As anyone vaguely aware of Talib Kweli knows, the man can spit with the best of ’em and arguably offers more thought-provoking words per song than anyone in the game.  The lyrics of Palookas from 2011’s Gutter Rainbows – “You ain’t gotta verse better than my worse one” – would sound like empty boasting from just about anybody else.

Kweli put on an exhibition at the Highline Ballroom earlier this month as he wrapped up a sixteen date tour introducing his forthcoming album with Styles P called The Seven.  Kweli made his first mark in ’98 with the potent Mos Def & Talib Kweli are Black Star and he reached back to that album during the set for K.O.S. (Knowledge of Self).  It’s been a great ride since and as the artist has taken more control of all aspects of record-making and its subsequent promotion, he’s entered an especially fruitful period.

One misconception about the BK MC is that he doesn’t vote so I asked him, in the aftermath of the recent election, to clarify his position.  In fact he does vote when he views it as meaningful as he explains in the video below featuring bonus bits of the conversation we had backstage at the Highline Ballroom after the show on Friday, February 10th.  (It also includes remarks about the mixtape that came out last year Awful People Are Great At Parties and  how he and Styles inject culture into their music.)  Not only does Kweli vote, he’s been to the White House and conferred with President Obama!  He spoke about that, his old Black Star bandmate Yasiin Bey – formerly known as Mos Def – and a handful of other issues in an interview with the UK online platform Acton Entertainment also embedded below…

Alway a pleasure to catch Styles who I had a chance to interview recently and K’Valentine was fab too.  She is one to watch!

Return Of The Lox – New Album Filthy America…It’s Beautiful Out Now 12-28-16

Jadakiss, Sheek Louch, and Jadakiss have been flirting with the possibility of a full-on reformation of The Lox for a few years and the release of Filthy America…It’s Beautiful this month closes the deal.  The tracks deliver tough street reporting and timely observations and includes cameos by Mobb Deep and Fetty Wap.  Gucci Mane appears on the wicked Secure The Bag that closes the record.  

This is the first full-on album from the Yonkers trio since We Are The Streets in 2000 and only the third since their debut Money, Power, and Respect hit in 1998.  The opening salvo came three years ago with The Trinity EP that made it clear The L-O-X were back in business.  That was followed by The Trinity 2nd and 3rd Sermons in late 2014 setting the stage for appearances this year as part of the Bad Boy 20th Anniversary Tour. The final step was signing with Jay Z’s Roc Nation.  The interview took place at Roc Nation’s sexy offices on Broadway a few blocks south of Times Square.

Camaraderie and rivalry may be equal parts in The Lox recipe.  When I suggested the three brought out the best in each other, Sheek said he wanted to beat both of his mates’ lyrics but ultimately it was the three of them going against the world.  Styles compared their collaboration to a basketball team, “It’s all about the win for the team but there’s nothing wrong with being the MVP…but don’t be mad when your brother gets the MVP.”  

The release of What Happens this summer that addressed the deaths of black men at the hands of police can now be looked at as more of a one-off than a preview of the new disc.  Styles made it clear that the new album is not political despite its name.  Here’s a bonus interview bit in which he explains the title of Filthy America…It’s Beautiful.