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Something's not right when a high compliment -- one laid down on wax, no less! -- from a giant like Jay-Z doesn't set off a major sales spike. Such is the case with Talib Kweli, a phenomenal MC who has only flirted with mainstream acceptance, despite being admired by a host of harder-edged platinum artists. Rather than try to ride out that slow if steady momentum and see where it takes him, Kweli takes the power into his own hands and grabs for the brass ring. The Beautiful Struggle is far from a 180 for him, but it's just out of character enough to be awkward. Whether he's attempting to bridge the underground to the mainstream or simply pull away from the former, the results aren't wholly convincing. Not only is Kweli attempting to alter the way in which he's perceived through his own verses; he's also been keeping some unlikely company -- a (superior) prealbum mixtape featured guest spots from Fabolous, Styles P, and G-Unit addition Shawn Penn. More than once on this album, Kweli's as anxious to lose his backpacking image as a fourth grader at 3 p.m. On the title track, he declares, "They call me the political rapper even after I tell 'em I don't f*ck with politics, I don't even follow it." He stands no chance of losing that tag when a line like "the motherf*cking Democrats is acting like Republicans" is contained within the same verse. Plus, he always has and always will excel at depicting facets of interpersonal politics. As much as The Beautiful Struggle is likely to catch longtime fans off-guard and leave mainstream followers indifferent, Kweli's unexpected moves appear to have more to do with trying new things -- and possibly thwarting preconceived notions -- than desperation. Still, there's no denying that it misses a little more than it hits.
© Andy Kellman /TiVo
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Mark Batson, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Bob Power, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Talib Kweli Greene, ComposerLyricist - Talib Kweli, MainArtist - Corey Smyth, ComposerLyricist - Res, Additional Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Charlemagne, Producer - H. Charlemagne, ComposerLyricist - Dave "Supastar" Dar, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Anthony Zeller, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2004 Rawkus Entertainment LLC
J. Smith, ComposerLyricist - Tony Cottrell, ComposerLyricist - Alex Thomas, Additional Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Talib Kweli Greene, ComposerLyricist - Talib Kweli, MainArtist - Hi-Tek, Producer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Krondon Thomas, Additional Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Dion Thomas, Additional Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Steve Daniel Baughman, Mixer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2004 Rawkus Entertainment LLC
Chad Hugo, ComposerLyricist - The Neptunes, Producer - Pharrell Williams, ComposerLyricist - PHIL TAN, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - FAITH EVANS, Additional Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Andrew Coleman, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Brian Garten, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Talib Kweli Greene, ComposerLyricist - Talib Kweli, MainArtist - Jun Ishizeki, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2004 Rawkus Entertainment LLC
Bob Power, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - D. West, ComposerLyricist - FAITH EVANS, FeaturedArtist - Talib Kweli Greene, ComposerLyricist - Talib Kweli, MainArtist - K. Ross, ComposerLyricist - Supa Dave West, Producer - Dave "Supastar" Dar, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Anthony Zeller, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2004 Rawkus Entertainment LLC
Talib Kweli Greene, ComposerLyricist - Talib Kweli, MainArtist - Justin Shturtz, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Antwan Thompson, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Gimel Keaton, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Dave "Supastar" Dar, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2004 Rawkus Entertainment LLC
Kanye West, Producer, ComposerLyricist - John Stephens, ComposerLyricist - Alan Mason, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Talib Kweli, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Mary J. Blige, FeaturedArtist, ComposerLyricist - Dave "Supastar" Dar, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Anthony Zeller, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Steve Daniel Baughman, Mixer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2004 Rawkus Entertainment LLC
Sting, ComposerLyricist - AXEL NIEHAUS, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Talib Kweli Greene, ComposerLyricist - Talib Kweli, MainArtist - Henri Charlemagne, ComposerLyricist - Charlemagne, Producer - Dave "Supastar" Dar, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Anthony Zeller, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2004 Rawkus Entertainment LLC
Bob Power, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Talib Kweli Greene, ComposerLyricist - Talib Kweli, MainArtist - Bruce Waynne, Producer - Dirty Swift, Producer - Res, FeaturedArtist - K. Risto, ComposerLyricist - W. Nugent, ComposerLyricist - Dave "Supastar" Dar, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Anthony Zeller, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Spacey T, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2004 Rawkus Entertainment LLC
Jonathan Rotem, ComposerLyricist - Tony Cottrell, ComposerLyricist - Talib Kweli Greene, ComposerLyricist - Talib Kweli, MainArtist - Hi-Tek, Producer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - J.R., Producer - Anthony Zeller, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Glen Jeffries, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Tiffany Mynon, Additional Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Steve Daniel Baughman, Mixer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2004 Rawkus Entertainment LLC
L. Lynn, ComposerLyricist - Bob Power, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - D. West, ComposerLyricist - Anthony Hamilton, FeaturedArtist - Talib Kweli Greene, ComposerLyricist - Talib Kweli, MainArtist - Common, FeaturedArtist - Supa Dave West, Producer - Dave "Supastar" Dar, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Anthony Zeller, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2004 Rawkus Entertainment LLC
Waynne Nugent, ComposerLyricist - Kevin Risto, ComposerLyricist - Jamia Simone Nash, Additional Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - AXEL NIEHAUS, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Talib Kweli Greene, ComposerLyricist - Talib Kweli, MainArtist - Bruce Waynne, Producer - Dirty Swift, Producer - Justin Shturtz, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Tsidi Ibrahim, ComposerLyricist - Andrew McIntyre, ComposerLyricist - Dave "Supastar" Dar, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Anthony Zeller, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Tiffany Mynon, Additional Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Olivia Charnae Nash, Additional Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Elizabeth Bingham, Additional Vocals, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2004 Rawkus Entertainment LLC
J. Smith, ComposerLyricist - Dave Young, Additional Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Gimel "Young Guru" Keaton, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Talib Kweli Greene, ComposerLyricist - Talib Kweli, MainArtist - Just Blaze, Producer - David Brown, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2004 Rawkus Entertainment LLC
Tony Cottrell, ComposerLyricist - Talib Kweli Greene, ComposerLyricist - Talib Kweli, MainArtist - Hi-Tek, Producer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - J.R., Additional Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Glen Jeffries, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Steve Daniel Baughman, Mixer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2004 Rawkus Entertainment LLC
Album review
Something's not right when a high compliment -- one laid down on wax, no less! -- from a giant like Jay-Z doesn't set off a major sales spike. Such is the case with Talib Kweli, a phenomenal MC who has only flirted with mainstream acceptance, despite being admired by a host of harder-edged platinum artists. Rather than try to ride out that slow if steady momentum and see where it takes him, Kweli takes the power into his own hands and grabs for the brass ring. The Beautiful Struggle is far from a 180 for him, but it's just out of character enough to be awkward. Whether he's attempting to bridge the underground to the mainstream or simply pull away from the former, the results aren't wholly convincing. Not only is Kweli attempting to alter the way in which he's perceived through his own verses; he's also been keeping some unlikely company -- a (superior) prealbum mixtape featured guest spots from Fabolous, Styles P, and G-Unit addition Shawn Penn. More than once on this album, Kweli's as anxious to lose his backpacking image as a fourth grader at 3 p.m. On the title track, he declares, "They call me the political rapper even after I tell 'em I don't f*ck with politics, I don't even follow it." He stands no chance of losing that tag when a line like "the motherf*cking Democrats is acting like Republicans" is contained within the same verse. Plus, he always has and always will excel at depicting facets of interpersonal politics. As much as The Beautiful Struggle is likely to catch longtime fans off-guard and leave mainstream followers indifferent, Kweli's unexpected moves appear to have more to do with trying new things -- and possibly thwarting preconceived notions -- than desperation. Still, there's no denying that it misses a little more than it hits.
© Andy Kellman /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 13 track(s)
- Total length: 00:53:40
- Main artists: Talib Kweli
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Rawkus Entertainment
- Genre: Hip-Hop/Rap
© 2004 Rawkus Entertainment LLC ℗ 2004 Rawkus Entertainment LLC
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