Quotes by Talib Kweli

About Talib Kweli:

Talib Kweli Greene is an American hip hop recording artist from Brooklyn, New York City, New York. Kweli also earned recognition through his work with fellow Brooklyn-bred rapper Mos Def, in East Coast hip hop group Black Star, as they are collectively known.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Before Eminem, the idea that there would be a white rapper that anybody would really check for was fantastic or amazing or impossible.

Talib Kweli

Artists look at the environment, and the best artists correctly diagnose the problem. I'm not saying artists can't be leaders, but that's not the job of art, to lead. Bob Marley, Nina Simone, Harry Belafonte - there are artists all through history wh...

Talib Kweli

And you know, art as commerce, doesn't really make too much sense, they don't go together.

Talib Kweli

There just needs to be a gay rapper. He doesn't have to be flamboyant, just a rapper who identifies as gay - who's better than everybody. Unfortunately hip-hop is so competitive that in order for fringe groups to get in, you gotta be better than whoe...

Talib Kweli

A lot of these people, these program directors, just like anybody else in the world, even though they're supposed to be leaders in the world, they're followers. They follow what they think someone else is doing, instead of trying to blaze a trail.

Talib Kweli

Hip-hop isn't as complex as a woman is.

Talib Kweli

You have to know when to be arrogant. You have to when to be humble. You have to know when to be hard and you have to know when to be soft.

Talib Kweli

The responsibility of an artist is to be honest with themselves.

Talib Kweli

I remember looking back on a photo of me... wearing a suit that was, like, two sizes too big for me. I think a lot of guys don't know what fits.

Talib Kweli

You know, there's a lot of activism that doesn't deal with empowerment, and you have to empower yourself in order to be relevant to any type of struggle.

Talib Kweli

You gotta eat right, you gotta have healthy habits, you know, and balance out your decadence with a healthy lifestyle during the day.

Talib Kweli

Honestly, you have to take care of yourself. That's probably something I have learned on the road.

Talib Kweli

So I think hip-hop is moving and is going to continue to move in the direction of rappers just being honest with themselves, whether you're talking about Common and Mos Def or Nas and 50 cent.

Talib Kweli

My fondest memories were watching the Beastie Boys get prepped to come on stage. They had a lot of antics and they play a lot of basketball... then they were giving out cameras to the crowd, and performing from the bleachers. The most important thing...

Talib Kweli

That's what hip-hop is: It's sociology and English put to a beat, you know.

Talib Kweli

There's a lot of activism that doesn't deal with empowerment, and you have to empower yourself in order to be relevant to any type of struggle.

Talib Kweli

The problem with our role is Americans live in a world of illusion.

Talib Kweli

If I'm performing with a DJ, it's all on me to draw the energy. I like the camaraderie of a band.

Talib Kweli

Things are fluid in this world, and if you don't remain fluid, you get lost in the sauce.

Talib Kweli

But you have to be creative on how you sell yourself and market yourself.

Talib Kweli

Author Bio

  • NameTalib Kweli
  • DescriptionAmerican rapper
  • BornOctober 3, 1975
  • CountryUnited States Of America
  • ProfessionPoet; Musician; Songwriter