Yasiin Bey Announces Deluxe Vinyl Reissue of The Ecstatic

Yasiin Bey, the artistic mastermind formerly known as Mos Def, has announced a reissue of his 2009 album, The Ecstatic, which returns to vinyl and all physical formats on August 14th. It is also now streaming exclusively via Qobuz.

This marks the first time that The Ecstatic will be widely available in more than 15 years. The deluxe edition comes pressed on 2xLP 180-gram black vinyl, which comes with a translucent red 7-inch single including the previously unreleased bonus tracks “The Size” and “The Tournament.” Pre-orders are ongoing.

The expanded release also comes with a 120-page hardcover book containing behind-the-scenes shots by official photographer Cognito, as well as lyric quotes and some of Bey’s handwritten notes from the era.

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The Ecstatic dropped independently through Downtown Records in June 2009 and was seen as a return to form after the poorly received The New Danger and True Magic. Nominated for Best Rap Album at the Grammys, it mixed jazz, soul, and Middle Eastern sounds through production from heavyweights such as Madlib, J Dilla, Oh No, and Chad Hugo of The Neptunes.

Featuring appearances from Slick Rick and Talib Kweli, The Ecstatic peaked at No. 9 on the Billboard 200 and No. 5 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts. It featured the singles “Life in Marvelous Time,” “Quiet Dog Bite Hard,” and “Casa Bey.”

A press release teases Bey will continue to release new music through his Substack newsletter, The Local Time Is Always Now.

The Ecstatic Artwork:

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