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17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
"They say I'm back, but I ain't go nowhere though, I've been here the whole time, where U been, U back,...Apologize!, August 27, 2007
I was introduced to Talib Kweli just as most people were when we heard what is still a rap classic today, "Definition". 1,2,3 it's Mos Def and Taliiib Kweliiii!!!! 'Til this day, this is still one of my favorite songs. If you are a real hip hop fan, then Black Star should easily be in your Top 25 for all time best hip hop CDs. The next release that I heard Talib Kweli on was Reflection Eternal/Train of Thought. While this CD was well known because of "The Blast", there were clearly other bangers on this CD such as "This Means You" w/Mos Def, "Too Late", "Name Of The Game", "Down For The Count" w/Rah Digga & Xzibit, "Move Somethin'", and "Soul Rebels" w/ De La Soul. In 2002, Talib released his 1st "solo" CD with Quality. Although the 1st single was "Waiting For The DJ" which featured Bilal, (As a matter of fact can we get another Bilal CD, please..lol), "Get By", which was produced by Kanye West, was clearly the track that should have been released first. It doesn't get anymore real hip hop than this track. "Joy" featuring Mos Def easily could have been the 2nd single after "Get By". There were other tracks that I enjoyed as well such as "Guerrilla Monsoon Rap" that featured Black Thought and Pharoahe Monch, "Put It In The Air" which featured DJ Quik, and "Gun Music" which featured Smif N Wessun (Cocoa Brovas). 2 years later, Talib released The Beautiful Struggle. I was definitely disappointed with the 1st single, "I Try", which featured Mary J Blige. I thought that it was a bland attempt by Kanye to do a sequel to "Get By" instead of making another original track. While there were some enjoyable tracks, "Beautiful Struggle" definitely couldn't compare to "Blackstar", "Reflection Eternal" or "Quality". The "Beautiful Struggle" mixtape series was clearly better than the actual CD. I didn't purchase Right About Now so after "Beautiful Struggle", my journey with Talib continues on "Eardrum".
"Eardrum" gets off to an excellent start with "Everything Man". Just in case you thought that Talib lost it, which he clearly never did, he delivers with this intro that gives you a nice indication to what the rest of the CD sounds like. On "NY Weather Report", Talib gives his best hip hop meteorologist impression to let you know how it feels to grow up in the town of NY. He also does a good job of breaking things down lyrically about events that he has seen there and how that has affected his life in some ways. My favorite track comes early in the Just Blaze produced "Hostile Gospel Part 1 (Deliver Us)". Ladies and gentlemen, it is hard to get any better than this with the type of club rap tracks that we have to be subject to in the year of 2007. Talib Kweli is able to release what I feel is his best track since "Get By" as a solo artist. His flow is incredible and he makes you wanna pay attention to everything he is saying in the verses. He starts off the track by being disappointed by the state of the rappers that are in the game today and he also talks about different events that are going on in the world. On "Say Something", Talib and Jean Grae are coming across like they have something to prove. Talib seems to be frustrated by the disbelievers who seem to think that he has lost a step. Will I Am produces the track and this song will easily be in your Top 5 of favorite tracks. "Country Cousins" features Raheem DeVaughn and UGK, who just released their new self titled double CD, Underground Kingz 3 weeks ago. Talib aligns himself not only with the people that he grew up with in NY, but he also says that he is cool with people on all coasts and not just in the East. UGK does the same as they say they have people that they are cool with outside of Port Arthur. These same artists were featured on "Real Women" on Disc 2 from UGK's new double disc. "Holy Moly" is one of the best songs lyrically on "Eardrum". It also doesn't hurt that Pete Rock produces the track. "Eat To Live" will also be a track that is on constant repeat as you continue to listen to "Eardrum". Just like on "Hostile Gospel", Talib tackles alot of social issues and the way that he is able to talk about these issues without compromising anything lyrcially is phenominal. Clearly, the smoothest track on this CD is "In The Mood". You get Talib, Kanye and Roy Ayers on a Kanye West produced track as Talib gives you the smooth talk and Kanye seems to be frustrated by the Kim Kardashian's of the world. Although, I clearly like the choice of "Hot Thing" as the 1st single, "In The Mood" would have served better than just having Talib's 1st verse at the end of the video. Kanye will be releasing his 3rd Disc Graduation on September 11, 2007. "Soon The New Day" will also be another track that you will like with Norah's smooth vocals get matched with Talib's lyricism on a Madlib produced track. "More Or Less" is Hi-Tek's lone contribution to "Ear Drum", which surprises me, however, Dion's smooth vocals get matched with Talib again like they were on Hi Tek's Hi-Teknology, Vol. 2: The Chip on "Where It All Started (NY)", which featured Talib with Papoose, Raekwon, Jadakiss and Dion. "More Or Less" is right up there with the best tracks on "Ear Drum". "Stay Around" would be better if it weren't for the hook but Pete Rock and Talib combine once again for a nice collaboration. "Hot Thing" is definitely a track that if you don't like it after hearing it the first couple of times, the song will grow on you. In my opinion, the formula works as Will I Am produces a track that can be a single and although it's commercial won't make too many of Talib's core fans mad at him. Anytime you can get Talib and KRS ONE on a track you know that the results are going to be good and clearly they are. Swiff D produces a track that KRS ONE could have rapped on in the "Return Of The Boom Bap" days and Talib is right up there lyrically on "The Perfect Beat". Talib gets sentimental, along with Musiq Soulchild, who gets his D'Angelo on, on "Oh My Stars", as it seems to be a track dedicated to the children in the world today. "Listen!" was featured on the "Freedom Writers" soundtrack along with Common's "A Dream" and is still right up there with the best songs on "Eardrum".
Out of the 3 listed bonus tracks, "Go With Us" which features Strong Arm Steady is the best one as the track is basically a lyrcial free for all between Talib and Xzibit's old crew. The sequel to "Hostile Gospel" featuring Sizzla also works as well, but the track just isn't as good as the original version. "The Nature" which is produced by Justin Timberlake and features him on the hook, is a decent track but the collaboration seems a bit forced.
Overall, "Eardrum" should be a CD that you are listening to for a long time, along with "Blackstar" and "Reflection Eternal" when it comes to CDs that Talib Kweli is featured on. Just in case you thought Talib losts any skills I clearly believe that "Eardrum" is dedicated to those nonbelievers. After hearing Pharoahe Monch's "Desire" and Common's "Finding Forever", "Eardrum" is right up there with the 2007 CDs that are being made to bring real hip hop back to the forefront. I also can't forget 2006's "Hip Hop Is Dead" from Nas, "Game Theory" from The Roots, "Fishscale" from Ghostface and "Food & Liquor" from Lupe Fiasco. Talib should be commended for a job well done.
James' Top 6
1) Hostile Gospel Part 1 (Deliver Us)
2) Holy Moly
3) The Perfect Beat w/KRS ONE
4) In The Mood w/Kanye West and Roy Ayers
5) Eat To Live
6) Listen!
Honorable Mention:
Everything Man
NY Weather Report
Say Something w/Jean Grae
More Or Less w/Dion
Hot Thing w/Will I Am
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9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Still Bumpin' in My 'Ear Drum' Right Now!, September 8, 2007
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.
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7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Listen! Use Your Eardrum In the Best of Ways, August 21, 2007
Talib Kweli together with Mos Def and Hi-Tek were members of the band Black Star that released a classic eponymous alternative album in 1998. It became their one and only album, although Hi-Tek and Kweli also made another project Reflection Eternal with the album "Train of Thought" in 2000. However, while the three of them split, Hi-Tek continued his career as a producer, Mos Def still released albums but would dedicate more of his time as an struggling actor but Talib Kweli would continue to spread his words of wisdom with Conscious Hip Hop in his own name. The debut album "Quality" from 2002 was among the best albums of that year and featured the highlight "Get By" produced from the relativetely unknown producer at the time, Kanye West. Two years later sophmore album "Beautiful Struggle" came out, but it didn't get the same kind of praise at all even if the album was alright. For those that aren't fammiliar with Talib Kweli, he's among the most talented and intelligent Mc's around but he always declined any form of step towards mainstream and he remained unknown or simply too un-interesting to alot of people. On "Ear Drum" you won't expect any club songs with Ashanti or Mariah Carey but the producer and guest list looks very interesting and there is probably far more exciting numbers here then on his last album. Can he combine lyricism with production and make an album as good as Common's latest?.
Let's take a look at the songs cause afterall they have a huge impact On Kweli's music. Opener "Everything Man" Kweli talks about the burden of being a conscious rapper and the expectations he got to write good lyrics that people can apply to. This Madlib production is very soulish with a woman singing backround, very good opener even if it's a bit short. "NY Weather Report" is a metafor for determination, no matter what weather (or force) you're facing, go by intuition and do what you think is right, in music and in life. This song got an old skool feeling with alot of scratching, you can really feel the presence of the DJ. On Just Blaze produced "Hostile Gospel Part 1" Kweli talks about the importance of underground Hip Hop and how mainstream Hip Hop became a business without passion with too many people just in there for the money, with their hostility to the game, he'll be responding back with the same message. Yes, this song does have a Gospel feeling all over it. One of the highlights in production is defenitely Will.i.am's "Say Something" that also feature a guest verse from the female rapper Jean Grae. Here he talks about his superior skills and how he deserve respect, names like Obama and Michael Richards are mentioned here and if there is one song for commercial airplay, then it's this one. On "Country Cousins" Kweli talks about how Hip Hop was born in NY and how many grew up with that sound, but now others from the South with a diffrent sound are up and coming and deserve respect just as much as the New Yorkans and Californians. This song is quite slow with an soul sound and feauture UGK and Raheem Devaughn. "Holy Moly" deals with pain and hope and how they are sometimes combined.
"Eat To Live" deals with kids that don't have enough food to live a healthy life, and this is not about the third world, but in USA. Kanye West appears and produced "In The Mood" about passion...passion for everything.. If the mood is right, it creates passion, That's what truly keeps us alive. This song is very jazzy and feature Jazz vibrationist Ron Ayers. Madlib's "Soon the New Day" with Norah Jones is another highlight. This song is about a woman he met that would do anything to get a record deal but didn't have the passion. Great performence form Jones on this laidback slow tempo. On "Give 'Em Hell" deals with what he sees is the problem with organized religion and how you must educate yourself about diffrent religions and find faith by yourself before praising what others say. "More or Less" a song about balance, produced by Hi-Tek. Kweli means that we need more of the intellegent music and less of the commercial, but also of other things in the society. Another highlight. More of the love for the game on "Stay Around" where he critisize how media, radio stations and Dj's forgot the art and started to care more about the money and therafter promoting the bad things with Hip Hop that gives the entire genre a bad names. No names mentioned, but You should know what he's talking about.
More Will.i.am on "Hot Thing" a love song about beauty or being in love with a woman that he isn't afriad of calling beautiful. A short intro called "Space Fruit" is followed by a tribute to real Hip Hop with KRS One and how it all should be when the "beat is is trying to find the flow". "Oh My Stars" with Musiq Soulchild is a song about his children and the importance they have in his life. His children can be heard in the beginning of the song. "Listen" which was also a single deals with the decline of Hip Hop, but also about the power of the sound and in this case the importance of music. 3 bonus songs. "Go With Us" with Strong Arm Steady, "Hostile Gospel 2" with reggae artist Sizzla and "The Nature" with Justin Timberland, he also produced it and not Timbaland like some sources said.
Overall, Talib Kweli delivers an album where all of the songs have a meaning. Most of the songs have great lyrics and alot of them also have great production, thus making "Ear Drum" interesting enough for both old and new fans. Some songs are so good they could become hits with promotion, others are suited better for albums. However, here we got an artist offering solutions to problems and someone who's both faithful to the past and looking forward to the future. Sure, some of the concepts have been dealt with before and there are a few songs too many and why the bonus songs?. Either way, "Ear Drum" is a must have. This is Hip Hop.
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