Today in Hip-Hop — 25 years ago, Yasiin Bey (fka Mos Def) released his debut solo album, ‘Black on Both Sides.’ Following the successful release of the Black Star collaborative album with Talib Kweli, on October 12, 1999, delivered a proper introduction to his individual artistry with ‘Black on Both Sides.’ The certified gold album featured singles like “Ms. Fat Booty,” “Umi Says,” and “Mathematics,”— and is still one of the standout releases from Rawkus Records. It was clear that Bey could do so much more than rap. He could even sing, showcasing an ear for melody that helped ground certain tracks with memorable hooks. It’s this versatility that makes ‘Black on Both Sides’ such a standout. Yes, everyone on Rawkus could rap. But Bey wanted to do more than that — and he did. In the album, you could see the future: the genre-blending that would come with the Soulquarians, the Native Tongues-inspired collective Bey was part of, but also so many left-of-center rappers, too. In its experim...