Yasiin Bey & Mannie Fresh Black Jesus

In 1999, Mannie Fresh had just produced "Back That Azz Up" for Juvenile, a song that would introduce to a great cross section of America the beginning of Lil Wayne. That same year, Mos Def, a young strong-willed MC from Brooklyn, New York made his debut as a solo artist with the scathing and ambitiously artistic Black On Both Sides. The popular narrative of rap and hip-hop culture would most likely pin these two artists on opposing ends of the spectrum.

Fourteen years later, out of their own volition and without the involvement of a record company, those two artists recorded a 10-track LP together. Reportedly entitled OMFGOD, news of the project managed to pique the interest of even the most jaded rap fans. After performing two cuts from the record at a concert in Arizona, "Black Jesus" has sprung onto the Internets.

What sounds like the opening cut of the project features Yasiin (that's what Mos prefers you call him now) playing an evangelical angle over drums by Fresh that sound like they could be marching up your street behind a horn section. Here's the thing though, there's hardly any raps on it. While I'm sure that'll inspire ire from a few heads (something Mos has been known for), I personally ultimately judge music on the feeling it elicits... and in this case, I think it works. It makes me feel like him and Fresh have chemistry, and I'm curious to see what the other nine tracks sound like.

I'll definitely stay posted for what comes next from this collaboration.