The Price of Freedom

Since the 1990s, Weldon Irvine has gained new acclaim with the rise of the hip-hop scene and the rare groove movement, including participating in works by Q-TIP and Mos Def. This is a 1999 work by Weldon Irvine! While the original CD has become a premium item, this is a long-awaited reissue and first LP release!

Featuring guests such as Q-TIP, Mos Def, and Talib Kweli, artists who were representative of the street scene at the time, this jazzy, tight, and superb groove is a must-listen, as it crosses over the feeling of the 70s with the sound of the 90s!

After releasing a number of masterpieces in the 70s, Weldon Irvine gained new acclaim with the rise of the hip-hop scene and the rare groove movement in the 90s and after. This album, released in 1999, has a strong social sensibility as it was produced against the backdrop of the incident at the time when African immigrant Amadou Diallo was shot and killed by a police officer, and furthermore, it features artists who were leading the hip-hop scene at the time such as Mos Def, Talib Kwelu, and Q-TIP as guests, showcasing a sound that crosses over the jazzy groove inherited from the 70s with the street feeling of the 90s! From street-style hip hop such as "Hip Hop Speaks" (M2) featuring Mos Def and Talib Kweli, and "Make It All Better" (M3) featuring Q-TIP and Black Star, to the mellow R&B/neo soul "Break Bread" (M8) that heralds the arrival of the 2000s, this is a historically very important work that shows the pride of Weldon Irvine, who has always been at the forefront of the scene since the 70s! This is the first reissue in CD format, and the first release in vinyl format, which was not released at the time, has also been decided!

■Track list

1. Amadou

2. Hip Hop Speaks

3. Make It All Better

4. Prankster Gangster

5. Prayer for Peace

1. A Plan Don't Get Up

2. No Laughing Matter

3. Break Bread

4. Hollow Points

5. Beyond Belief

6. Said & Done

1. Pleasure-Pain-&-Me

2. Unify

3. Love Supreme

4. Blues for Amadou

5. My DNA's OK

6. Descended from Kings

7. Motha Goddess

1. You & I-Verse

2. Destiny's Finger

3. Black Male

4. Sun Drops

5. Tears For Amadou

6. Amadou's Journey