 "Photo: Courtesy of Brendan Telzrow")
Going to W.I.L.D. without knowing what sort of treat awaits can be irritating; you want to be psyched, geeked, amped, stoked, keyed up—whatever your phrase may be—but it’s hard if you aren’t familiar with the headliner. Allow me to introduce you to Talib Kweli.
First things first: pronunciation. The name is TAH-lihb QUA-lee. A notably “socially-conscious” rapper hailing from Brooklyn, New York, Kweli began bending the minds of the public with his lyrics in mix tapes in the 1990s. He gained notoriety in his collaboration with Mos Def on the album “Black Star” in 1998 but released his first solo album, “Quality,” in 2002, followed by “The Beautiful Struggle” in 2002 and “Eardrum” in 2007. He has collaborated with such big names as Dave Chappelle, Kanye West, Jean Grae and even Ben Kweller. We have the incredible honor of welcoming this lyrical genius to the Wash. U. campus this weekend.
What is dubbed rap and hip-hop music can get a bad rap: much of the genre that we see in the mainstream is criticized as shallow, empty and materialistic. Admittedly, I agree with most of these criticisms. But what I love about rap is that it makes people nervous: With its crude language, street-smart and unrelenting vocals and controversial themes ranging from angry expressions of social anxieties to X-rated sexual innuendo, all backed by an often jarringly jittery beat, the music attacks the listener. Talib Kweli exemplifies that sonic assault by actually saying something pertinent, but also keeps with the party atmosphere in his beats.
Sadly, most people experience only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to rap and hip-hop. Commercial radio is dominated by tunes that are undoubtedly catchy, danceable and fun, but usually deliver a less than substantive message (not that “Superman that ho” isn’t totally useful).
After Tupac and Biggie died, rap lost its power; it used to focus on beats, music and the overall style of dancing and rhythm rather than the pimp/gangsta/swagga and bling-bling of our era. What’s great about TK is that, like partners The Game, Kanye West and Common, he flexes his lyrical muscle to reflect the issues surrounding us. His music makes people stick their hands in the air like they just don’t care—and think at the same time.
That said, he absolutely has the admiration of his “brother” Jay-Z, as on “The Black Album” he gives props to TK in a widely-known lyric: “If skills sold, truth be told/ I’d probably be, lyrically, Talib Kweli.” Even to Jay-Z, if lyrical dexterity sold records, TK would be top of the charts.
So now that this musical maverick is coming to campus, what should we do to adequately prepare ourselves for the evening to come? If you aren’t already familiar with his music, listen up. He kicks proverbial ass with his first solo album, “Quality,” produced by a medley of artists including Kanye, Mos Def and The Roots. Though the themes throughout aren’t too cohesive, flawless lyrical quality is backed by wicked beats.
Of course, there’s “Get By,” his infamous party song (involving sex, weed and drinking) yet also emphasizing that “We keeping it gangsta say ‘fo shizzle’ ‘fo sheezy’ and ‘stayin’ crunk’/ It’s easy to pull a breezy, smoke trees and we stay drunk/ Yo our activism attackin’ the system, the blacks and Latins in prison/ Numbers of prison they victim black in the vision.” The track is produced by Kanye and is unquestionably catchy, referencing everything from Norman Mailer to The Beatles. “Waitin’ for the DJ” is also radio friendly, and “Guerilla Monsoon Rap” is smart but thuggish at the same time. Give the album a shot.
If you liked “Get By”, pick up “The Beautiful Struggle.” “I Try” featuring Mary J. Blige is definitely a song to hit. It has similar piano riffs and beats, and TK continues with his crazed rhymes. The album’s title track, “Beautiful Struggle,” is also wonderfully worthy of a head bob. “The revolution’s here…I heard it’s said the revolution won’t be televised/ But in the land of milk and honey there’s a date you gotta sell it by/ Otherwise it just expires and spoils.” He curses politics and laughs in the faces of those who identify the problems and do nothing about them. Sound familiar in this election season?
Lastly, I’ll suggest a couple of tracks to check out on his album “Eardrum,” which straddles the line between maintaining underground ties and giving into the business of music that is all about the Benjamins. Tune in to “NY Weather Report,” which will give you a detailed meteorologists’ report of how it feels to be brought up in New York.
No doubt the most “W.I.L.D.-ready” track on the album is “Hostile Gospel Part 1 (Deliver Us)”: it is practically the greatest club rap track to come out of the year 2007. He makes it impossible for you to tear your attention away from him. Toward the end, as he calls out different institutions on their flaws, he wants to “plead the fifth, can’t trust a soul in the biz.” Anyone with such disdain for systematic institutions definitely gains points in my book.
The point? Get pumped about W.I.L.D. We are in for a fantastically crafted performance, both musically and lyrically. Talib Kweli shows that you don’t need backup dancers and an entourage to be a great rapper. You need a quick enough mind to keep up with an even faster tongue, and a deep appreciation for those in whose footsteps you follow. He is bound to show us the way he does it and certainly gain our respect in the process.
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