Talib Kweli:
Right About Now

Release Date: 22 November 2005

Reviewed By: Javeen Panesar

1. Right About Now

2. Drugs, Basketball & Rap

3. Who Got it

4. Fly that Knot

5. Ms Hill

6. Flash Gordon

7. Supreme Supreme

8. The Beast

9. Roll Of Me

10. Rock On

11. Where you Gonna Run

12. Two and Two

The Game - The Documentary
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Talib Kweli never seems to get it quite right. His last outing, ‘The Beautiful Struggle’ was disapproved of by critics and fans alike, who claimed the renowned conscious MC had sold out for more mainstream success. There has always been much pressure on the Blackstar to produce something critically acclaimed that will reach mass audiences, and this has been reflected in the inconsistency of his musical sound.

But when the Brooklyn MC isn’t trying to please anyone, the Talib Kweli raw and lyrical magic is at its peak, and his latest outing, ‘Right About Now: The Official Sucka Free Mix CD’ is a prime example of this. With little publicity and an independent release, this low key affair relieves Kweli from the pressure of ‘the next Talib Kweli album’, and leaves him to get on with business.

There are no production heavyweights on this release; enlisted is the help of Dave West and the late J Dilla, which results in trademark Kweli heavy bass and minor sounds. Kweli also has a lot to get off his chest, namely problems he has encountered with his record labels, and he uses this release as a platform to air them.

On the first track, ‘Right About Now’, Kweli spits: “Rawkus got a deal with MCA that’s the grey area/ The letters stood for Music Cemetery of America/ They try to fool you by switching the name to Geffen/ Now they’re Interscope’s bitch and every artist who had a chance left them/ Ain’t no surprise that there wasn’t no love there/ Jimmy Iovine never signed me, I just kind of ended up there.” One of the strongest tracks on the mix, the ‘88 Keys Instrumental’ allows Kweli to sound as if he is just saying it like it is, rather than sounding bitter or out of joint.

‘Drugs, Basketball and Rap’ is set to be a classic, with the rapper criticising hip hop’s love for money and power, and is classic Kweli all over.

One of the album’s highlights is ‘Ms. Hill’, Kweli’s heartfelt tribute to hip hop’s first lady, Lauryn Hill. On this track, Kweli pours out his love and respect for Lauryn, asking her to return to the game and make more music. He recalls the BET awards, when Lauryn Hill was invited to perform, but producers wouldn’t let her read out a poem she wanted to. He criticises the industry for breaking her down when she tries to get up from her struggles. “The industry was beating her up/ Now them demons is eating her up/ She need a saviour that’ll bleed in a cup,” he states. The piano and melody in this song compliment the song’s intentions perfectly.

This album is set to be a signature mark for Talib Kweli. It sees him going back to what he does best: rough, heavy beats and lyrical genius. There is no stylish fluffing or complex production which allows his talent in his rawest form to come through. And the lack of hype surrounding the release is clever because, as with the album content, it allows you to concentrate on what’s important.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Top 3 Songs:

Right About Now

Ms. Hill

Flash Gordon

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