Talib Kweli Quotes

A collection of quotes by Talib Kweli.

Talib Kweli, born on October 3, 1975, in Brooklyn, New York, is an American rapper, activist, and entrepreneur. Known for his thought-provoking lyrics and socially conscious themes, Kweli has become a respected figure in the world of hip-hop.

Kweli first gained prominence as a member of the rap duo Black Star, alongside Mos Def (now known as Yasiin Bey). Their critically acclaimed 1998 album, "Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star," solidified their position as leading voices in alternative and conscious rap.

Since then, Kweli has released numerous solo albums, including "Quality" (2002), "The Beautiful Struggle" (2004), and "Gutter Rainbows" (2011), earning respect and recognition from both fans and critics alike. His distinctive style blends intellectual lyricism with a soulful sound.

Apart from his music career, Kweli is known for his activism and outspokenness on social issues. He has been actively involved in organizations addressing police brutality, racial injustice, and education reform. Through his music and public appearances, he has consistently used his platform to advocate for social change.

In addition to his artistic and activist pursuits, Kweli is also a co-founder of the independent record label Blacksmith Records and has collaborated with a diverse range of artists, including Kanye West, Kendrick Lamar, and J Dilla.

Overall, Talib Kweli is an influential figure in hip-hop who has managed to maintain his integrity and artistic vision throughout his career, making him a respected voice within the genre.

We're in an illusion about what our role is in world politic

We're in an illusion about what our role is in world politics and foreign affairs, and our policies are killing and destroying and doing a lot of things that we are not aware of.

Politics

Skip the religion and politics, head straight to the compass

Skip the religion and politics, head straight to the compassion. Everything else is a distraction.

Politics

War is not civilized.

War is not civilized.

War

I think once you're in the public eye, whether you're a boss

I think once you're in the public eye, whether you're a boss, a teacher or whatever you do, that you're automatically in the position of role model. You have people looking up to you, so whether you choose to accept it or not is a different question.

Teacher

You make knowledge relevant to life and you make it importan

You make knowledge relevant to life and you make it important for children to learn things that will really relate to things going on in their lives, and not abstract.

Knowledge

I not only wanted to showcase lyrical skills but also contin

I not only wanted to showcase lyrical skills but also continue to drop knowledge on the hiphop community. I'm looking to elevate through my music, and through my music I educate.

Knowledge

You know, I've learned a lot from every person I've collabor

You know, I've learned a lot from every person I've collaborated with, from Madlib to Jean Grae and Hi-Tek, to Mos to DJ Quik, to even somebody like Jermaine Dupri. I've taken something important away from every experience.

Experience

The beautiful thing about hip-hop is it's like an audio coll

The beautiful thing about hip-hop is it's like an audio collage. You can take any form of music and do it in a hip-hop way and it'll be a hip-hop song. That's the only music you can do that with.

Music

So I just had to step up how I was doing it and the moment t

So I just had to step up how I was doing it and the moment that I stepped up and the moment I focused all my energy on that is when things started to happen. So there's a direct relationship between my inspiration and my output.

Relationship

I think its man's nature to go to war and fight.

I think its man's nature to go to war and fight.

War

Ain't nobody making music to not be heard and the easiest wa

Ain't nobody making music to not be heard and the easiest way to be heard is to be on the radio, but you should never compromise who you are, your values or your morals.

Music