Continued from page 26
a multimedia presentation infused with documentary
man. These lyrics are evident in songs like “Get By,” the
video chronicling the origins of hip-hop as well as stock
MC’s biggest hit to date which appeared on his first solo
footage of political Black leaders.
album, Quality. Songs like “Listen” and “Country
The self-proclaimed “scholarly MC”
Cousins” from his forth-
asserts, “When you see a music video you
see a Lamborghini and big, fat chains and
t,
able t
o

you think ‘oh they’re ballin’ and the under-
ground artist is not getting heard, but it’s
Hip
-hop is
, like all gr
ea
t ar
not as simple as all that.”
But as the sales, and maybe even popu-
larity of the art form decline as recent
ex
is
t w
it
h
or w
it
h
ou
t t
h
e media
.
reports indicate, people embedded in the
coming
culture are left to defend it as well. Kweli appears opti-
album Eardrum, the first from
mistic.
his Blacksmith Music label, are sure to strike a com-
“Hip-hop, like all great art, will exist with or without the
mon cord as well.
media,” said Talib.
“I really enjoy the shows and the actual MC part of it
No radio, no videos, just one mic and a touring MC.
because that’s what I focus on,” said Talib.
During his recent Virgin College Mega Tour, which
Eardrum is slated to hit stores on June 19.
made stops in both College Park and Baltimore, Kweli did
Sean Yoes contributed to this story.
what he does best—enlighten and entertain. “You got
to focus on your strengths, and that’s my strength,” said
Kweli referring to the wisdom and knowledge he imparts
to his audience. “The downfall is, when you make music-
I do w
a
y be
you make music to entertain people and education is not
always fun...it can be, but that’s the challenge,” contin-
th
t
a
ter w
n
h
a
i
lf
th
ued Kweli.
of
music
A stark contrast to the commonly portrayed images
you see on BE
th
e
a
r
ti
sts
th
in mainstream hip-hop, Talib Kweli’s performance at T
.
at

the University of Maryland College Park on April 19 was
BUGABOO CREEK STEAK HOUSE
MORE THAN JUST GREAT STEAKS
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A publication of the Afro-American Newspapers Trends 27
TTrends Summer 2007.indd 27rends Summer 2007.indd 27 55/29/07 12:25:22 PM/29/07 12:25:22 PM
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