Intense Records

The Ecstatic (Cassette)

Pre-order - Friday 14th August 2026

£16.66 (£19.99 incl. VAT)

Originally released in June 2009, The Ecstatic stands as a defining artistic statement from Mos Def (now known as yasiin bey) a richly textured return to form that reaffirmed his status as one of hip-hops most adventurous and intellectually engaged voices. Arriving a decade after his celebrated debut Black on Both Sides, the album was widely regarded as his strongest work in years, earning near-universal praise for its lyrical breadth, eclectic production, and thematic ambition.

Musically, The Ecstatic weaves a global sonic tapestry shaped by an array of forward-thinking producers including Madlib, J Dilla, Oh No, Preservation, Mr. Flash, Chad Hugo (of The Neptunes), and Georgia Anne Muldrow. The resulting soundscape is both rooted in hip-hop tradition and unbound by genre, integrating elements of jazz, soul, Middle-Eastern inflection, and experimental sample work. Tracks like Supermagic and Twilite Speedball establish a vibrant, restless energy that mirrors the albums expansive creative scope.

Lyrically, yasiin bey traverses personal, political, and philosophical terrain with characteristic incisiveness, confronting social inequality, Western imperialism, and questions of cultural identity with poetic urgency. Embracing risk and complexity rather than nostalgia, The Ecstatic remains a mature, deeply felt body of work whose ambition, depth, and enduring resonance have solidified its place as a standout entry in Mos Defs catalog and in modern hip-hop history.

Tracklisting:
01 Supermagic
02 Twilite Speedball
03 Auditorium (featuring Slick Rick)
04 Wahid
05 Priority
06 Quiet Dog Bite Hard
07 Life In Marvelous Times
08 The Embassy
09 No Hay Nada Mas
10 Pistola
11 Pretty Dancer
12 Workers Comp.
13 Revelations
14 Roses (featuring Georgia Anne Muldrow)
15 History (featuring Talib Kweli)
16 Casa Bey