Talib Kweli: Biography

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• Discography
• Biography
• Related Artists

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• Pharoahe Monch
• Dilated Peoples
• Slum Village
• Jurassic 5
• Mr. Lif
• Common
• The Roots

• A Tribe Called Quest
• De La Soul
• KRS-One
• Chuck D
• Q-Tip
• Eric B. & Rakim
• Nas

• Danny!
• Chinenye
• Super Chron Flight Brothers
• Madcon
• Skyzoo
• Novel

• Black Star
• Mos Def
• Scribe
• Mood
• Hi Tek
• Madlib
• Strong Arm Steady

Birth Name:

Talib Kweli Greene

Genres:

Rap & Hip-Hop Music, Underground Rap Music, East Coast Rap Music

Decades Active:

1990's|2000's

Artistic Quality

Medium

Cultural Impact

Low

Popularity

Low

Ratings Guide

Toward the close of the '90s, Rawkus Records initiated a golden-age hip-hop revival with a roster of righteous rappers led by Talib Kweli, who maintained close ties with Mos Def and Hi-Tek, two of the label's other leading artists. Kweli's thoughtful and heartfelt rhymes provided a welcome alternative to mainstream East Coast rap of the time (Jay-Z, Nas, Puff Daddy, Mobb Deep, Wu-Tang), and a large audience of golden-age revivalists embraced his music, as did the alt-rap scene and most critics. Though Kweli didn't top the charts like many of his New York contemporaries, he did enjoy widespread respect and also loyal support from Rawkus, who supported his many endeavors.

Born in Brooklyn to a literate family with a proud taste for African culture, Kweli's first name, Talib, is an Arabian name meaning "the seeker or student" while his last name is a Ghanaian name meaning "of truth or knowledge." His ascent into hip-hop began after he met Hi-Tek during a trip to Cincinnati, where the DJ resided, in 1994; and then Mos Def during a stint at N.Y.U., where the two studied theater, in 1995. Kweli and Hi-Tek initially formed the MC/DJ duo Reflection Eternal and later added Mos Def to the mix and changed their name to Black Star. Rawkus Records began releasing their recordings: 12" singles, compilation appearances (Soundbombing [1997], Lyricist Lounge [1998]), and a self-titled Black Star full-length (1998). The recordings won enormous acclaim and acceptance, and subsequently the three members embarked on similarly successful solo careers. Kweli first revived his previous MC/DJ partnership with Hi-Tek for the Reflection Eternal album (2000) and then collaborated with several producers for his second, Quality (2002).

- Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide