Original 2” multitrack reel documenting the earliest recording session of Brooklyn by Mos Def, an unreleased studio version predating its appearance on Black on Both Sides.

It also includes an unfinished, unreleased and previously unheard Mos Def track labeled "Brooks Joint".

Dated April 21, 1998, and recorded at The Cutting Room, NYC, the reel is identified by DJ & Producer GE-OLOGY as the “very first time” the track was recorded. Crucially, the tape retains its original studio track sheet, documenting the full session in detail.

What distinguishes this reel is not just its association, but its function. Recorded on Ampex 499 Grand Master Gold tape at 30 IPS, this is the master working format used in professional studios - capturing the track at its source.

The session sheet reveals a complete multitrack breakdown, including drums, bass, loops, and multiple vocal layers - with tracks explicitly labelled for Mos Def verse, chorus, lead, and ad-libs. This positions the reel as a primary record of the song’s earliest vocal performance and structure.

Additional markings on the tape case reference “TONES” and related session material, further situating the reel within a broader creative session.

For collectors, this is not simply a studio-used object - it is the closest possible physical document of a track in its first recorded form.

Key Details

• Includes very first session of “Brooklyn” plus an unfinished, unreleased / unheard track “Brooks Joint”

• 2” multitrack reel recorded at The Cutting Room, NYC

• Dated April 21, 1998 (session sheet + tape labelling)

• Recorded on Ampex 499 Grand Master Gold (professional studio tape stock)

• Original track sheet included, detailing full session breakdown (drums, bass, loops, Mos Def vocals)

• Tape includes labelled tracks for verse, chorus, lead, and ad-libs

Collectibility

Provenance: From the archive of GE-OLOGY, with direct identification of artist, session, and studio

Rarity: Exceptionally rare - complete multitrack master reels with full session documentation seldom enter private collections

Historic Significance: Primary-source recording artefact capturing the earliest known studio session of “Brooklyn,” tied to the formative stages of Black on Both Sides

Wax Poetics Selects