Honestly I had some trepidation when I heard Talib Kweli was
dropping an LP, mostly because of his single Upper Echelon. The lyrics were
OK, but the beat was very distracting. The paring of the “club banger”
instrumental with the socially conscience emcee for was a bit off for me. That
being said, I know why it was done. This 90s vet knows that a radio track
is the best form of pub for the rest of the album. What a relief to find out that
he didn't water down his lyrics or features to cater to the new generation of
hip-pop listeners. His production selection is on point, from vets like RZA to
new super producers like J Cole to monsters like Oh No. His features are also minimal, but carefully
selected. And yes, the “less is more” mantra is true in many art forms, hip-hop
is no exception.
His “intro” track Human Mic is a masterful juxtaposition of
rapid lyrics with a soulful instrumental full of violins. The Blacksmith shows
us yet again why he is the epitome of consistent: “Throw it back cognac, I’m
the best, you know that/ You can have your own opinion, but not your own facts/
On track as the most prolific ever, the most consistently/ Vicious, New York
can rip you, be ripping it like the Shredder.” Talib Kweli asserts his lyrical
prowess throughout most of the track, relentlessly attacking the mic: “When it
comes to this rhyming, I’m a legend like Tutankhamun/ or the Chupacabra, the
way I weave it together and tie the knot up.”
Turnt Up was another surprise track. No features from Wacka
Flocka, Soulja Boy or 2 Chainz here, just another old school lamping type
instrumental. The beat starts off with a Paid in Full sample, so Talib gives
the shout out “You know what’s up with me man, I’m trying to get paid in full.”
He continues the homage with his first bars: “Thinking of a master plan, where
there’s nothing but cash inside my hand.” While he does spend a few bars
talking about cars, cribs and jewels, the lyrics do not suffer from the subject
matter. “It’s hard not consuming all the bullshit they feed us/ Intravenous
like a cord to the womb from the fetus/ Been hard since I started reading,
alliteration is literally littered trough my DNA swimming on through my semen.”
Just in case you were comatose through the first part of the
LP, The Blacksmith drops the hardest verse on the 7th track Hold It
Now. Starting off with the metaphor “Got a buzz like I’m Georgia Tech,” he
continues by letting other emcees know that “My rep established, I’m rapping just for the
sport of it/ Been nice for a whole career, you just barely grasping the thought
of it.” He ends the verse with some of the toughest bars I've heard from him in
a while: “My rhyme is satisfying your quest for fire like Ray Don/ Chun when I’m
forming like Voltron, I’m young Raekwon/ Mix in a bit of KRS-One and Q-Tip/ Rakim,
some of that Ice Cube, now who’s this?/ No one as gifted as this, so
magnificent/ Classically consistent, I’m nasty as black licorice/ Coldest but I
get the room hotter than Bikram Yoga/ Seen the show, you know I make the people
move like an eviction notice/ I’m focused, I’m like Moses when the mic is on/
That’s why these rapper scatter like roaches when the light is on.” What more
can I say? Fuego.
You know what you are going to get with a Talib release.
Lyrically, he is sharper than ever. His poetic catalog is an onslaught of
metaphors, alliterations, personifications and rhyme. He can be introspective one
minute, and still deliver the braggadocios bars that are commonly associated
with hip-hop. None of his albums stay on one subject matter and this is true
for Prisoner of Conscience. He has tracks that examine his relationship with a
strong female counterpart (Delicate Flowers) as well as a story about a female
struggling with a dependent mentality with Hamster Wheel. The track Push Thru
is one of his heavier featured songs. Curren$y delivers the first verse which
is followed by Talib Kweli and Kendrick Lamar takes the last leg of the song. I
am not the biggest Curren$y fan but I do follow this career more than other 2nd
tier (or whatever you want to categorize him as) emcees. That being said his
verse is solid. And K Dot delivers another strong verse to add under his belt
of features (this verse is apparently an old verse, way before most people were
on Kendrick like that). Talib has always been known to tackle large social
issues within the hip-hop community and beyond. With Prisoner of Conscience he
seems to be trying to tackle more intimate themes like the before mentioned
tracks Delicate Flower and Hamster Wheel. We still get his upper echelon lyrics
and perspective, so I would say that this is a successful attempt to relate to
his existing fan base as well as new listeners. Once again quality is
delivered (come on BLACKSTAR! hip-hop needs you!).
4 tapes.
Peep album below.
