Mos Def, Talib Kweli Reunite as Black Star for Shows, New Album

It’s been six long years since Talib Kweli divulged that he and Mos Def were going to release a new album under their collaborative moniker Black Star. After so much time, fans of the group have begun to lose patience and question the sincerity of the 2005 claim, but pieces of new material have surfaced since 2010, and as of Saturday definitive news has arrived.

That’s right, Talib Kweli and Mos Def—er, rather, Yasiin — guaranteed a new Black Star album in 2012, as well as announcing tour dates for the rest of this year.

Of course, in classic hip-hop fashion, further delays could still happen, but both Kweli and Mos Def recently said with certainty that Black Star’s as-yet-untitled second album will drop next year, which would make it their first proper release in 14 years. The rappers have collaborated occasionally in the gap since, notably for the Red Hot Organization’s AIDS awareness compilation in 2001 and Dave Chappelle’s Block Party in 2006, but for the most part both have been plenty busy with their respective successful solo careers.

Check out the interview from New York City’s Rock the Bells where the two emcees confirmed their future plans for Black Star below:

Black Star Tour Dates:

September
21 — Detroit, Mich. @ St. Andrews Hall
22 — Cleveland, Ohio @ House of Blues
23 — Chicago, Ill. @ House of Blues
27 — Miami Beach, Fla. @ The Fillmore
28 — Atlanta, Ga. @ The Tabernacle

October
5 — New York, N.Y. @ Irving Plaza
6 — Los Angeles, Calif. @ House of Blues
29 — Las Vegas, Nev. @ House of Blues

November
3 — Anaheim, Calif. @ House of Blues
4 — Charlotte, N.C. @ The Fillmore
5 — Cincinnati, Ohio @ Bogart’s
11 — Indianapolis, Ind. @ Murat Egyptian Room

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