234 Quotes by Talib Kweli

But there’s so many things in life like women, like children, like God and family that transcends the world of hip-hop.

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

Ain’t nobody making music to not be heard and the easiest way to be heard is to be on the radio, but you should never compromise who you are, your values or your morals.

I like the fact that I can rep New York, but my style does not – I’m not trapped in a New York thing. I can do art songs with other artists and it’s seamless.

It doesn’t get any more underground, conscious or indie than Macklemore, Ryan Lewis, but because they got a couple of really big pop hits, actually some of the biggest pop hits that hip-hop has ever seen, people are missing that part of their story. People are not counting that blessing.

The materialism, the brashness, the misogyny – everything in hip-hop is amplified. Misogyny is a good example of something that is completely amplified in hip-hop. I do think there is more than enough of a balance, though, for fans who are willing to search it out.

I like collaboration because, first of all, I’m good at writing lyrics. I don’t know how to make beats. I don’t play instruments. I’m not a good singer. So even when you see a solo album of mine, it’s still a collaboration.

I think all those artists are artists who are appreciated because you believe their words and you appreciate their honesty in their music. If you don’t appreciate the honesty in the music, the beat can be fly as hell but you’ll never give an emcee props.

I feel like people mislead themselves when they tell themselves they’re into me because of the lyrics. From my vantage point, people aren’t into me because of the content, because of the lyrics. Because there’s a million of rappers who have great content.