Dec. 99th is an

alternative hip hop Alternative hip-hop (also known as alternative rap and experimental hip-hop) is a subgenre of hip-hop music that encompasses a wide range of styles that are not typically identified as mainstream. AllMusic defines it as comprising "hip-hop group ...

group consisting of

Mos Def Yasiin Bey ( ; born Dante Terrell Smith; December 11, 1973), formerly known as Mos Def ( ), is an American rapper, singer, and actor. A prominent figure in conscious hip hop, he is recognized for his use of wordplay and commentary on social an ...

and Ferrari Sheppard. The duo also collaborates on visual art and fashion projects.

History

In 2013, Mos Def and Sheppard met in

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Addis Ababa (; ,) is the capital city of Ethiopia, as well as the regional state of Oromia. With an estimated population of 2,739,551 inhabitants as of the 2007 census, it is the largest city in the country and the List of cities in Africa b ...

and began collaborating on visual art and web projects. Sheppard, a photographer and journalist at the time, quietly began making music to relax. The two soon began releasing music as Dec. 99th. On August 1, 2016, Dec 99th released their fourth song on Tidal titled "Hymn", following the previously released "N.A.W", which was followed up by "Tall Sleeves" and later "Local Time". The track was accompanied by a statement from the pair, "Condolences to the families of the slain. Never stop pursuing freedom," likely a reference to police killings in the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

. The group released their fifth track, "Seaside Panic Room" two days after releasing "Hymn", causing many music writers to anticipate a full-length ''Dec 99th'' album. The album was released December 21, 2016 after being delayed from the original release date of December 9. It was exclusively released to Tidal. The reception of the album was generally negative, being described as ''‘by far the worst thing he’s ever released’'' by

Pitchfork A pitchfork or hay fork is an agricultural tool used to pitch loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves. It has a long handle and usually two to five thin tines designed to efficiently move such materials. The term is also applie ...

. The album was removed from Tidal sometime between November 8th 2020 and August 29 2021 without any official statement. There is no legal way to purchase or listen to the album as of right now, as it never got released to other streaming services.

Discography

Studio albums *''December 99th'' (2016)

References

American hip-hop duos Musical groups established in 2013 {{US-hiphop-band-stub