The Ecstatic

The Ecstatic is the fourth studio album by American rapper Mos Def. It was produced by J Dilla, Mr. Flash, Madlib, Mos Def, Oh No, Preservation, and The Neptunes. Its music has been characterized by critics as conscious and alternative hip hop with global influences.

When The Ecstatic was released by Downtown Records on June 9, 2009, it received widespread critical acclaim and debuted at number nine on the Billboard 200, selling 39,000 copies in its first week. It was named one of 2009's best albums in critics' year-end lists and remained Mos Def's highest charting album in the United States, where it had sold 168,000 copies by 2014.

Background

In a podcast interview with Anthony DeCurtis at the 92nd Street Y, Mos Def stated that he named the album after the book The Ecstatic by Victor LaValle. The album features collaborations with Slick Rick, Talib Kweli and Georgia Anne Muldrow, as well as production by Mr. Flash and the late J Dilla. The album cover is taken from Charles Burnett's 1978 film, Killer of Sheep.