2007 was a big year for Brooklyn-bred MC Talib Kweli.
On New Year's Eve, he released the critically acclaimed "Liberation," his collaboration with uber-producer Madlib, free on the Internet and followed that up with "Eardrum," a summer release that debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200. The masterful "Eardrum" beautifully bangs between mainstream sensibilities and underground edge and is Kweli's first album on his own label, Blacksmith Records.
As 2008 begins, Kweli is on top of his game and pushing his two artists: female flow queen Jean Grae and West Coast group Strong Arm Steady.
Q: Compared with when you first came onto the scene 10 years ago with Black Star, hip-hop now is on a truly different level. From pop culture domination to big business enterprise, hip-hop is way bigger, but is it better?
A: Musically, I think it's better; on all different levels - on the pop side, on the club side, on the more conscious rap side. Artistically, in general, it is better, but the perception of hip-hop is at an all-time low. It used to be that hip-hop was this rebel music that was trying to be shut down or ignored, but now hip-hop has become so bloated. The mainstream perception of hip-hop has become so bloated that mainstream culture is now very dismissive of hip-hop, now more than ever before.
Q: Last New Year's Eve, you gave fans a big treat by putting your collaboration album with Madlib, "Liberation," online for free. How did you come to that decision?
A: It was real simple, actually. I had a bunch of Madlib beats. At the rate I was creating these songs, I was leaning toward a whole Madlib album. So I had all these songs developed, and I thought it would be really cool if we put something out and call it "Liberation" `cause it had "Lib" in it. And then I thought it'd be even cooler if we gave it out for free. I had resistance from people on both my side and Madlib's side, but it was something I controlled, something in my control.
It was something I had just done for the sake of it. Black people, oppressed people in general, cannot really afford to do art for the sake of it; we have to do art for survival. When I was a young MC, I'd go out and rhyme in the park for free, and it was important because of the art in it. And this was a project I created based on the art _ because I love Madlib as an artist. All the trouble over clearing samples, and who was going to put it out _ I woke up New Year's Eve day and just thought I'm gonna put it out today over the Internet. I'm gonna do it. The response was phenomenal _ not even like critically, which it was, just by people downloading it.
Q: Your latest album, "Eardrum," is the first one on your own label Blacksmith. Is there a difference between Talib Kweli the artist and Talib Kweli the label head?
A: Oh yeah, certainly _ I'm still learning to be a label head. I learned this year that sometimes being a label head you have to be a jerk. Not to say that artists aren't jerks because plenty of times as an artist I've had to pull the jerk shirt out _ which is a real sad part of the business. I think my career as an artist, I didn't want to confront people that way because you want to maintain an even keel; you want everyone to feel comfortable and feel good and like your music.
Q: A lot of your lyrics have a political consciousness. However, you've been pretty forward about not voting in elections because the system is broke and you typically don't believe in any candidates. Has Barack Obama changed your mind or is it politics as usual?
A: Obama is very inspiring. Certainly I am considering whether or not I am going to vote for him, which is a big step for me. When I was younger, I might have voted for Bill Clinton in his first election, but haven't since. There is still a long time to go before Obama even gets nominated; we just have to see what is going to happen.
But I'd be lying if I said he wasn't impressive. I still feel the same way I do about voting, but I have never seen anyone like Barack Obama before.
I'm equally impressed with Hillary Clinton as a person, but she to me is definitely part of the system. She doesn't inspire me the same way he does, you know?
Source-arbiteronline.com
On New Year's Eve, he released the critically acclaimed "Liberation," his collaboration with uber-producer Madlib, free on the Internet and followed that up with "Eardrum," a summer release that debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200. The masterful "Eardrum" beautifully bangs between mainstream sensibilities and underground edge and is Kweli's first album on his own label, Blacksmith Records.
As 2008 begins, Kweli is on top of his game and pushing his two artists: female flow queen Jean Grae and West Coast group Strong Arm Steady.
Q: Compared with when you first came onto the scene 10 years ago with Black Star, hip-hop now is on a truly different level. From pop culture domination to big business enterprise, hip-hop is way bigger, but is it better?
A: Musically, I think it's better; on all different levels - on the pop side, on the club side, on the more conscious rap side. Artistically, in general, it is better, but the perception of hip-hop is at an all-time low. It used to be that hip-hop was this rebel music that was trying to be shut down or ignored, but now hip-hop has become so bloated. The mainstream perception of hip-hop has become so bloated that mainstream culture is now very dismissive of hip-hop, now more than ever before.
Q: Last New Year's Eve, you gave fans a big treat by putting your collaboration album with Madlib, "Liberation," online for free. How did you come to that decision?
A: It was real simple, actually. I had a bunch of Madlib beats. At the rate I was creating these songs, I was leaning toward a whole Madlib album. So I had all these songs developed, and I thought it would be really cool if we put something out and call it "Liberation" `cause it had "Lib" in it. And then I thought it'd be even cooler if we gave it out for free. I had resistance from people on both my side and Madlib's side, but it was something I controlled, something in my control.
It was something I had just done for the sake of it. Black people, oppressed people in general, cannot really afford to do art for the sake of it; we have to do art for survival. When I was a young MC, I'd go out and rhyme in the park for free, and it was important because of the art in it. And this was a project I created based on the art _ because I love Madlib as an artist. All the trouble over clearing samples, and who was going to put it out _ I woke up New Year's Eve day and just thought I'm gonna put it out today over the Internet. I'm gonna do it. The response was phenomenal _ not even like critically, which it was, just by people downloading it.
Q: Your latest album, "Eardrum," is the first one on your own label Blacksmith. Is there a difference between Talib Kweli the artist and Talib Kweli the label head?
A: Oh yeah, certainly _ I'm still learning to be a label head. I learned this year that sometimes being a label head you have to be a jerk. Not to say that artists aren't jerks because plenty of times as an artist I've had to pull the jerk shirt out _ which is a real sad part of the business. I think my career as an artist, I didn't want to confront people that way because you want to maintain an even keel; you want everyone to feel comfortable and feel good and like your music.
Q: A lot of your lyrics have a political consciousness. However, you've been pretty forward about not voting in elections because the system is broke and you typically don't believe in any candidates. Has Barack Obama changed your mind or is it politics as usual?
A: Obama is very inspiring. Certainly I am considering whether or not I am going to vote for him, which is a big step for me. When I was younger, I might have voted for Bill Clinton in his first election, but haven't since. There is still a long time to go before Obama even gets nominated; we just have to see what is going to happen.
But I'd be lying if I said he wasn't impressive. I still feel the same way I do about voting, but I have never seen anyone like Barack Obama before.
I'm equally impressed with Hillary Clinton as a person, but she to me is definitely part of the system. She doesn't inspire me the same way he does, you know?
Source-arbiteronline.com
