Talib Kweli

Talib Kweli - Eardrum

Talib Kweli is one of the most talented MC's out there right now. Not only has he successfully established himself in the rap game as a solo artist, but he has also collaborated with numerous talents such as Mos Def, Hi-Tek, Kanye, Just Blaze and the late J Dilla.

Eardrum is Kweli's third solo album, after Quality and The Beautiful Struggle. Talib's last solo effort, The Beautiful Struggle, had widely been viewed as a step down from Quality.
However, Eardrum sees Talib step his game back up for real. He has always been an artist who works better around solid production, and this album delivers.

The first single to open the album is "Everything Man", which is one of my personal favourites and it boasts dope smooth production from Madlib. Talib’s voice suits the beat completely. This single track seems to serve as an overall summary of the album. It sees Talib admitting that he can’t be everything to everyone, he can only be him. On this album Talib is simply doing Talib.

My favourite track off the album has to be “Hostile Gospel”. You can tell immediately that it is another of Just Blaze’s gems. Talib’s flow is really on spot, and he brings his knowledge here speaking on society and he brings that borderline celestial talk, which I love. I love this beat! Definitely worth checking out!

Eardrum has a few collab’s on it, and one of them is “Say Something” which features one of the most respected female MC’s out there, Jean Grae. It seems that Nas’ Hip Hop is Dead has ruffled a few feathers. I remember when it came about, a lot of hip hop heads were talking about it and debating it. You had the passionate ones who strongly denied that Hip Hop will ever die, and then those who had given up on it, and those who simply saw it as changing forms. “Say Something” hears Jean and Talib explain, yet again, that Hip Hop was ‘on vacation’ but is now back. It’s a tired debate, but as a track, Jean performs well, her verse is simple, but that’s just what this track requires, it is simple, but nice.

Another track which sees Talib collaborating is “Country Cousins” with UGK. For me, this track is speedy and sparkles….! Take a listen and see what I mean. Another track I have to mention is “More or Less” simply because it sees Kweli join forces with one of my favourite producers, Hi-Tek, and once more they manage to produce a sweet complete sound.

This year has been a funny one for solo albums, for me anyway. It seems that many have been overshadowed by seriously sik mixtapes, like in the case of Prodigy, and Kanye. Yet, amidst all of this, Talib goes and drops this on us, and how thankful we are he has! He hooked up with an incredible crew of producers, and they really came through for him here. They each provide a beautiful background for Talib to spit raw heat. He speaks on a whole variety of topics, making this album both political and human at the same time, that right there is beautiful.

Eardrum is well thought out, and successfully shows Talib’s different sides. Not only has he noticeably progressed himself, but the album benefits from what each collaborator has brought to it. The beats are consistent with some freshness thrown in, and lyrically Talib spits truthfully with substance and directly to you, a very nice job. Hip Hop at it’s finest.

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