Talib Kweli – Liberation
Rating - @@@@

Author’s Preface: I used to ride for Kweli like DMX did motorcycles and Boomer. I put him on nearly equal footing with Mos Def in Black Star, he got a pass regardless of histryingtoputoomanywordsintoabar and occasionally coming with questionable lines ("Your girl calls my name out like Clarence Carter, Clarence Carter, Clarence Carter"). I live and breathed “K.O.S. (Determination)”, it pretty much changed my life as an 18 year old. I greatly anticipated Train of Thought and it lived up to the hype, “Wont You Stay” off of Quality is my favorite hip-hop love song of all time. When The Beautiful Struggle came out I gave it @@@@ after one listen, with benefit of the doubt because I felt he just couldn’t come weak at all. In retrospect that album was trash and he’s been suspect with me ever since. The occasional hot verse won’t cut it when you used to bring it like he did, he set the bar too high for himself and expectations too high for fans. This is a precursor to the forthcoming full-length Eardrum (which is supposedly ill) and I’m listening with a completely open and unbiased mind.

>>>For the past few years Talib Kweli has been the unfaithful partner to heads who see him as one of the last hopes for authenticity in the mainstream. It’s been a heavy burden to bear as he wants to sell records and reach the minds of people in the same breath; damn near an uphill battle as he and his audience know that corporate interests don’t lie in being positive or progressive. This has made for a conflicted MC in Kweli, sporadically glorifying violence, weed, and women while not going so far that his shifting gears could be considered a radical 180 degree change. He’s gone from Rawkus to the limelight and understandably has to ride the line down the middle so as not to ostracize potential listeners; meanwhile diehard devotees are left confused as to his next move after his sloppy recent mediocrities. Liberation assumingly finds Talib attempting to show that he still has the left of center in mind, joining forces with backpacker delight Madlib on the boards.

The two make for a solid chemistry as Talib Kweli sounds at home with Madlib’s infinite versatility, the producer churning out all types of sounds, each different from the last. “The Show” opens the album and finds Kweli flexing his standard lyrical braggadocio over soulful horns. “Over The Counter” can be described as futuristic funk, with the political reflections and wisdom Talib has come to be revered for. “Funny Money” discusses promoters, shows, payola, and the politics involved with putting food on the table as he stresses “My kids can’t eat my love of hip-hop”. Guest star Consequence shows up and trades the perspectives of criminal and victim with Talib on the highly creative “Engine Runnin”. Conversely, BlackSmith’s Strong Arm Steady leaves a bit to be desired on “The Function”. As well, “This Happy Home” (the requisite family song) runs a bit too long, but these are miniscule flaws in the face of a concise package.

Kweli still forces a few corny lines every now and then (“Still I’m bringing sexy back like Timbaland and Timberlake”; “I’m the boss like I need Shareefa”), but all in all he’s focused and back in the zone on this project. He made a blog entry warning fans not to expect Eardrum to sound like this or vice-versa, but at least now we know he’s still capable of representing the past shining underground star that we knew and loved.<<<