Talib Kweli

Talib Kweli, Madlib, And Diani Discuss The State Of Other Rappers In Their ‘Air Quotes’ Music Video

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Talib Kweli, Madlib, and Diani have dropped their new music video for the “Air Quotes” collab. The free-flowing song finds them reflecting on the current state of the rap industry.

“Most rappers cowards cuz they scared to be conscious / They only care about they pockets / This is not a popularity contest,” Kweli raps during his verse. “B*tches is tasteless and disappointing / And I didn’t give ’em my ear to / Air sh*t / I’m a heiress / I’m the one they compare to.”

The video, which was shot by Chino Chase, finds the trio rapping in front of various backdrops, including a stack of boomboxes and an artsy mural.

Kweli and Madlib most recently released their joint album, Liberation 2, which is available to stream on Luminary. It includes additional features with Q-Tip, Roc Marciano, Westside Gunn, Mac Miller, Roy Ayers, Goapele, Seun Kut, and more.

“Liberation 2 with Madlib will be on Luminary as well as vinyl after the Luminary release. People’s Party is still going strong — headed into a third season and just dropping our Season 2 finale, with Yasiin Bey — and I am happy about that,” Kweli told Uproxx about the album last fall.

Check out Talib Kweli and Madlib’s “Air Quotes” featuring Diani above.

Talib Kweli & Madlib Release “After These Message,” Announces ‘Liberation 2’ Album for March 6

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Talib Kweli & Madlib Release "After These Message," Announces 'Liberation 2' Album for March 6

Iconic partners rapper Talib Kweli and producer Madlib will release Liberation 2 exclusively on Luminary next month. Liberation 2 is their first album in 17 years, following the release of their seminal collection Liberation in 2006.

Subscribers to Luminary will be able to access the album. “After These Messages,” the album’s first song, is available exclusively on Luminary today.

“After These Messages” is notable for including a special performance by Kweli’s son Amani Kweli — a groundbreaking father-son duet in a rap song. Diani Kweli, Kweli’s daughter, will appear on additional tracks in Liberation 2.

“This album was written, recorded and mixed over ten years. It’s expansive in concept but tight in its substance and approach,” Kweli said of the forthcoming album. “People today are taking stock of what is most important –  family, health, wellness, love.  The materialism and debauchery that is stereotypically associated with hip hop has lost some of its luster.  Madlib and I have been consistent in our messaging. Never has there been a better time for such honest, message driven music that pays tribute to the sounds that came before us.”

On the “After These Messages” video, Kweli and Madlib collaborated with Austin, Texas, videographer Chino Chase to create a simple and austere style that highlights the bars and performance. The video includes artwork by Brooklyn artist Voodo Fé and African artist Aissata Pinto Da Costa, who currently lives in New York.

Kweli made two journeys to Africa while recording the album and music videos for Liberation 2, visiting Ghana for the Black Star Line event, as well as Tanzania and South Africa. It also includes appearances by Q-Tip, Wildchild, Roc Marciano, Westside Gunn, and a posthumous contribution from Mac Miller.

Kweli added, “Liberation 2 is a story of how agents can never stop true creatives from linking up and building.  Our partnership with Luminary allows us to retain ownership, allowing us to create an exclusive experience for listeners. I’m excited to be at the forefront of Luminary’s foray into the music space, and we have a chance to change the industry for the better with the release of this album.”

The post Talib Kweli & Madlib Release “After These Message,” Announces ‘Liberation 2’ Album for March 6 appeared first on The Source.

Talib Kweli And Madlib Reunite For ‘Liberation 2,’ A Sequel To Their Fan-Favorite 2007 Album

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Talib Kweli and Madlib have announced that they are reuniting for a sequel to one of their most beloved projects. Liberation 2, due March 6, will be released through the Luminary podcast network, echoing the nontraditional release of the original in 2007.

The album is set to feature collaborations with Q-Tip, Roc Marciano, and Westside Gunn, along with a posthumous appearance from Mac Miller. In a statement accompanying the announcement, Kweli detailed the album’s decade-long recording process and its content:

“People today are taking stock of what is most important — family, health, wellness, love. The materialism and debauchery that is stereotypically associated with hip-hop has lost some of its luster. Madlib and I have been consistent in our messaging. Never has there been a better time for such honest, message-driven music that pays tribute to the sounds that came before us.”

In 2007, Kweli and Madlib teamed up to release Liberation, which was available as a free download from Stones Throw’s Rappcats website. The album was seen as a return to form for Kweli after 2004’s The Beautiful Struggle disappointed some listeners.

Madlib’s beats were seen as a perfect compliment to Kweli’s rhymes; the two have since collaborated a few more times, including most recently on Kweli and Yasiin Bey’s Black Star reunion album No Fear of Time, which was also released through Luminary. Madlib also recently released a critically acclaimed project with Freddie Gibbs, Bandana.

The first single is “After These Messages,” the video for which you can watch above.

Liberation 2 is due 3/6 on Luminary.

Blue Note Jazz Club Celebrates 50 Years Of Hip Hop w/ DMC, Talib Kweli, Havoc (Mobb Deep) And More

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Blue Note Jazz Club, New York City’s iconic cultural institution, has joined in on celebrating Hip Hop’s 50th anniversary. Last night the club showcased some of the best of the genre with the second night of Talib Kweli’s four night run. Joined by DMC and Bob James, they performed some of Run DMC’s hits like “Rock Box” and “Walk This Way.” The night also featured a stirring performance of Bob James’ “Nautilus” (the most sampled song in Hip Hop), a surprise rendition of Mobb Deep’s classic “The Learning” from Havoc (Mobb Deep) himself, and an announced sit-in from New York rapper Buckshot. Hip-hop heavyweights RZA and Smif-N-Wessun were spotted in the crowd.

The post Blue Note Jazz Club Celebrates 50 Years Of Hip Hop w/ DMC, Talib Kweli, Havoc (Mobb Deep) And More appeared first on The Source.

Talib Kweli Claims American Air Threatened To Have Him Arrested

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There was a tense moment on a recent flight after Talib Kweli got into a disagreement with the staff. The Black Star icon shared the ordeal on social media, posting several videos of the escalation. Things seemed to have ignited after Kweli was told that his carry-on item didn’t fit underneath his seat. In one video, viewers can hear the rapper explaining why the bag fits securely.

The situation developed into an uncomfortable exchange after Kweli says American Air threatened to have him arrested. “After clearing my bag with the gate agent, flight attendant Sky Seaglass tells me my bag is too big and I must check it,” Kweli wrote on Instagram.

Read More: Talib Kweli Targets Noname After She Defends Woman He’s Accused Of Harassing

“I asked why, so he got annoyed and called his supervisor. The supervisor tells me it’s her decision whether I fly or not. That’s an important detail.”

“The supervisor sees that the attendant Seaglass was wrong about my bag and walks me to my seat and says l’m good to fly,” Kweli further shared. “Moments later the supervisor comes back and tells me that if I do not obey the flight attendant while in the air, I will go to jail. The whole time, Seaglass, who I’m not talking to at all, is telling people he feels ‘unsafe.’”

Then, the rapper says the supervisor returned to tell him he “must leave the plane.” He said he felt “that’s a violation of my human rights” before she told him to stop recording.

“Even though earlier she said I could record,” he said.

NEW YORK, NY – NOVEMBER 05: Talib Kweli is seen backstage during Pathway To Paris Concert For Climate Action at Carnegie Hall on November 5, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images for UNDP )
Read More: Talib Kweli Checks Kanye For Taking Advantage Of Noreaga

All passengers were then instructed to leave the plane as Kweli sat by.

“They then send 3 police officers in. Police expressed surprise that @americanair crew threatened me with arrest and said only the police can make that call. Cops then say ‘we got called out for nothing’ and ‘you didn’t do anything wrong.’ It’s right there on video.”

American Air has yet to address the controversy.

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Just Blaze Reveals Jay-Z’s song, ‘Girls, Girls, Girls’ Was Originally Meant For Ghostface Killah

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The producer behind the iconic song “Girls, Girls, Girls,” Just Blaze shares what it was like to bring the song to life, while taking a deep dive into the making of Jay-Z’s hit album The Blueprint.

Recently, legendary producer, DJ, architect of early 2000’s hip hop and pioneer of sampling Just Blaze talked with lyricist and emcee Talib Kweli on the People’s Party podcast to discuss his influences, impact and journey with music. 

The iconic turn tablelist also dished the massive influence the legendary producer, Pete Rock has on his production. Blaze and Kweli also discuss the close mutual friends they share in the business and talk about J Period’s spiritual decision to ditch sampling around the time of his contribution to the Black Star album and how that led to Blaze getting the bulk of his record collection.

Find out Blaze’s take on why Kanye’s stated that he was his arch nemesis while they both were working as the chief producers at Roc-A-Fella  and so much more!

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The post Just Blaze Reveals Jay-Z’s song, ‘Girls, Girls, Girls’ Was Originally Meant For Ghostface Killah appeared first on The Source.