The New Danger

Template:Use mdy dates {{safesubst:#invoke:Unsubst-infobox||$params=italic_title,name,type,longtype,artist,cover,border,alt,caption,released,recorded,venue,studio,genre,length,language,label,director,producer,compiler,chronology,prev_title,prev_year,year,next_title,next_year,misc|$extra=italic_title,longtype,border,caption,language,director,compiler,chronology,year,misc|$aliases=italic title>italic_title,Italic title>italic_title,Name>name,Type>type,image>cover,Cover>cover,Border>border,Alt>alt,Caption>caption,Longtype>longtype,Artist>artist,Released>released,Recorded>recorded,Venue>venue,Studio>studio,Genre>genre,Length>length,Language>language,Label>label,Director>director,Producer>producer,Compiler>compiler,Chronology>chronology,Misc>misc|$flags=override|$B={{#ifeq:{{#invoke:Is infobox in lead|main|[Ii]nfobox [Aa]lbum}}|true|{{#if:Template:Has short description | |{{#if: October 12, 2004 | Template:Short description}}}}}}{{#invoke:Infobox|infobox}}Template:Template otherTemplate:Category handlerTemplate:Main other{{#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown=Template:Main other|preview=Page using Template:Infobox album with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y|italic_title |type |name |image |cover |border |alt |caption |longtype |artist |released |recorded |venue |studio |genre |length |language |label |director |producer |compiler |prev_title|prev_year|next_title|next_year|chronology|year|misc}}{{#if:{{#invoke:String|match|error_category=Music infoboxes with Module:String errors|A|1=Black on Both Sides1999True Magic2006studioThe New DangerNew_danger.jpgMos DefOctober 12, 20042003–04Template:Hlist74:51Template:HlistTemplate:Hlistx|2=</?t[drh][ >]|nomatch=}}|Template:Main other}}Template:Main other}} The New Danger is the second studio album by American rapper Mos Def, released on October 12, 2004, by Rawkus and Geffen Records. It is the follow-up to his breakthrough solo effort Black on Both Sides (1999), after which he devoted more time into his film and stage career.<ref name="Cromelin"/>

Production

Production for the album was handled by Mos Def, Kanye West, 88-Keys, Minnesota, Warryn Campbell, and Psycho Les. It also features contributions from Mos Def's rock musical project Black Jack Johnson, which was named after boxing champion Jack Johnson and consists of guitarist Dr. Know, keyboardist Bernie Worrell, bassist Doug Wimbish, and drummer Will Calhoun.<ref name="Cromelin">Template:Cite magazine</ref>

Critical reception

The New Danger received generally mixed reviews from critics; it holds an aggregate score of 59 out of 100 at Metacritic.<ref name="Meta">"Critic Reviews for The New Danger". Metacritic. Retrieved on 2009-09-25.</ref> Blender called it "mushily sentimental, self-righteously indignant and constantly in your face",<ref name="Blender"/> while AllMusic's Andy Kellman said it was "a sprawling, overambitious mess".<ref name="Kellman"/> New York magazine panned the album as "an unsatisfying muddle of protest music, black rock, and rap".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In The New York Times, Kelefa Sanneh wrote that the record suffered from extended soul songs that meandered, dull rock songs, and some raps such as "The Rape Over" that were devoid of Mos Def's usual "warmth and wit".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> NME deemed some of the songs failed experiments but also highlighted "Boogie Man Song", "Modern Marvel", and "Champion Requiem" as more timeless material.<ref name="NME"/> Rolling Stone critic Tom Moon was more enthusiastic, hailing the album as an "earthy, impressively diverse" work that showcased Mos Def's abilities to "create deeply nuanced characterizations" and "broaden the hip-hop palette without sacrificing, or selling out, its core ideals".<ref name="Moon"/> Writing for The Village Voice, Robert Christgau said while Mos Def's previous records were driven by his "verbal flow", The New Danger was more interesting musically and defined by its sonic flow, which the critic described as "a shadowy, guitar-drenched tone poem of the streets".<ref name="Christgau"/> In his ballot for the annual Pazz & Jop critics poll, he named it the 19th best album of 2004.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> LA Weekly included the track "Zimzallabim" in their list of "Ten Rap-Rock Songs That Are Actually Awesome".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Commercial performance

The New Danger was released by Geffen Records on October 12, 2004, in the United States and October 18 in the United Kingdom.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> It debuted at number five on the Billboard 200 in its first week,<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> and by March 2014, it had sold 513,000 copies in the US.<ref name="2014Update">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In August 2017, the album was certified gold by the RIAA, indicating sales and their equivalents—streams and track downloads—of 500,000 units in the U.S.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

Charts

Chart (2004)	Peak position
Canadian Albums<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	12
Canadian R&B Albums<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	20
French Albums Chart<ref name="FRA">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	103
Swiss Albums Chart<ref name="SWI">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	50
UK Albums Chart<ref name="UKAl">Mos Def albums peak chart position in United Kingdom: The New Danger: {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	56
US Billboard 200<ref name="US200">Template:Cite magazine</ref>	5
US Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums<ref name="USR&BAl">Template:Cite magazine</ref>	2
US Billboard Top Rap Albums<ref name="USRapAl">Template:Cite magazine</ref>	1

Singles

Year	Title
2004	"Sex, Love & Money"
	"Close Edge"

Personnel

• Mos Def - vocals, piano (track 1), drums (tracks 1 and 16), guitar, bass and percussion (track 16)
• Black Jack Johnson - House Band (feat. Will Calhoun - drums, Doug Wimbish - bass, Dr. Know - guitar and Bernie Worrell - keyboard)
• Raphael Saadiq - guitar and bass (track 1)
• Minnesota - producer
• Easy Mo Bee - producer
• Kanye West - producer
• Shuggie Otis - guitar
• L Mitchellon (?) - piano, organ
• Warryn Campbell - producer
• Psycho Les - producer
• 88-Keys - producer

External links

• The New Danger at Discogs
• Review and audio interview at Vibe