Talib Kweli facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Talib Kweli
|
|
|---|---|
Kweli performing in 2012
|
|
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Talib Kweli Greene |
| Born | October 3, 1975 Brooklyn, New York, U.S. |
| Alma mater | New York University (BA) |
| Genres | East Coast hip hop |
| Occupation(s) |
|
| Years active | 1997–present |
| Labels | |
Talib Kweli Greene, born on October 3, 1975, is an American rapper. He became well-known in 1997 when he teamed up with fellow Brooklyn rapper Mos Def (now known as Yasiin Bey). They formed the group Black Star. Talib Kweli also found success as a solo artist. He worked with famous producers and rappers like Kanye West and Pharrell Williams. In 2011, Kweli started his own record label called Javotti Media.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Talib Kweli grew up in Brooklyn, New York City. His mother was an English professor, and his father worked as an administrator at a university. His younger brother, Jamal Greene, became a law professor.
When he was young, Kweli was inspired by Afrocentric rappers like De La Soul. He attended Cheshire Academy, a boarding school, and later studied experimental theater at New York University.
Music Career
Starting Out in Music (1997–2001)
Kweli began his music journey in 1997. He appeared on five songs from the album Doom by the group Mood. In Cincinnati, Ohio, he met producer Hi-Tek. They formed a duo called Reflection Eternal and released underground songs like "Fortified Live."
Black Star and Reflection Eternal (1998–2000)
After returning to New York, Kweli reconnected with Mos Def. They created the group Black Star. Kweli brought Hi-Tek to produce their 1998 album, Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star. Critics loved the album, and it became quite popular. Kweli and Hi-Tek continued their Reflection Eternal partnership. They released the album Train of Thought in 2000.
Speaking Out Against Injustice (2000)
In 2000, Mos Def and Kweli organized an album called Hip Hop for Respect. This project spoke out against police brutality. It was specifically about the case of Amadou Diallo, who was shot by police officers. The album featured 41 different rappers, representing the 41 shots fired in the incident.
Supporting Good Causes (2001)
In 2001, Kweli and Mos Def contributed to the Red Hot + Indigo album. This album honored jazz legend Duke Ellington. It raised money for charities that worked to increase AIDS awareness and fight the disease. Black Star also helped create Red Hot + Riot in 2002. This album paid tribute to Nigerian musician Fela Kuti and also supported AIDS charities.
First Solo Albums (2001–2006)
In 2002, Kweli released his first solo album, Quality. It featured production from artists like DJ Quik and Kanye West. The album received great reviews. The song "Get By," produced by Kanye West, became a hit. Quality reached number 21 on the US Billboard 200 chart.
Kweli appeared on Kanye West's debut album The College Dropout in 2004. He also made three appearances on the popular TV show Chappelle's Show. He performed as a solo artist and with Mos Def as Black Star.
In 2004, Kweli performed at Dave Chappelle's Block Party, both alone and with Black Star. He was also featured in the movie and its soundtrack. Later in 2004, he released his second solo album, The Beautiful Struggle. This album included more commercial sounds from producers like The Neptunes and Kanye West.
Starting BlackSmith Records (2005–2009)
In 2005, Kweli started his own record label, Blacksmith Records. He released a CD called Right About Now: The Official Sucka Free Mix CD through his new label. In 2006, Blacksmith Records partnered with Warner Bros. Records.
Kweli also provided the voice for the main character in the video game Marc Eckō's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure in 2006. On December 31, 2006, Kweli released nine songs he recorded with producer Madlib for free online. This album was called Liberation.
In 2007, Kweli released his third solo album, Eardrum. It debuted at number 2 on the Billboard 200 chart. The album featured a mix of well-known and underground producers.
Kweli also formed a group called Idle Warship with singer Res and musician Graph Nobel. They released a free mixtape called Party Robot in 2009.
Javotti Media and Recent Work (2010–Present)
In 2010, Kweli and DJ Hi-Tek released their second Reflection Eternal album, Revolutions Per Minute. This was their first album together in 10 years.
Kweli's fourth solo album, Gutter Rainbows, was the first released by his new label, Javotti Media, in 2011. His fifth solo album, Prisoner of Conscious, came out in 2013. The title was a nod to how people often called him a "conscious rapper." This album featured artists like Nelly and Kendrick Lamar.
In 2013, Kweli announced his next album, Gravitas. In 2015, he released another free album titled ... the Money.
In 2017, Kweli released two projects: The Seven with Styles P and his eighth solo album, Radio Silence.
Kweli published his memoir, Vibrate Higher: A Rap Story, in 2021. He also launched a weekly podcast called The People's Party in 2019. During the 2020 COVID-19 Pandemic, he started another podcast, The Midnight Miracle, with Yasiin Bey and Dave Chappelle.
Kweli has plans to release Liberation 2 with Madlib and a second Black Star album with Mos Def.
Javotti Media
In 2011, Talib Kweli started his own independent record label, Javotti Media. This label has signed artists like Cory Mo, Jessica Care Moore, K'Valentine, and Brazilian MC Niko Is.
Politics and Activism
Kweli's Views
Talib Kweli is known for his strong political views and his work as an activist. He often speaks out about racial stereotypes and police brutality. He supports political prisoners and community groups like the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement. He frequently talks to high school and college students in inner-city areas.
Kweli believes that young people can make a difference because they have the energy to get involved. He has said that activism requires more than just sitting at a computer.
In 2019, Kweli was disinvited from a festival in Germany because he supported the BDS movement. He stated that he would rather stand up for what he believes is right than change his views for a performance. He was one of over 600 musicians who signed a letter calling for a boycott of performances in Israel.
Taking Action
In 2000, Kweli and Mos Def organized the Hip Hop for Respect project. This project raised money for a non-profit organization that encouraged celebrities to get involved with their fans.
In 2011, Kweli visited the Occupy Wall Street camp to show his support for the protestors. In 2012, he spoke at a rally in New York City. He urged the police to end their "stop-and-frisk" policy, which allowed officers to stop and search people.
In 2013, Kweli traveled to Tallahassee, Florida. He joined a group of students called the Dream Defenders. They were protesting the state's "stand-your-ground" law. In 2014, he went to Ferguson, Missouri. He joined the community in protesting the shooting of Michael Brown.
In 2015, Kweli held two concerts to mark the one-year anniversary of Michael Brown's death. The benefit show, called "Ferguson is Everywhere," featured many other artists.
Discography
Solo Albums
- Quality (2002)
- The Beautiful Struggle (2004)
- Eardrum (2007)
- Gutter Rainbows (2011)
- Prisoner of Conscious (2013)
- Gravitas (2013)
- ... the Money (2015)
- Radio Silence (2017)
Collaboration Albums
- Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star (with Mos Def as Black Star) (1998)
- Train of Thought (with Hi-Tek as Reflection Eternal) (2000)
- Liberation (with Madlib) (2007)
- Revolutions Per Minute (with Hi-Tek as Reflection Eternal) (2010)
- Habits of the Heart (with Res as Idle Warship) (2011)
- Indie 500 (with 9th Wonder) (2015)
- The Seven (with Styles P) (2017)
- Gotham (with Diamond D) (2021)
- No Fear of Time (with Yasiin Bey as Black Star) (2022)
- Liberation 2 (with Madlib) (2023)
- The Confidence of Knowing (with J. Rawls) (2024)
Book
In 2022, Kweli's memoir, Vibrate Higher: A Rap Story, won a PEN Oakland – Josephine Miles Literary Award.
See also
In Spanish: Talib Kweli para niños
