Artist: Talib Kweli
Album: Gutter Rainbow
Release Date: January 25, 2011
Star Rating: 4.5

Talib Kweli is an artist that has continuously created albums with his old school influence and style. His album Gutter Rainbows, is no different in the sense that he is still staying consistent even though times are dramatically changing. Talib possesses an unique voice that can be easily recognized by many people. But if you look deeper then his voice, you’ll find an unmatched and unmistakable flow. Now if you take it one step further, you will also notice that the topics Talib Kweli raps about are not like most songs we are used to hearing.

With all of that combined into one artist, we get a gutsy, under appreciated and underrated rapper. Talib understands that he will be hated, but wont change his style because he loves doing what he does. As he says at the beginning of “Waiting For You,” “who are you to be talking about what I’m doing man?….How would you like it if I came to your job and evaluated your performance?” In the same song he goes on to talk about how different he is from other artists. “Commercial artist so relatable. Consumer appetite is insatiable. I could do what they could do easily. But then they say Kweli be seeming fake to you. Record sales ain’t making you, money is motivating you. The artist gotta lead I hope the fan base stay with you.”

But even though Kweli is different then many people around, he makes songs that are relevant and classy. If you give him a chance, this album is something that many people can vibe to and understand.