Talib Kweli - The Proud

[MikeNUFC]

Easily makes my top 5 rap tracks of all time.

It's as close as he's got to perfection in a song. I love Talib but this song is just a step up from anything he's done. Breathtaking from start to finish. It's not the best rhyme wise (not that its bad) but there are no filler lines and it's so passionate. Get chills listening to it.




Today the paper say Timothy McVeigh's in hell
So everything's okay and all must be well
I remember Oklahoma when they put out the blaze
And put Islamic terrorist bombing, on the front page
It's like saying only gays get AIDS, propaganda
Like saying the problem's over when they locked that man up
Wrong! It's just the beginning, the first inning
Battle for America's soul, the devil's winning

Just business enforcers with hate in they holsters
Shoot you in the back, won't face you like a soldier
Kurt Loder asked me what I say to a dead cop's wife
Cops kill my people everyday, that's life

My heart go out to everybody at Ground Zero
Red, black, yellow, white and brown heroes
It's more complicated than black and white
To give your own life is the greatest sacrifice
But it's hard for me to walk down the block
Seeing rats and roaches, crack viles and 40 ounce posters
People broken down from years of oppression
Become patriots when they way of life is threatened

[Hiphopdane]

I've said it before, this is one of the best tracks of all time. It contains a very strong message and tells a lot of stuff that the media has ignored over the years. The whole Quality album is classic if you ask me.

Damn, when did shit get this bad?
America kill the innocent too, the cycle of violence is sad

A simple line but it shows that he is not a close minded guy but manages to see the situation from different perspectives.

While being a lyrical beast on the mic, he also comes across as a very humble and knowledgeable guy in interviews.

[Acula M.D.]

Amazing track. He approaches it alot more level headed than Immortal Tech would. Everything about the track is perfect. I'm so underexposed to Talib tbh though. Revolutions Per Minute is his only album I have besides Black Star. Any suggestions? Quality is looking good about now.