Rick Famuyiwa’s 'Brown Sugar' is about two characters’ lifelong love of hip-hop, so it stands to reason that its soundtrack captures the essence of what makes hip-hop great. Erykah Badu’s team-up with Common, 'Love Of My Life (An Ode To Hip-Hop),' serves as aequel of sorts to Common’s 'I Used To Love H.E.R.' further extending his hip-hop personified as a woman metaphor.

Interestingly, the actual soundtrack did not feature Blackalicious’ 'Make You Feel That Way,' a terrifically appropriate song, but the group is still represented via the not as good but not-bad 'It’s Going Down.' But even if not one but two great Mos Def tracks (not counting his Black Star collaboration 'Brown Sugar (RAW)') is enough for you, the disc thoughtfully includes Eric B. & Rakim’s immortal Coldcut remix of 'Paid In Full,' which is worth buying with or without the rest of the tracks.

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