It’s been almost 24 years since the legendary Brooklyn hip-hop duo Black Star dropped their first– and only– studio album, Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star. The album was a critical success, forever regarded as a cult classic by hip-hop fans, as the holy grail of “backpack rap,” fans have been longing for a follow-up to the iconic record. 

It seems as if Black Star is finally ready to make their return. Over the weekend, Talib Kweli took to Instagram to share an update on the duo’s long-awaited follow-up to their 1998 debut, as he posted a photo of him with Yasiin Bey, the emcee formerly known as Mos Def. 

“The new Black Star album was recorded in hotel rooms and dressing rooms across the globe,” Kweli wrote in the caption on Saturday. “I love how my brother [Yasiin Bey] pushes me musically. #blackstarforever follow @blackstarkeepshining today…”

In November of 2021, Madlib teased some unreleased Black Star at his DJ set at the Day N Vegas music festival in Las Vegas, Nevada. One of the tracks was first heard in Dave Chapelle’s controversial Netflix special, The Closer. Talib Kweli confirmed the album was finished and is currently waiting for a release. 

“The project with Madlib is done. We just trying to figure out when and how to release it,” Kweli told Hot 97’s Ebro Darden in 2019.

The duo teased new music on their Dave Chapelle-assisted podcast, Midnight Miracle, on Luminary. The show has had guests like Kevin Hart, Questlove, Chris Rock, and Donnell Rawlings. 

Stay tuned for updates on the new Black Star album and other hip-hop news.