He may not be very talkative right now, but any other time, Talib Kweli seems to have a lot to say - especially when he's behind a mike. The Brooklyn, New York-bred rapper is calling from his hotel room in Wisconsin. He's on the grind, working a national tour as the opening act for the Beastie Boys.
Kweli, who headlines Sonar Lounge Saturday night, is one of the most respected rappers in the game, an underground star steadily making a name for himself in the mainstream. His reputation for intelligent, biting lyrics that unblinkingly explore interpersonal politics has garnered praise from critics and fellow artists like Common and Kanye West. Even Jay-Z, the coolly confident hip-hop mogul and iconic rap figure, gave Kweli props on last year's "Moment of Clarity," a track off his multi-platinum The Black Album: "If lyrics sold, truth be told/I'd probably be lyrically Talib Kweli."
A shout-out by such a highly regarded and commercially successful hip-hop star helped build the momentum for Kweli's latest album, The Beautiful Struggle, released to generally positive reviews in September. It's the follow-up to his 2002 solo debut, Quality. And it is perhaps his most blatantly commercial effort to date, featuring such guests as Mary J. Blige, Faith Evans, Anthony Hamilton and Res. The streamlined, radio-friendly beats were provided by a who's who in urban music, including West and the Neptunes.
