Hip-Hop Classic #2: Mos Def - Auditorium (Feat. Slick Rick) (Chosen by DJ Baller B)

'Auditorium' is my favourite track from Mos Def's 2009 release, The Ecstatic, which was his fourth studio album and the first album from the rapper in three years (following True Magic, which was pretty woeful). The album features samples from a wide range of musical styles, including Soul, Afrobeat, Jazz/Funk and Latin, and has been noted by critics for its 'out of the crate' samples. The Ecstatic sold 39,000 copies in its first week, charted at No. 9 on the Billboard 200 and earned Mos Def a Grammy Award nomination for Best Rap Album, making it his second most successful album to date. This song draws on a couple of contributions from Madlib's 'Beat Konducta in India' series, but it's Mos & Slick's rhythm-sparring flows that truly bring the track to life. A modern day classic from two of the greatest lyricists the world has ever seen.

DJ Baller B: "The way Slick Rick came in on the verse reinstalled my faith in Hip-Hop"