Formerly known as L.O.S.T (Last of the Soldiers Taken), MC Elijah Black is a young emcee from New York. His debut album should be coming out later this year. To whet our appetites, he’s released this mix tape, inspired by John Sayles’ movie The Brother From Another Planet. If nothing else, it will hopefully inspire people to watch the movie. The premise might seem novel (an alien that passes as an African American crashes his ship in Harlem), but it is actually a poignant film about race relations and immigration. On the mix tape, we get discussion of race, diet, and romantic relations, amongst other topics, mixed in with clips from the movie. I think it all ties together well.

There is plenty to be discovered about the talent of MC Elijah Black. The Brother From Another Planet features Black rhyming over the instrumental versions of several well-known songs, including “Bonita Applebum” by A Tribe Called Quest and “Didn’t Ya Know” by Erykah Badu (produced by J Dilla). It speaks to Black’s confident delivery, smart lyrics, and way with a hook that he’s not overshadowed by using such established material. As an emcee, I would most closely compare him to J-Live, with a delivery that might seem laid back at first, but gives way to a quiet confidence.

Black hasn’t provided a lot information about himself, but this mix tape tells us that he’s an emcee to follow. I’m excited by the potential shown on The Brother From Another Planet . I’m always on the lookout for an artist who can rock a funky beat and provide thoughtful commentary with their lyrics, and MC Elijah Black has done just that.