Disco de Talib Kweli: “Ear Drum [PA]”

Talib is a one-man wrecking crew, breaking down fools that just don't have a clue. He makes a living out of terrorizing emcees. and his wordplay makes all the haters get down on their knees. Wishing for a halt to his verbal assault, but it's not his fault if they're reduced down to a grain of salt. Okay, I'll stop now while I'm ahead and leave the rest to the professionals! Talib Kweli would run circles around me and most lyricists in the game today. Don't forget when Jay-Z said "Lyrically, he'd be Talib Kweli." Even with the acknowledgement, Talib keeps his eyes on the prize and finally unleashes Ear Drum at a time when true hip-hop is suffering. The early teaser "Listen" grabbed everybody's attention, but the climate for rap music was steadily getting more watered down with garbage on the radio and in videos. After much delay and anticipation, Ear Drum delivers with songs like the hard-hitting anthem "Say Something" featuring Blacksmith signee Jean Grae, the smoothness of "Country Cousins" with Raheem Devaughn and UGK, and the radio-friendly "Hot Thing" with emcee/producer Will.i.am. Die hard fans will enjoy the old school feel of "Eat To Live," as well as "The Perfect Beat" with KRS-One. The laid-back groove "In The Mood" has a decent showing by Kanye West and the superb musicianship of Roy Ayers. The album closes with three bonus cuts, with "Go With Us" featuring Strong Arm Steady being the best of the bunch. The journey throughout Ear Drum is so captivating, the only disappointment is when the album reaches the end! Whether it's Common, Pharoahe Monch, or Talib, real Hip-Hop is finally back and better than ever. Really, it's up to the Hip-Hop community, the radio programmers, and the music-buying public to determine the fate of rap music.

This album is sure to be a classic. I have yet to hear Kanye's new album (since it's not out yet), but I am going to wager and say that Talib Kweli's "Eardrum" is the best album of the year. Definitely the most solid in a REALLY long time (I'm talking Blueprint era, 2001). Yes, this might be the best album since 2001, maybe even before. I was a little skeptical when I saw who was featured on the album (Kanye West, Will.I.Am, KRS-One, Musiq Soulchild, Norah Jones, Justin Timberlake, and more). I thought he might be trying to cross over into the mainstream. No, he delivered with the lyrical integrity that defined his critically-acclaimed first album, Quality. Each track is a lyrical masterpiece in its own right, with topics including poverty & suffering, religious hypocrisy, true spirituality, materialism, global warming, and even a song dedicated to his children (with the oldest one rapping on it). Ear Drum is proof that rap music doesn't have to be about clothes, bankrolls, and hoes (in fact, I don't re-call a single song with those things in it). NaS was wrong; hip-hop isn't dead, it was sleeping... but Kweli just woke it up.

The thing about Talib Kweli is just how underestimated he is among his contemporaries and the mainstream. He SAYS something; something more than how many women he's had, how many people he's shot, or how much product he's moved. People aren't used to that so they either dismiss it or downgrade it by putting it in the sub-category or "conscious rap". When you first listen through it, you think "okay, this or that is nice" but as you continue you listen, you have to play it again... and again and again. That's the hallmark of a great album, it makes you want to listen over and over again and we have that feeling here with Eardrum. How many rap artist have the audacity to put the legendary poet Sonya Sanchez on the same album with Timberlake? Crazy. Talib some how makes it work.

Honestly, nine out of the first 10 tracks the first ten track are vintage, classic, blaze... whatever you want to call great, they are that. Hostile Gospel leads them followed by Say Something. The back of the LP is a little less consistent, some tracks feel like filler when compared to the first tracks; the JT colabo comes to mind, but the weaker beats are carried by something I haven't heard is a long time --lyrical skill. Lyrical ability is so under estimated and here Talib shows how even if the production isn't as good, you want to listen to what he has to say, not just a funky baseline.

If you don't listen to any album this year, put this in your eardrum.

Seriously, what more can i say, that not already been said. This album is a Boom.Talib Kweli BK MC is back for the plessure of my ears. Damn go buy this album, i can give you hot song's tittle 'cause it's a another classic. I live in france, and down here the album is not available yet. That why i wanna thanks Amazon.com for her fast shipping.

Blacksmith The Movement continues...

This Album is a classic i am very pround of my mans Talib Kweli. From track 1 to the last last is feel with wisdom as long as kweli is here hip hop is here to stay Brooklyn Stand!!!