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Black Star’s New Album Has Been Liberated

In early 2022, Black Star released their first album in nearly a quarter century. No Fear Of Time was produced entirely by Madlib and featured a guest verse from Black Thought. By the end of '22, Yasiin Bey and Talib Kweli's sophomore LP was one of the year's best albums and signaled a growing... Read more

Black Thought & Rakim Light Up The Stage With Talib Kweli

Last week, Bob James held a concert residence at New York City's Blue Note alongside Talib Kweli and a live band for the second consecutive year. An esteemed panel of guests joined the Grammy-winning Jazz keyboardist and famed producer during 2023's three-night residency. D.M.C. joined on February 7, Slick Rick... Read more

The 15 Best Rap Albums Of 2022

As 2022 winds down, it comes time to celebrate the best in Hip-Hop music. As is tradition, the Ambrosia For Heads team weighs in on our opinion of the year's best albums. This list of 15 includes some comeback performances, significant sequel efforts, and collaborative tandems. The collection of LPs also shows... Read more

MF DOOM’s Wife Confirms His Rhyme Books Were Stolen

In the last week, Talib Kweli publicly called out music executive Eothen "Egon" Alapatt for allegedly stealing rhyme books belonging to the late MF DOOM. Egon is Madlib's manager and business partner, who was formerly the A&R and general manager of Stones Throw Records, before launching Now-Again, Rappcats, and assisting... Read more

J. Cole Says He Is The Best Rapper Alive & He’s Proving It

Last Friday (January 28), Benny The Butcher released one of the most exciting songs by any artist in over a year. "Johnny P's Caddy" is inspired by the formative days when Benny would ride in his father's Cadillac alongside Westside Gunn and listen to Hip-Hop. Over an Alchemist beat, The... Read more

De La Soul Confirms Acquiring Catalog & Will Re-Release Albums On DSPs This Year

UPDATE: Just days after Talib Kweli announced that De La Soul had acquired its back catalog (story below), the group took to Instagram Live (embedded below) to confirm reports. After some technical difficulties, Dave, Posdnuos, and Maseo broadcast to over 3,000 fans in real-time. The audience included Common, DJ Drama, DJ... Read more

Here Are Some Reasons Why 2000 May Be Hip-Hop’s Greatest Year

At Ambrosia For Heads, we celebrate Hip-Hop throughout the ages. Earlier this year, our What's The Headline podcast launched a series examining the calendar years that made the music and culture reach its full potential. After taking a loving look back at 1984, the next episode drops in on Y2K.... Read more

John Forté Brought Talib Kweli To Rawkus. Now Kweli Assists Him In A Beautiful Collab

When John Forté had his 14-year prison sentence commuted more than a decade ago, he immediately went to the studio with longtime friend and fellow Brooklyn, New York native Talib Kweli. It was there that the former Fugees affiliate recorded "Homecoming," a personal cover to Kanye West's one-year-old Graduation cut.... Read more

Ice Cube Explains Why Storytelling Is The Top Level Of MC’ing (Video)

Ice Cube is no stranger to storytelling with his lyrics. The legendary South Central, Los Angeles MC is responsible for one of Rap's most beloved tales: "It Was A Good Day," as well as penning Eazy-E's breakout anthem, "Boyz-n-the-Hood." Cube's albums, both solo and group, often have songs that follow... Read more

Talib Kweli Is Recording An Album Produced By Diamond D. Take A Look. (Video)

Earlier this year, Diamond D released his latest album, The Diam Piece 2. On that LP, "The Zone" features Talib Kweli as well as Terror Van Pooh, and Niko Is. The Bronx, New York producer, MC, and DJ and the Brooklyn, New York MC, entrepreneur, and show host have some... Read more

Talib Kweli & El-P Recall Rawkus Records Taking A Chance On Underground Hip-Hop

Run The Jewels and Company Flow co-founder El-P is the latest guest on Talib Kweli's The People's Party Podcast, with co-host Jasmin Leigh. The two natives of Brooklyn, New York have plenty of history together, including Hip Hop For Respect. They were label-mates at Rawkus Records during an inflection point... Read more

Kxng Crooked Explains Why Slaughterhouse Needs To Release One Last Album

It was nearly a year-and-a-half ago that Kxng Crooked suddenly announced his exit from Slaughterhouse. In April of 2018, the group's co-founder disbanded from the collective formed a decade earlier by Joe Budden, Royce 5'9, and Joell Ortiz. Although the Shady Records act had been relatively idle since 2014's House... Read more

T.I. Says Blacks Should Celebrate Veterans Day For Surviving The Drug War

T.I. is the latest guest on People's Party With Talib Kweli. In a nearly one-hour conversation that also involves co-host Jasmin Leigh, Tip discusses how his cult-lauded debut album, I'm Serious, lit a path to Rap superstardom. The three-time Grammy winner also explains the risks (and rewards) of putting his... Read more

Talib Kweli & B-Real Discuss People Of Color Being Blocked Out Of Legal Cannabis

B-Real is the latest guest on People's Party With Talib Kweli. There, the member of Cypress Hill and Prophets Of Rage tells the co-founder of Black Star and Reflection Eternal about the origins of his groups. The Los Angeles, California native breaks down Cypress' distinction among the the handful of... Read more

Talib Kweli & dead prez Give The Best Explanation Yet Of What’s Happened To Kanye (Video)

For more than two years, Kanye West's career and public image have become a point of discourse in the mainstream, especially for the Hip-Hop and Black communities. Months after the release of 2016's The Life Of Pablo, a turn of events transpired. West's wife, Kim Kardashian was robbed at gunpoint... Read more

Black Thought, Talib Kweli, Mannie Fresh & More To Perform At 7th Annual Hiero Day

The 7th annual Hiero Day Music Festival & Block Party is taking place Labor Day, September 3. The event performers have officially been unveiled. Oakland, California's legendary Hieroglyphics crew will be performing at their festival, and joining them will be Black Thought, Talib Kweli, Freddie Gibbs, Mannie Fresh, Elzhi, Georgia... Read more

Ace Clark Shows Signs Of Greatness On A Jazzy Collabo With Talib Kweli & Joell Ortiz (Audio)

Gang Starr's Guru once professed on "Moment of Truth", “Cultivate, multiply, motivate or else we’ll die.” Twenty years later in a progressively demanding and often times burdensome social climate, these lyrics ring truer than ever. To remain positive, inspired, and purposeful in an atmosphere that can easily wear you down... Read more

Talib Kweli Discusses The Genius Of Madvillainy & Its Impact On Hip-Hop (Audio)

Last month, Madvillain's album celebrated its 14th birthday. In the early 2000s, MF DOOM and Madlib formed the group and recorded Madvillainy in the latter's bomb shelter studio in Glendale, California. The resulting Stones Throw Records album was a game-changer in the careers of two elusive, decorated veterans, both creatively... Read more

Talib Kweli Recalls A Great Story Involving Freestyle Fellowship, Neo-Soul & Rent Money (Video)

There have been several memorable Hip-Hop roommates. During the early 1990s, Gang Starr members Guru and DJ Premier lived together at several New York City residences (one was a Brooklyn home owned by Branford Marsalis). RZA and Ghostface Killah were under the same roof in the days before Enter The... Read more

Talib Kweli & Jay Electronica Reunite. Times Are Hard & So Are Their Rhymes (Audio)

Less than one week ago, Talib Kweli released Radio Silence. Following April's The Seven collaborative EP with Styles P, Kwe' drops his first full-length solo effort in two years. This go-round features Anderson .Paak on latest video single "Traveling Light," along with Rick Ross and Freestyle Fellowship/Project Blowed member Myka... Read more

From Q-Tip To Chappelle, Talib Kweli’s Inner-Circle Shines In His New Video

Since the 1990s, Talib Kweli has maintained his role as one of Hip-Hop's leading voices striving for political empowerment and enlightenment. His passion for preaching righteousness and seeking justice had recently got Kweli's Twitter account briefly suspended for calling out a racist, homophobic lawyer.  It may be poetic coincidence that... Read more

Twitter Suspends Talib Kweli’s Account Following War Of Words With Texas Lawyer

Social media platform Twitter suspended the account of Talib Kweli this week after it claimed the Black Star and Reflection Eternal MC incited harassment towards a Texas-based lawyer after he posted the attorney’s business address to his more than one million followers online. In an interview with Uproxx, Kweli said... Read more

Talib Kweli Details How He And Mos Def Became Family Before They Were Black Star (Video)

This week, Talib Kweli appeared on Desus & Mero to promote November 17's Radio Silence album. That LP reunites Kweli with Jay Electronica and Anderson .Paak, as well as features a range of guests, from Waka Flocka Flame to Freestyle Fellowship's Myka 9 to Rick Ross. In making his return... Read more

Soundbombing Was Released 20 Years Ago & Launched A Generation Of Underground Hip-Hop

Twenty years ago this week (October 14, 1997) New York-based independent Hip-Hop label Rawkus Records released Soundbombing Vol. 1. Rawkus' second full-length project boasted Black Moon/Da Beatminerz producer DJ Evil Dee on the mix, and atop its cover touted, "The Ultimate Guide To Underground Hip-Hop." Time would prove it most... Read more

Talib Kweli Reflects On A “Train Of Thought” Song That Remains Eternal 17 Years Later (Audio)

Last week, Mos Def's solo debut Black On Both Sides celebrated its 18th birthday. Meanwhile, today (October 17), Talib Kweli, Yasiin Bey's Black Star partner, and DJ Hi-Tek honor the 17th anniversary of Reflection Eternal's Train Of Thought. Both Rawkus Records releases are benchmark albums to Hip-Hop, as well as... Read more

Talib Kweli & Blu Gang Up On A Beat. It’s Fight Night For 2 Great MCs (Audio)

In 2007, the same summer Blu & Exile released Below The Heavens, Talib Kweli dropped Eardrum. One MC made an indelible underground debut, while the other, from a similar trajectory, released a #2 overall LP on the charts, marking a new plateau. Ten years later, these two artists from opposing... Read more

Teen Bresha Meadows Stood Up To Her Abusive Father. Talib Kweli Tells Her Story (Audio)

In July of 2016, Warren, Ohio teenager Bresha Meadows fatally shot her father, reportedly as he slept. The 14-year-old killed Jonathan Meadows after years of physical abuse, which also included her brothers and mother, according to relatives. Despite the evidence of abuse, Meadows was charged with aggravated murder. Bresha and... Read more

ScHoolboy Q & Ty Dolla $ign Ensure Anderson .Paak’s Funky Hit Never Comes Down (Audio)

Throughout the last 20 months, Anderson .Paak has risen to become the latest musical mainstay from Southern California. In the last several years, he joins a class of peers and collaborators that includes ScHoolboy Q and Ty Dolla $ign, among a few others. On 2016's Grammy-nominated Malibu album, Paak put... Read more

WAIT…Talib Kweli & Styles P Released A Great New Project Too.

Life is too short to listen to bad music. So...let us fight through it for you and only supply you with that good stuff. Despite the reports, Hip-Hop is alive and well and, in many ways, is better than it's ever been before. Not only are we able to go... Read more

Talib Kweli & The LOX Pull No Punches On An Earthshaking Collabo (Audio)

In 2000, The LOX released We Are The Streets while Talib Kweli and DJ Hi-Tek dropped Train Of Thought as Reflection Eternal. At the time, these New York City artists appeared to some, to exist at opposite sides of the Rap industry. While Jadakiss, Styles P, and Sheek Louch were... Read more

Talib Kweli’s 10 Favorite Albums Are An Eternal Reflection Of Great Music

Last month, Raekwon raised some eyebrows and even more discussion when he listed his Top 10 albums. While his own acclaimed purple tape and Ghostface Killah's Supreme Clientele were on the list, Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) missed the cut. That prompted some discourse from fans, surrounding the classic LP upon... Read more

Talib Kweli Drops a 64-Bar Video With The Kind Of Wordplay That Made Him A Star.

Talib Kweli is fast at work on his collaborative album with The LOX's Styles P. However, in the meantime, Kweli offers up a fresh batch of 64 bars built around everything that's made this Brooklyn, New Yorker so great for 20 years and counting. Just as Talib did on his... Read more

Odd Future’s Hodgy Releases A Video That Shows Creativity In Its Full Glory

Six years ago this month, Odd Future stole the show when they performed "Sandwiches" on Jimmy Fallon's stage. Some Heads had been hip to the Los Angeles, California collective for some time. However, based on the reactions of Yasiin Bey, The Roots, and even the late-night host, Heads knew that... Read more

Talib Kweli Explains How A Tribe Called Quest Fathered Hip-Hop Music As We Know It (Video)

Talib Kweli is one of the distinguished guests on A Tribe Called Quest's final album. Appearing on "The Killing Season," Kweli worked alongside Q-Tip, Jarobi White, and the late Phife Dawg. The album has topped the charts, and become one of music's most talked about releases in 2016. Speaking with... Read more

Talib Kweli Is A Boss. He Showcases The Artists On His Self-Owned Record Label (Audio)

As he was ramping up his own career, Talib Kweli made critical appearances on compilations, 12" singles, and albums by the likes of Pharoahe Monch, The Roots, and others. The Brooklyn, New Yorker knew that careers didn't happen overnight—especially those that last for many, many days. Since his late '90s,... Read more

With The Highlight Year Anderson .Paak Is Having He Might Never Come Down (Video)

Lately, it seems like so many albums get a visual to just about every song. They arrive in close proximity to each other, and fill up the digital superhighway with traffic not that much different from rush hour commutes. Prior to today, Anderson .Paak's Malibu album is approaching its one-year... Read more

Talib Kweli Recalls How Blown Away He Was By An Unsigned Kanye West’s Talent (Video)

Talib Kweli and Kanye West have made several notable collaborations. That artistry began 14 years ago, with the release of the Brooklyn, New York MC's first solo album, Quality. Following acclaimed full-length projects with Black Star and Reflection Eternal, the Rawkus Records flagship artist embarked on his first release through... Read more

Nas, Fabolous & Talib Kweli Among 2016 Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival Performers

2016's 12th annual Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival will celebrate some of the great artists from and around the New York City borough. The July 16 concert (with other festivities beginning on July 13) will take place at the scenic Brooklyn Bridge Park. This year's headliners include Queens' Nas, as well as... Read more

Talib Kweli, Problem & Bad Lucc Make A Minimalist Video All About Mic Rocking

Talib Kweli's "Pay Ya Dues" is the latest Indie 500 song to get the visual treatment. The record pulls talent from Brooklyn, New York to South Central, Los Angeles—as Compton's Problem and nearby Bad Lucc guest on the track. For a song about the elemental approach to getting your name... Read more

Reflection Eternal’s Train Of Thought vs. Outkast’s Stankonia. Which Is Better?

One year ago, Ambrosia For Heads launched a debate among its readers seeking to answer one of Hip-Hop’s most hotly-contested questions: who is the greatest MC of all time? “Finding The GOAT MC” lasted between September 2014 and May 2015, engaging millions of readers and ultimately producing its winner, as... Read more

Talib Kweli, Pharoahe Monch & Last Emperor Freestyle In A Found 2001 Moment (Audio)

In 2001, things were taking off for Talib Kweli and Pharoahe Monch. As part of the Rawkus Records movement, these 1990s alums were paving the way for solo careers following extensive group success with the likes of Organized Konfusion, Black Star, and Reflection Eternal. Presumably doing the Hip Hop For... Read more

A Tribe Called Quest’s Midnight Marauders vs. Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star. Which Is Better?

One year ago, Ambrosia For Heads launched a debate among its readers seeking to answer one of Hip-Hop’s most hotly-contested questions: who is the greatest MC of all time? “Finding The GOAT MC” lasted between September 2014 and May 2015, engaging millions of readers and ultimately producing its winner, as... Read more

Reflection Eternal’s Hi-Tek Joins 9th Wonder’s Soul Council

Cincinnati, Ohio's Hi-Tek has been a major player in some of the most influential Hip-Hop albums of the last 20 years. A onetime Rawkus Records artist, the producer/DJ worked extensively on Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star, in addition to Common and Sadat X's "1-9-9-9," Big L's "Still... Read more

Talib Kweli & 9th Wonder’s Indie 500 Drives For A Star-Studded Win (Album Stream)

Last year, Talib Kweli, 9th Wonder, and Pharaohe Monch announced that they were combining forces and resources to launch Indie 500, an independent label, marketing, and distribution conglomerate. Nearly a year to the date after the announcement, Indie 500 (the album) arrives. While it doesn't release until November 6, Heads... Read more

Talib Kweli & 9th Wonder Suggest There Is No Such Thing As An Innocent Bystander (Audio/Video)

Alexander Hamilton once said, "Those who stand for nothing fall for anything." There is a lot to stand up for in the world around us—and there are some who still seemingly feel like it is not their place, their preference, or their politics to have an opinion. Talib Kweli, 9th... Read more

Talib Kweli, Rapsody & 9th Wonder Reconsider The Meaning Of “Ghetto” (Video)

Last week, Talib Kweli, Rapsody, and 9th Wonder released "Every Ghetto." The DJ Hi-Tek-produced collaborative single is a hallmark release for the Indie 500 conglomerate, and its follow-up video proves it. Traveling from Brooklyn, New York to Cincinnati, Ohio, the soulful song examines at neighborhoods that are often called "ghettos"... Read more

Talib Kweli Says Eff The Money & Then Proves It. He Gives Away Free LP. (Album Stream)

August 15 UPDATE: Talib Kweli has also offered an official album stream of F**k The Money: Earlier today (August 14), Talib Kweli offered a powerful indictment on greed and materialism. The Reflection Eternal/Black Star co-founder release "(Eff) The Money," a Cassper Noyvet-assisted track that showed that signature fire inside the... Read more

Do Remember: Black Star’s K.O.S. (Determination) (Audio)

1998's breakthrough album, Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star introduced the Hip-Hop masses, and eventually the mainstream, to two brilliant Brooklyn, New York creative visionaries. The Rawkus Records release followed a season of 12" singles, compilation appearances, and in the case of Mighty Mos, some high-profile features (De... Read more

Talib Kweli, Boots from The Coup & Kool A.D. Team For Amazing Animation (Video)

Kool A.D. is among 2015's most versatile MCs. The former Das Racist cofounder has gone on to defy genre, style, and all around convention in recent years. For "Hickory," he links with Talib Kweli and Boots Riley (from The Coup). The song is jazzy, funky, and clearly rooted in Rap.... Read more

Do Remember: Talib Kweli & DJ Quik’s Put It In The Air (Audio)

Few artists have the excitement leading into their solo debut as Talib Kweli, especially by 2000s standards. Entering Quality, the Brooklyn, New York MC had already found success with two groups, Black Star and Reflection Eternal. Both acts, duos with Mos Def and DJ Hi-Tek, respectively, had been met with... Read more