Black Star Takes Fan-Focused Approach To Distribution With Latest Album

Twenty-four years after their debut album, Black Star — the duo of Talib Kweli and Yasiin Bey — is back with its sophomore release, “No Fear Of Time.” Talib joined Trapital to discuss the long-awaited return album (which dropped in May) and why it was released exclusively on the paid-subscription podcast platform Luminary. Spurning traditional streaming platforms like Apple Music or Spotify was about serving its true fans, Talib told me during our interview.

The pair was already in business with Luminary, hosting an original podcast “The Midnight Miracle” alongside Dave Chappelle. The way Talib sees it, the group’s most dedicated fans — one’s that care about them on a personal level beyond just spitting bars — were already rocking with them on Luminary. And after a career that’s spanned four decades, Talib is more interested in engaging his core fanbase rather than reaching the masses.

Disruptive art is on-brand for Black Star. Similarly, Yasiin’s latest solo album was exclusively distributed inside a 10-week art exhibit in Brooklyn. For Talib, he’s blended different musical genres and sounds his entire career. “As an artist, it’s my duty to try everything I can,” he told me on this episode.

For a closer look at Talib’s creative and business approach, you’ll want to hear our interview in full. Here’s all our talking points during the episode:

0:47 Black Star’s New Album “No Fear Of Time”
2:31 Why The Album Released Exclusively On Luminary Podcast Network
6:57 Why Talib Moved Away From Patreon
8:51 Art Vs. Business
13:08 What Talib Has Learned In Different Creative Pursuits
15:35 Yasiin Bey Makes Talib “Step Up”
19:24 TikTok’s Influence On Modern-Day Music
23:47 Why Talib Avoided Clubhouse
26:22 Talib Doesn’t Miss Twitter
29:15 Speaking Out Against Online Trolls
33:06 Putting Out Music On “Own Terms”
37:30 Talib Did 200 Shows A Year For Two Decades

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