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{{unreferenced|date=May 2009}}
{{more citations needed|date=July 2017}}
{{Infobox song
{{Infobox Single <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Songs -->
| Name = Respiration
| name = Respiration
| Cover = Respiration.jpg
| cover = Respiration.jpg
| Artist = [[Black Star (hip hop group)|Black Star]] featuring [[Common (musician)|Common]]
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = [[Black Star (hip hop group)|Black Star]] featuring [[Common (rapper)|Common]]
| from Album = [[Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star]]
| album = [[Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star]]
| B-side =
| released = February 23, 1999
| recorded =
⚫
| Released = February 23, 1999
⚫
| studio =
| Format = [[12-inch single]], [[Compact disc|CD]], [[Vinyl record|Vinyl]]
| Recorded =
| venue =
| Genre = [[Conscious hip hop|Conscious]] [[hip hop music|hip hop]]
| genre = [[Political hip hop|Conscious hip hop]], [[underground hip hop]]
| Length = 6:05
| length = 6:05
| Label = [[Rawkus Records]]
| label = [[Rawkus Records]]
| writer = [[Talib Kweli Greene]], [[Mos Def|Dante Terell Smith]], [[Common (rapper)|Lonnie Rashid Lynn]], [[Hi-Tek|Tony Cottrell]] <small>(original)</small><br />[[Talib Kweli Greene]], [[Pete Rock|Peter O. Philips]], [[Mos Def|Dante Terell Smith]], [[Black Thought|Tariq Trotter]] <small>(remix)</small>
⚫
| Writer =
| Producer = [[Hi-Tek]]<br>[[Pete Rock]]
| producer = [[Hi-Tek]]<br>[[Pete Rock]] <small>(remix)</small>
| Certification =
| prev_title =
| prev_year =
⚫
| Misc = {{Extra chronology
| next_title =
⚫
| Artist = [[Black Star (hip hop group)|Black Star]]
| next_year =
| Type = singles
⚫
| misc = {{Extra chronology
⚫
| Last single = "[[Definition (song)|Definition]]"<br>(1998)
⚫
| artist = [[Black Star (hip hop group)|Black Star]]
| This single = "Respiration"<br />(1999)
| Next single = -
| type = singles
⚫
| prev_title = [[Definition (song)|Definition]]
| prev_year = 1998
| title = Respiration
⚫
| year = 1999
| next_title =
| next_year =
}}
}}
{{Extra chronology
{{Extra chronology
| Artist = [[Common (musician)|Common]]
| artist = [[Common (rapper)|Common]]
| Type = singles
| type = singles
| Last single = "[[One-Nine-Nine-Nine]]"<br>(1999)
| prev_title = [[One-Nine-Nine-Nine]]
| This single = "Respiration"<br>(1999)
| prev_year = 1999
| title = Respiration
⚫
| Next single = "[[Car Horn (song)|Car Horn]]"<br>(1999)
| year = 1999
⚫
| next_title = [[Car Horn (song)|Car Horn]]
| next_year = 1999
}}
}}
}}
}}


'''"Respiration"''' is the second single from [[Black Star (hip hop group)|Black Star]]'s [[Black Star (album)|eponymously titled]] 1998 album (see [[1998 in music]]). It features guest rapping from [[Common (rapper)|Common]] and guitar playing by DeChown Jenkins. It also features a [[Hi-Tek]] produced beat that [[sampling (music)|samples]] "The Fox" by Don Randi. In addition, the song's introduction samples a [[monologue]] from the hip hop documentary ''[[Style Wars]]''. It is found on ''[[Best of Decade I: 1995-2005]]'', a compilation of [[Rawkus Records]]' best songs. It can also be found on [[Howie B]]'s compilation album ''[[Another Late Night: Howie B]]''.
"'''Respiration'''" is a song by American rappers [[Mos Def]] and [[Talib Kweli]], collectively known as [[Black Star (hip hop group)|Black Star]]. It was released as the second single from the duo’s [[Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star|eponymously titled]] 1998 album (see [[1998 in music]]). It features a guest verse from fellow American rapper [[Common (rapper)|Common]] and guitar playing by DeChown Jenkins. The song’s [[Hip hop production|production]] was handled by [[Hi-Tek]], who [[sampling (music)|sampled]] "The Fox" as performed by Don Randi. In addition, the song's introduction samples a [[monologue]] from the hip hop documentary ''[[Style Wars]]''. It is found on ''[[Best of Decade I: 1995-2005]]'', a compilation of [[Rawkus Records]]' best songs. It can also be found on [[Howie B]]'s compilation album ''[[Another Late Night: Howie B]]''. The single reached #54 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/artist/311829/mos-def/chart?f=367|title=Mos Def - Chart history {{!}} Billboard|website=www.billboard.com|access-date=2016-10-20}}</ref>

The lyrics of the album version of "Respiration" are a melancholy ode to city life. Whereas cities are often derided as inorganic, the song makes many references to features of organic life such as breathing, eating, and sleeping. However, most of these speak to a dark reality of life in the city. Mos Def compares the New York City to an apple, but not necessarily the benign "Big Apple" of myth: "the shiny apple is bruised but sweet/and if you choose to eat/you could lose your teeth." Talib Kweli talks about "breathing in deep city breaths/sitting on shitty steps/we stooped to new lows, hell froze/the night the city slept." In another line, Kweli gives life and flight to the aspirations of city dwellers, most of which go unrealized: "you look up in the sky for God/and what you see besides the smog/are broken dreams flying away on the wings of the obscene." In his verse, Common, who talks about Chicago, not New York City, remarks on how the city can represent the only environment many individuals will ever know: "I asked my God how he thought traveling the world sounds/Found it hard to imagine, he hadn't ever been past downtown."


Two [[remix]]es were made for "Respiration": 'Flying High Mix' contains production by [[Pete Rock]] and a verse by [[Black Thought]] of [[The Roots]]. Another remix found on the ''Hip Hop Classics Vol. 1'' compilation album also features Pete Rock production, but has a guest verse by Common instead of Black Thought.
Two [[remix]]es were made for "Respiration": 'Flying High Mix' contains production by [[Pete Rock]] and a verse by [[Black Thought]] of [[The Roots]]. Another remix found on the ''Hip Hop Classics Vol. 1'' compilation album also features Pete Rock production, but has a guest verse by Common instead of Black Thought.
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*[[List of Mos Def songs]]
*[[List of Mos Def songs]]
*[[List of Common songs]]
*[[List of Common songs]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}


{{Mos Def}}
{{Mos Def}}
{{Talib Kweli}}
{{Talib Kweli}}
{{Common}}
{{Common singles}}

{{Authority control}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Respiration (Song)}}
[[Category:1999 singles]]
[[Category:1999 singles]]
[[Category:Black Star songs]]
[[Category:Black Star (group) songs]]
[[Category:Common (entertainer) songs]]
[[Category:Common (rapper) songs]]
[[Category:Songs written by Common (rapper)]]
[[Category:Songs written by Mos Def]]
[[Category:1998 songs]]
[[Category:Black-and-white music videos]]
[[Category:Songs written by Talib Kweli]]
[[Category:Songs written by Hi-Tek]]
[[Category:Songs about New York City]]
[[Category:Songs about Chicago]]

Latest revision as of 00:07, 24 February 2024

"Respiration"
Single by Black Star featuring Common
from the album Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star
ReleasedFebruary 23, 1999
GenreConscious hip hop, underground hip hop
Length6:05
LabelRawkus Records
Songwriter(s)Talib Kweli Greene, Dante Terell Smith, Lonnie Rashid Lynn, Tony Cottrell (original)
Talib Kweli Greene, Peter O. Philips, Dante Terell Smith, Tariq Trotter (remix)
Producer(s)Hi-Tek
Pete Rock (remix)
Black Star singles chronology
"Definition"
(1998) 		"Respiration"
(1999)
Common singles chronology
"One-Nine-Nine-Nine"
(1999) 		"Respiration"
(1999) 		"Car Horn"
(1999)

"Respiration" is a song by American rappers Mos Def and Talib Kweli, collectively known as Black Star. It was released as the second single from the duo’s eponymously titled 1998 album (see 1998 in music). It features a guest verse from fellow American rapper Common and guitar playing by DeChown Jenkins. The song’s production was handled by Hi-Tek, who sampled "The Fox" as performed by Don Randi. In addition, the song's introduction samples a monologue from the hip hop documentary Style Wars. It is found on Best of Decade I: 1995-2005, a compilation of Rawkus Records' best songs. It can also be found on Howie B's compilation album Another Late Night: Howie B. The single reached #54 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.[1]

Two remixes were made for "Respiration": 'Flying High Mix' contains production by Pete Rock and a verse by Black Thought of The Roots. Another remix found on the Hip Hop Classics Vol. 1 compilation album also features Pete Rock production, but has a guest verse by Common instead of Black Thought.

Single track list

[edit]

A-Side

[edit]
  1. "Respiration (Album Version Radio Edit)"
  2. "Respiration (Album Version Instrumental)"

B-Side

[edit]
  1. "Respiration (Flying High Radio Mix)"
  2. "Respiration (Flying High Main Mix)"
  3. "Respiration (Flying High Instrumental)"

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Mos Def - Chart history | Billboard". www.billboard.com. Retrieved 2016-10-20.
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