Talib Kweli & Madlib - Liberation
Hip Hop > Reviews > 001 > – Feb 4, 2007 – by ease 
How do you give away one of the best, if not the best album of 07? Without any promotion and little advance warning. Talib Kweli and Madlib released LIBERATION. A limited edition download on the two parties respective myspace pages. So if your not a frequent visitor of either of their MySpace pages… Chances are you missed out on the best album to be released over the first week of the New Year. “Liberation ain’t the illest vinyl pressing/ yeah right/ and the government ain’t lying bout nine eleven.” says Talib on “Over the Counter”. “I went to college then I left/ thats when I got my education/ still live with my regrets/ how ill would I be with a degree“.
Talib drops plenty of jewels throughout the album on “The Show” he come at us like “Our music went from/ tap dance to the lapdance/ try to get me to sell out/ and thats a fat chance/ you see black faces in my rap pages/ Larry Davis/ Angela Davis/ or Ossie Davis“.
“Time is Right” I’m so good without your props and accolades/ Crackin like whips on the back of slaves/ spitin on the massas grave“. Kweli packs so many witty punchlines on this album I’m going dizzy trying to think of which one to quote. “Engine Running” features Consequence.
“The Function” features Chase infinite and Self Scientific. MadLib provides a very dope sounding piano groove with flutes calmly laying smoothly in the cut. Watch it…!!! this track will sneak up on you like a Jamaican rum dacuri. Before you know it you’ll be hanging from the rafters.
“Happy Home” details some of the many scenarios that Kweli’s ancestors have gone through to get the family to the point where it is today. A scaled back oral history from slavery to the vietnam war to the first person in his family going to college. “it’s dejavous the way this came to me/ and it explains how I came to be“.
I can go on an on about this album and if i could I would print the entire lyric sheet, I would. It’s that Great! The Music is outstanding! Madlib And Talib are a great combination! This album rivals MadVillian as Madlibs best work to date and the same for Kweli, it’s close to his best work.
In a time when the country is at war, Poor people are under constant attack, The pursuit and lust for Money seems to be bigger than ever. The culture that these artist represent is at war for it’s very heart and soul. Artist Sellout easy as they put on their underwear in the morning. These artist did the unthinkable… they Donated! a Classic Album.
Liberation demonstrates what the spirit of Hip Hop is all about. It is a gift that we can all gather round and enjoy! It’s the gift that will forever keep on giving. How can you get more Hip Hop than that?
Comments
3 Comments so far
This is definitely the dopest cd I’ve had in years! It puts so many artists to shame. I mean, in this day and age where a cd can cost $18.00 and you only get 1..2..maybe 3 decent tracks, Liberation is all good! You can pop this cd in, and listen to the whole thing without hitting the fast-forward button! This is a REAL HIP-HOP cd.. not some wannabe gangsta, hoes in the club, smoke till you choke, Bling-bling and 24’s type schyt. If it’s still available for download, I recommend EVERYONE that loves hip-hop to grab it. It’s the best cd your money won’t can’t buy!
. ..roxstar. ..
This review is dope. I think I’ll go cop the cd today.
I’m enjoying your work on this site, Dale. Gram gave me your location.
Although I’m finding it late, this review of LIBERATION, in particular, is very informative and inspiring, especially to an elder someone — one who is way outside of the Hip-Hop generation. My attention to the genre, however, has included admiration for and appreciation of many of the genuine (non-gangster) expressions and practitioners. Talib Kweli, for example, has been a long-time favorite of mine.
In the same vein — something that your readers might appreciate and be enlightened by — is the current national tour, Make Hip-Hop, Not War. The tour began March 21 on Capitol Hill and, after looping the entire continental USA, is scheduled to end in Baltimore on April 24. I suspect that you know about it already, but in any case details can be obtained via their website at http://www.myspace.com/makehiphopnotwar.
I’m liking your flow. Keep up the good work.
–Baba Mel