December 08, 2004 @ 3:43 pm
Talib Kweli - The Beautiful Struggle (MCA)
With the success of the ruggedly conscious single “Get By,” backpack luminary Talib Kweli cracked the national spotlight with 2002’s Quality, finally getting his subterranean blend of lyrical prowess and social awareness to the MTV set.
With the success of the ruggedly conscious single “Get By,” backpack luminary Talib Kweli cracked the national spotlight with 2002’s Quality, finally getting his subterranean blend of lyrical prowess and social awareness to the MTV set. And his well-crafted follow-up, The Beautiful Struggle, offers a continuation of Quality’s attempt to expand rap’s topical terrain. On “Around My Way,” Kweli boldly tackles issues surrounding the Iraq War and blind patriotism over a sample of the Police’s “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic.” The Neptunes–built “Broken Glass” spins the tale of a small-town girl blinded by the glitz of New York City. Apparently moved by the lack of mutual respect within relationships, Kweli builds on the subject with “Never Been in Love” and “We Know,” a duet with Faith Evans. The Beautiful Struggle isn’t without missteps: The predictable Kanye West–produced “I Try” (featuring Mary J. Blige), a not-so-soulful knockoff of “Get By,” feels forced. Then there’s the half-baked rap-rock attempt “Planet Rock.” But despite these glitches, Kweli delivers a heart to the tin shell of 21st-century hip hop.
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http://www.vibe.com/music/revolutions/2004/12/talib_kweli_beautiful_struggle_mca/
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