duo?

More importantly, though, Mos has really taken the lead in protesting the Jena 6 case in Louisiana. For those who haven't been following this story, it's well worth reading up on.

Related links:
Mos Def on MySpace
MosDefMusic.com
YouTube: Mos Def vs. Kanye Freestyle

Got news tips for Paste? Email news@pastemagazine.com.

Be the first to comment

Click to leave a comment.