Black Star (Talib Kweli and Mos Def) featuring Common represents one of the purest expressions of hip-hop’s intellectual and spiritual core. At a time when the genre was drifting toward flash and formula, this collaboration reminded the culture that lyricism, social awareness, and authenticity were still the heartbeat of the art form. With three of hip-hop’s most thoughtful voices trading bars rooted in truth, struggle, and self-reflection, the track helped define the late-’90s conscious rap mov