Interview by: Martin Bauman If there were a picture next to the word "lyricist" in the dictionary, it would probably be of
Talib Kweli. The Brooklyn-raised emcee has long been known for his gift with the pen, one he's harnessed to paint a portrait of his surroundings ever since bursting onto the scene in 1998 with the classic
Mos Def and Talib Kweli are Black Star. Over the years, he's shone a light on everything from race and politics (
"The Proud"), to women's strength (
"For Women"), to the everyday struggle (
"Get By"), crafting some of hip-hop's most memorable songs in the process. On his latest work,
Gravitas, he turns his gaze inward, making for perhaps his most personal album yet. We caught up with Kweli to talk about
Gravitas, the importance of honesty in music, our responsibility to the world, and much more.
Read the full interview after the jump.
