Send "Talib Kweli " Ringtones to your Cell 
| Pitchfork |
 Here's a phrase I haven't heard too often: "What the fuck was Kweli thinking?" I know that as far as conscious-skewing MCs go, Talib Kweli's had his share of detractors-- mostly people who consider him too reliant on pop-culture metaphors or just plain don't like his voice-- but he's never managed to stumble his way into to alienating the audience he already has. And while he hasn't always been quite as breathlessly venerated as peers like Common or Mos Def, he's also never dropped a Universal Mind Control or a True Magic, a fanbase-disillusioning pratfall that lacks everything the faithful like about him. (At least, not too prominently-- his one big detour, the electro-damaged pastel-stripe-rap side project Idle Warship, got one of those quietly promoted free-download releases in 2009, the equivalent of a big-budget action movie released in mid-January.) If that means Talib Kweli has spent his solo career playing it safe, it also means he's as close as there is to a sure bet in indie rap: He's even less likely to disappoint fans than he is to shake up their preconceptions.His latest release, Gutter Rainbows, is one of those artistically self-sufficient, post-Internet records that's been created, assembled, and channeled through means completely independent of the mainstream record industry, and yet it doesn't demonstrate a drastic change in Kweli's style at all. That probably says more about the relative freedom Kweli's had throughout his career than anything; when a solitary (and actually pretty good) will.i.am beat on Eardrum is the closest he's ever come to quote-unquote selling out, creative control has never really seemed like an issue. And while there's an album in the works that Kweli has claimed will be a major departure from his usual lyrical persona-- the tellingly titled Prisoner of Consciousness-- Gutter Rainbows doesn't sound like a jaded effort from an artist who's dissatisfied with his normal routine. In short, it's familiar without feeling rote. Kweli still takes criminal entrepreneurs and gun-clap talk to task with flippant punchline dismissals on the where-I'm-from title track, still holds fast to his roots with a humble gratitude on "Friends & Family", and still consistently makes being scholarly sound like a good way to throw your weight around. His learned, nice-guy approach can switch over into good-natured ego-tripping when he wants to, but it doesn't eclipse the sentimentality at his core. Sure, Kweli brags about racking up frequent-flyer miles in Virgin Atlantic first class ("Mr. International"), but it's only so he can go overseas to connect with fans across the world. And even when he big-ups himself for his cocksmanship ("Ain't Waiting"), he can't help but put it in fairy-tale romantic terms that invoke Peter Pan and The Princess Bride. Yeah, I know-- at least it's not in hashtag form....full text |
| Onethirtybpm |
| Talib Kweli’s Gutter Rainbows was just one of those albums: in rap, hype inevitably builds so much around a record that it creates a perception of the album before release. Every word a rapper speaks about an album creates an opinion one way or another—just look at the reaction any time a Wu member says RZA won’t be producing their album. Following the disappointingly average Reflection Eternal reunion album Revolutions Per Minute, Kweli wanted to reach his fans directly, dropping a digital album. Recently that intention evolved into a CD release as well, but the intention remains the same: Talib is back to what he does best: hip hop freed of commercial pressure. Talib makes good use of the opportunity. Rainbows both takes inspiration from Kweli’s childhood and represents the next step forward in the MC’s career. On that note, Kweli truly is just that here, an MC above all. Removed from major labels at last, the rapper was clearly able to make the songs he wanted, the way he wanted. That said, did he make the most of it? The best answer is simply, yes. Rainbows may well be the best thing Kweli has done since Quality. On Revolutions and 2007′s Eardrum Kweli struggled to find a place amongst the slicker production he’d found was necessitated by the changing climate of the industry. He still put together those hard-hitting tracks, but played against his strengths with boasts and smooth cuts like “Midnight Hour.” Let’s put it this way: rather than spin game, Talib name drops Vonnegut’s Sirens of Titan. That’s not to say Rainbows is perfect. In attempting to cleanse himself of big production, Talib sacrifices the benefits that often come with it. “I’m On One,” trying to capture the live experience, suffers from a loop of shouting that quickly grows irksome, regardless of the MC’s lyrics, which are more than on point. It’s preferable to a soft album, but one hopes that next time around Kweli will bring this energy to a bigger endeavor. Yet, that doesn’t take away from the small dignity of this record; it’s a strong effort that deserves a prominent place amongst a great MC’s work....full text |
| Hiphopdx |
| For over a decade, Talib Kweli has tried, to mixed success, a variety of sounds. Nearly a decade and a half removed from his introduction, the Brooklyn mainstay remains a sharp lyricist who goes unafraid of calling out social institutions, wack rappers and critics alike. Still, the Black Star/Reflection Eternal emcee wants the world to know that he can have a good time, and recent albums have found Kweli with a smile. Gutter Rainbows, Talib's first independent release in several years finds him both celebrating and analyzing, all over some production that's new to the portfolio. Kweli kicks it off with “After the Rain,” a flute-laced intro courtesy of 88-Keys, who, 13 years after “Thieves in the Night,” continues to make a case that he ought to be one of Kweli’s go-to producers, even though the Brooklyn emcee doesn’t spit a single bar on the cut. Fans hoping for more Idle Warship get two-thirds of the group, as the always-involved Res comes in to croon on the the soulful “So Low.” After the relatively smooth cut, Kweli kicks in the door with “Palookas” , which features Sean Price. The beat is an absolute monster, as Price and Talib enter vicious verses over Marco Polo’s menacing drums, keys and xylophones that sound like they could’ve come from DJ Premier’s recording session for “Above the Clouds.” Spits Kwe: “My music represent the change in powers / From now on this thing is ours / Got us paintin’ war instead of paintin’ flowers / They shower their heroes with praise, that’s why we hangin’ ours / We bring the drums to the battle because we bang the loudest / You don’t know a thing about it, if you mixing King and Malcolm / Bet you that Kweli the outcome / Album so hot that my ghetto chicks is bringing talcum / Whether you sing or shout it / They gave someone else the crown but I’m the king without it.” “Wait For You” and “Ain’t Waiting” continue to explore the piano-lounge style on display on the album’s earlier tracks, though “Cold Rain” is a little more hard-hitting with more pronounced percussion, and more than a twinge of sadness in the notes and subject matter. “Uh Oh” is a strange but enjoyable departure from the sound of the album. Jean Grae continues to showcase her considerable personality and presence on the mic as she and Kweli exchange verses over an over-the-top-sinister organ-laced track that’s instantly super villain status. “Self Savior” brings the album to a close, and does an excellent job of bringing Gutter Rainbows’ laid back sound back to the forefront with a slick verse from Chace Infinite and light piano keys and a touch of sax....full text |
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