Talib Kweli - Quality

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Free Music Notes for Quality

Free Music Review: TALIB KWELI, HIP HOP, AND ME
Hit: 5 Stars

Then 1998 comes around. After some impressive underground singles in '97, Talib joined another hot-to-death Brooklyn phenom, Mos Def, as Blackstar. Releasing "We Are Blackstar", their first album. At the time, I thought most rap was lacking at the moment (even though it was a good year for the underground) but Blackstar won me over! The album was a CLASSIC. Yet, Mos Def would become the star of the show yet Kweli was still cited as one to watch.

2000 rolls along....Me? I'm completely disinterested in rap. Then comes that same guy- Talib Kweli, alongside Cincinnati-based producer Hi-Tek for Reflection Eternal. "Train of Thought" is the album and I actually got some faith in hip-hop. The entire 70-minute album was a classic and I cited Talib Kweli as the man who saved me from completely hating the caricature that rap had become.

2003....Me? Back to the same place I was three years back. Rap didn't even exist to me until I purchased "Quality", Kweli's first completely solo work. Prior to downloading the release, alongside Common's "Electric Circus" and The Roots' "Phrenology", in November, I thought the album was definitely solid but wasn't mindblowing. Quite under whelming, in fact.

I was wrong!!!! After purchasing "Quality", I fell in love with the LP. And I (gasp) was listening to hip-hop again. This is the third damn time that Kweli's saved me from forgetting that hip-hop existed. First in '98(Blackstar), then in '00(Reflection Eternal), now in '03...I guess Talib's like my hip hop ET:

"Phone home! All in hip hop is not dead!".

"Quality" is Hi-Tek-less but interestingly, the funky, elastic Hi Tek beats (he's on the same level as DJ Premier, if you didn't know) aren't even missed. Replaced by more well known names such as Roc-A-Fella in-house producer Kanye West; legendary West Coast don DJ Quik; Soulquarians (since Talib rolls with the OkayPlayer crew); Megahertz, and DJ Scratch- among others. Yeah, these choices in higher watt boardsmen might be a move toward a more accessible ground but things never get annoyinging or self-conscusionly commercial on "Quality".

In fact, that's the thing that makes "Quality" so admirable. It takes an artist who has a message and was bred from the underground and tries to comprise that with accessibility BUT not to the point where Kweli becomes something other than himself. Unlike "Electric Circus" or even some moments on "Phrenology", Kweli never goes out his way to impress white rock critics or try to self-consciously experiment with things that don't agree with him.

Many guests appear on "Quality": Dave Chapelle (on the hilarious parody that is the intro where Chapelle plays Martin Luther King Jr.), Xzibit, Michael Rappaport, Vinia Mojica, Res, Black Thought, Pharoahe Monch, Quik, Bilal (on two tracks). But all just add to brotha Kweli's might. The three way cipher with Thought and Pharoahe Monch (a MC that I don't even care for much) "Guerilla Moonsoon Rap" is smart and rugged at the same time. "Get By" and "Waitin' for the DJ" are radio friendly yet sound so authentic. Kanye West's soul-sampling beats work to great effect with Kweli, in fact, proving that there's life beyond Shawn Carter as far as West's production goes.

In fact, every song is great. Every track. Not one weak track. Nothing. Every song serves a purpose and has it's own flare. If I had to even point to at least one mishap...maybe it would be "Talk To You (Lil' Darlin')". A remake of the Eddie Kendricks oldie, the production is nearly soggy and with Bilal performing on most of the track, it's sounds out of place. Yet as Kweli explains in the insightful liner note song explanations, it was his way of exposing young folk to something other than hip hop. Telling young people that, yes, there was actually was music, before hip-hop! Speaking of soul remakes, Talib seems to have a love of soul music and it reflects on "Quality". From the church choir on "Get By" to the poignant "Stand to the Stand" with the fly Vinia Mojica (where's the solo album, Vin Mo?!?!) to the nearly psychedelic "na na na na"s of the fire "Shock Body", soul music is all ingrained without being pretentiously so.

"Quality" is the third time that Talib Kweli's restored my interest and faith in hip-hop. He never disappoints! Kweli is definitely the illest rapper in the game now. Without a doubt. You believe that rap is just corny chorus chicks, dumb hooks, and weak Roland machine beats?
Listen to "Quality" so it can prove you wrong. This isn't "conscious" rap or "positive rap". Nope. It's straight up, heartfelt hip hop that's felt by both the streets AND the rock critic crowd and wouldn't sound out of place on the radio or on clubs.

A near classic and one of the best rap albums in years. Do anything you can to attain it.

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