Words By Contraâ„¢

Sometimes I wonder why this guy is still somewhat of an underdog.

I don’t wonder and frown. Au contraire. I breathe a giant sigh of relief. I think it’s actually quite positive that he’s not mainstream.

Talib to me is what Hip-Hop should be: more powerful, more intellectual, more empowering, more selfless, more gratifying, further reaching art. That is what Hip-Hop should have transitioned into, as opposed to having devolved into its current state of severely soulless “negradation” -Uncle Ruckus.

It hurts me when certain rappers with the IQ’s of Read the rest of this entry »

“There ain’t no love and no respect, it’s like a gang it’s like a club or a set
Hip-Hop’s the new WWF
What do you rap or do you wrestle? Niggaz love to forget
We got til it’s gone, you think you on, you still hustlin backwards…”

Solid.

“Kweli, you should rap about this

you should rap about that

Any more suggestions? You in the back, yeah you!

You should rap on beat, you should rap more street

And never ever ever get ya mack on pleeassse

How bout you?

I like it when ya melodic, just cuz ya capture hypnotic portraits, ya seem to make the average exotic

Kweli ya nice, I know ya gettin’ some love, but you can’t spit like a thug

but ya know you’ll blow if ya make a hit for the club

Word

I don’t like ya voice, I don’t like ya choice of beats its sounds like its forced

What was up with “Back Up Offa Me”!?!?, I ain’t like that (no)

Now you should get wit’ Hi-Tek, now he got nice tracks, them other dudes is type whack

Yeah people keep it coming, I keep it bubblin’ like the heat from the oven boiling the water in the hace or the life of fire

I got a mic empire, (my own label) I had to emancipate “Me, Me” like Mariah

Or some point I might retire, on some bullshit, my legacy worshipped like Mariah

Illest flow found in the game, soothing like the sound of the rain, it’s this dude profound and profane

But refusing to be sounding the same, keeping the verses, deleting the curses, defeating the purpose

When the people go on strike, I’m in the street wit’ the workers, picketing words from a pulpit like preachers and churches

Raise my hand, all the teachers get nervous, (yes) cuz they know I ain’t amounting, they ain’t really gotta hear me out

Keep it dirty like Pigpen, voice in the warrior’s head like Lynne Thigpen, clockin’ like Big Ben

Old school slang, still find a way to innovate, Pete Rock gotta feel it, great, the lady sing…”

Talib Kweli from “Stay Around” from the album, Ear Drum.

Why is it that Talib Kweli is always catching flack from the media for not being commercial or accessible enough? If someone is able to tour around the globe for the majority of the year, then that’s evidence that his fans are content in how he chooses to lay down his craft, right? Obviously being a pillar of lyrical energy is how he wants to be perceived to the public. While the main body of his albums won’t put him in the upper-echelon commercially, they are a direct reflection of an artist who still feels that skills trumps marketing. And with Warner Bros. giving him his own label, apparently he’s not as stubborn as some would allow you to believe.

Loosies

Statik Selekath Ft. Talib Kweli, Consequence & Termanology – Express Yourself ’08

Big Treal Ft. Supastition – In Ya Place (Prod. 9th Wonder)

Scarface – Never

Twista Ft. Jazze Pha & Cee-Lo – Rapper’s Delight

Project Pat Ft. Pimp C – Talkin Smart to a Pimp

Omillio Sparks – DJ Turn It Up Remix (Produced By Bobby G)

Loosies