Talib Kweli Album: “The Beautiful Struggle [PA]”

After releasing his first solo album in 2002, Talib Kweli returns with his follow "The Beautiful Struggle" in fall 2004.

1. Going Hard - Good beat, Talib rips up the verses, great hook - 5/5

2. Back Up Offa Me - Not really feeling the beat, Talib comes nice, hook is alright - 3.5/5

3. Broken Glass - Nice beat, Talibs flows are on point, good hook - 4.5/5

4. We Know (Featuring Faith Evans) - Beat sucks, Talib doesn't disappoint, Faiths hook is great - 4/5

5. A Game - Alright beat, Talib comes good, hook is good as well - 4/5

6. I Try (Featuring Mary J. Blige) - First single off the album, good beat, Talib comes correct like usual, Mary comes nice on the hook - 5/5

7. Around My Way (Featuring John Legend) - Good beat, Talibs lryics and flows are on fire, John Legend comes with one of the best hooks of the year....one of the best tracks off the album - 5/5

8. We Got the Beat (Featuring Res) - Great beat, Talib is on fire once again, Res comes great on the hook...this song really gets you pumped up for a fight or competetion - 5/5

9. Work It Out - Not feeling the beat, Talib comes alright, hook isn't good - 3/5

10. Ghetto Show (Featuring Common & Anthony Hamiliton) - Good beat, Talib and Common come with one of the best collaborations of the year, hook is good - 5/5

11. Black Girl Pain (Featuring Jean Grae) - Good beat, Talib and Jean both come nice, hook is good - 5/5

12. Never Been In Love - Good beat, Talib comes nice, hook is good - 4/5

13. Beautiful Struggle - Wack beat, Talib doesn't disappoint on the final track, but the hook is a let down - 3.5/5

Overall: 56.5/65

4.5 Stars

Almost all of Talibs verses are solid but some of the beats and hooks are lacking. All he needs to do is improve both of those two parts and keep his lyrics how they are and his next album will be classic.

Talib Kweli returns with his third solo album "The Beautiful Struggle" (2004). I like many others have been anticipating this release for a long time. Brooklyn's Kweli has delivered three great albums in "

", "

" (a classic in my opinion) and "

". The album's opener is the fast paced banger "Going Hard", a track that Kweli lyrically lights up. Hi-Tek provides the beat for "Back Up Offa Me", a track where Kweli demands some space. On "Broken Glass" Kweli talks about a girl who took the wrong path, the Neptune's provide an instrumental I am still getting used to. The albums first guest appearance comes from Faith Evans, who delivers some soulful vocals on the laidback love track "We Know". The albums first single is the well-chosen "I Try" feat. Mary J Blige, Kweli rhymes with hunger while Mary J sings well over a Kayne West beat which is similar to "Get By". The first track that really made me be like Whoa, is "Around My Way" feat. John Legend, this is an exceptional track where Kweli shines delivering some very real heartfelt lyrics. This is easily one of my favourite songs of 2004. Res then drops in for the rock based "We got the beat", a unique sounding track. My favourite collaboration on the album is "Ghetto Show", Common and Anthony Hamilton help make this an outstanding track; these three capture Ghetto life and represent their music in a positive way making this a very memorable track with great replay value. Talib and Jean Grae deliver a powerful tribute to women on "Black Girl Pain", which is followed up by the chill "Never Been In Love". Hi-Tek provides a premium beat for the title track, backed by an ill hook, Kweli drops some more on point rhymes. Talib Kweli has succeeded in delivering another excellent album with "The Beautiful Struggle". Kweli shines delivering insightful and substantial music that sticks with you. Highly recommend this release for the collection.

Talib Kweli joins the mix in what has been a comeback year for real hiphop. This rebirth/revolution will for the most part not be televised, but it is alive in our stereos, our hearts, our minds. This album is one you should pick up for some current quality hiphop. Kweli has done better, but there are some noteworthy experiences that he will take you on with "The Beautiful Struggle."

I really liked this one at first, and is was fun to read the lyrics given in the insert and go along with the songs. However, sitting back and listening to it though, there were many high points mixed in with things that could have been done better. His lyrics are of the highest standard for the most part in this album, but the music is a little suspect a bit too often. Some of the hooks were forgettable, or nearly ruined a few of the great songs. Talib is definitely not a hook-writer. However, I feel that while he is still making strides as a poet on this album (and he's finally stopped beginning every verse with 'these n**gas,' or 'these cats,' etc.), the music surrounding might be taking a step back towards fitting in with everybody else.

The album starts with a bang with "Going Hard," a harder-edged joint with spectacular lyrics. There are two tracks that are decent, but forgettable with "Back Up Offa Me" and "Work It Out." Then there are two tracks I think where he's way in over his head. These are "We Know," in which he drops the lame 'Tom and Penelope' line that Fabolous of all people used before, and "A Game," which had a third verse written that would have helped but didn't appear in the song. The other nine tracks are good in their own ways. Even though he worked with stupid mainstream Pharrell on "Broken Glass," Kweli makes it memorable with an earnest message story over a party beat. "I Try" worked well too even with Mary J. Blige singing and Kanye West producing (thank God he didn't rhyme!), thanks to classic Kweli lyrics. "Around My Way" is a slower-paced, sorrowful yet hopeful, heartfelt track and possibly my favorite one here, yet at times Talib doesn't sound as if he's taking his own words seriously. I think "We Got The Beat" was great because it's something different. This joint is pure, upbeat rock with a guitar riff and Talib's vocals sound goooooood over this backing, although the chorus was a little too much.

The last four tracks are all notable, first with "Ghetto Show" in which Talib strikes back at a Jay-Z quote, and Common makes a strong guest appearance (just like he made a strong contribution to De La Soul's "The Grind Date"). "Black Girl Pain" is incredible, about uplifting the black females out there, and the underrated Jean Grae contributes nicely. "Never Been In Love" could have been better, but is still memorable, and the title track is a good way to end it. It is one of my favorites on the album, and maybe the strongest track as he leads us towards 'revolution.' Like I said, Talib is growing as a poet, and his flow is even better than before, since he doesn't flow so fast that words are inaudible or not fully enunciated (check The Roots' "Rolling With Heat" for example). Some of Talib's lyrics hark back to legends like Chuck D., Rakim, Melle Mel, Afrika Bambaata, and others. A little too much R & B, the musical backings, and some conventional choruses weigh down what could have been a 5 star album.

It seems that some are mad that Kweli will get some mass notariety and make some money with this project. Isn't that what we wanted, heads? For a real hiphop artist to get the mainstream to come to see things our way? I'm not convinced that Talib sold out with this album. His lyrics here are just as great as ever. Sure, there are some veterans who maybe deserve it more, like De La with their superior album "The Grind Date," and Kweli is still pretty young in the game, but if you ask me, Kweli definitely puts a foot in that door and makes a good case to get many converts who formerly loved that junk that they hear on the radio. Let's see if Mos Def can build upon this next week. So I recommend buying this cd to hear something new from one of the best poets this game has seen, or if you don't have an album of his yet. Just keep in mind that Kweli's cutting-edge work can be found on 2000's "Reflection Eternal/Train Of Thought."

Talib Kweli delivers to me an album which is near perfect. And I cant give a reason why it is not perfect except possibly a bit of Talib Kweli's old style music - just to show where he came from.

I'm one of the people who never really thought to much of Kweli. His previous music to me lacked the production and some of the energy that is clearly present in the "Beautiful Struggle". I am definetly a fan of Kweli now.

His songs flow with energy and passion. And the production is high quality in that it perfectly matches the intention of the song (the use of the right instruments helps so much e.g. violins all at the right places). Lyrically Kweli has always been there - his flow is no worry considering the flows of some rappers these days. Kweli has a simple & clear flow that goes with the beat of the music (not against it like some). Something u can only do if u believe in your lyrics.

About the songs:

---"Black Girl Pain" - Production at the highest level with a strong message delivered so well. To me, a classic, one of the top songs of the year easily. Will go up as one of the realest songs (no gimmicks or seranading just pureness & trueness) all time. (10/10)

---"Around My Way" - May have the 'Police' interpolation but it is used to make a new song with its own heart. The piano use is near perfect. Just one of those songs you 'll always be able to chill to - i aint even a fan of John Legend yet but here he does whats needed. (8/10)

---"Beautiful Struggle" - Production again is super. True lyrics which lead you to your own conclusin of the struggle. You realise everythin aint easy, theres always somethin to get over.(8/10)

---"I Try" - Good production. The first single - a story easy to understand. Just a good song. (8/10)

---"We Know" - A rappers love song (obviously feat a female). This has a style in abundance and its singing and chill factor put it way above most other rappers love songs. (9/10)

---"Ghetto Show & Never Been In Love" - Both quality songs, but can be really good or great depending on mood so both 7.5 (7.5/10)

---"We Got the Beat" - Marvellous prodution of the whole song in being able to produce a fast paced song with a mixture of elements from hip-hop, pop & rock. A head jerker definetly. (7.5/10)

---"Going Hard", "A Game" & "Work It Out" - are kinda different but are on the level of most hip-hop artists good tracks off an album all sevens. (7/10)

---"Back Up Offa Me" & "Broken Glass" - These are alright/good songs but are the norm on other hip-hop artists albums. There is a quality to them that gives them 6.5 which aint lame to me but just the norm. (6.5/10)

I didnt think i'd review this as extensively as i have - talk about breakin it down - but being honest about the songs here shows that this is a quality album. Most albums get sixes and sevens with a couple 8.5 singles. I can not think of another hip-hop album in 2004 with this much quality and i heard a lot of albums in 2004. When you make an album with this much quality it should be obvious - i can only feel if others make a comparison of albums from last year now, they will realise. I never really like Kweli b4 so i know i'm not being biased. A good song is a good song whether R&B based or gangsta rap based. Quality in a genre is always obvious!

Too much writing!!!

Okay, first of all I must say I am a huge Talib Kweli/Hi-Tek fan. I've been a fan since the mid 90's when I got a copy of Soundbombing Vol. 1 (before it became a joke) and Lyricist Lounge 1 (again, before it became a joke) and heard songs by a group called Reflection Eternal. I was blown away and since have been a huge fan. Unfortunately, Kweli has either A) forgotten how to pick good beats or B) is being forced by some higher power to get more club-oriented beats. Kweli is still an excellent MC and his lyrics and flow are as good as ever (especially on the last couple of songs here), but the production is really bad. Besides 2 songs, the rest is sub-par at best. Hi-Tek delivers as usual (even those ones are weak compared to what he can and has done) and Kanye West & Just Blaze do what they do, but nothing hear even compares in the slightest to Reflection Eternal/Black Star stuff from the old days. Kweli has proven he does his best work with one or two producers, and this album is all over the place with no cohesivness. I really hope either another Reflection Eternal or Black Star album is coming soon...