Talib Kweli On Twitter Racists, Lyricism & Best Album | Soulful Sunday
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Talib Kweli Says He Appreciates Trap And Mumble Rappers Because They "Are Able To Create A Vibe"
"As a lyricist, me as someone who had to learn how to rhyme to the beat, I appreciate just hearing trap rappers and mumble rappers." - Talib Kweli
Talib Kweli recently sat down with HipHopDX as part of their recurring video segment "Soulful Sundays." Alongside DX's Editor-In-Chief Trent Clark, Kweli talked about lyricism in rap music, as well as his appreciation for trap and mumble rappers.
READ: Yasiin Bey And Talib Kweli Discuss What Hip-Hop Means To Them In New Interview
"I appreciate people like Travis Scott and Future and Migos who are not as lyrical but are able to create a vibe," the rapper said. "The reason why I can appreciate it is because they can't do what I do. They'll never be as good as me as doing what I do because I got that on lock. So, since it's like I got that on lock, well how can I be a better musician? Being a better musician is creating a vibe and the way that people respond, and the way that people respond to these artists is because they're creating a good vibe. It doesn't have to be all about lyrics. But if we're going to have a lyrical discussion, then I’m going to be at the top of that food chain."
During the interview, the "Get By" rapper also discusses why he thinks Reflection Eternal's Train Of Thought is his best album.
In another recent interview, Kweli talked about what hip-hop means to him.
"[I say ‘honesty’] because you really don’t get successful in Hip-Hop unless you stay true to yourself. Like the Hip-Hop aesthetic — at least the one that I grew up on — was originality," Kweli said while speaking to Ed Lover on his C'mon Son podcast. "We were just talking about clothing and how people might not like André 3000’s clothes, but nobody can front on him when it comes to that Hip-Hop. For me, Hip-Hop has made me more honest with myself. My name is Talib Kweli; my Rap name is Talib Kweli. So on that stage, I gotta be my best self. If I try to be another artist, that’s when I start to fall off or fail."
