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Image via Unsplash.
Sounds like:
Mos Def,
Pharoahe Monch,
The Roots
Why do we like this?
Ever since his Black Star days with Mos Def, Talib Kweli has acquired a reputation as one of hip-hop's foremost sages by mixing keen street knowledge with sociopolitical commentary. Album after album, he's proved that a dictionary, encyclopedia, and thesaurus might be the most vital tools for any rapper who wants his or her rhymes to be taken seriously.
Gutter Rainbows, Kweli's fourth solo effort, was assembled completely outside of the mainstream music industry, and was intended to be something of a declaration against modern popular music. One statement made during the intro to "Friends and Family," gets to the heart of the album's genesis: "We are now witnessing the demise of the music business."
Despite the presumably smaller, self-funded budget, Gutter Rainbows rarely sounds like a compromise. Usual Kweli cohorts Kanye West, Hi-Tek, and Mos Def are nowhere to be found, but an array of veteran producers (88-Keys and Ski Beatz included) and soulful vocalists (Jean Grae, Kendra Ross) effectively contribute to the album.
Sharp, insightful lyricism has always been Kweli's greatest asset. Here, two of the best showcases for his ability are the title track, where he finds beauty and hope in the darkness of his Brooklyn hood, and the gospel-flavored "Cold Rain," where he manages to rhyme "Reagonomics" with "Jay Electronica."
All in all, Gutter Rainbows is a solid effort which proves that inspiration and talent - not a large budget - are most essential to the making of a good album.
Gutter Rainbows, Kweli's fourth solo effort, was assembled completely outside of the mainstream music industry, and was intended to be something of a declaration against modern popular music. One statement made during the intro to "Friends and Family," gets to the heart of the album's genesis: "We are now witnessing the demise of the music business."
Despite the presumably smaller, self-funded budget, Gutter Rainbows rarely sounds like a compromise. Usual Kweli cohorts Kanye West, Hi-Tek, and Mos Def are nowhere to be found, but an array of veteran producers (88-Keys and Ski Beatz included) and soulful vocalists (Jean Grae, Kendra Ross) effectively contribute to the album.
Sharp, insightful lyricism has always been Kweli's greatest asset. Here, two of the best showcases for his ability are the title track, where he finds beauty and hope in the darkness of his Brooklyn hood, and the gospel-flavored "Cold Rain," where he manages to rhyme "Reagonomics" with "Jay Electronica."
All in all, Gutter Rainbows is a solid effort which proves that inspiration and talent - not a large budget - are most essential to the making of a good album.
Streaming source:
http://soundcloud.com/talibkweli/talib-kweli-gutter-rainbows
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