In 2015, Talib Kweli released two albums: Radio Silence and Fuck The Money. The latter was a complete surprise and offered for free – I guess he really meant what the title said. Talib has now teamed up with producer 9th Wonder for a new album titled Indie 500 and everyone is excited as hell.
After a recent Complex article negatively characterised Talib as someone who ‘raps off beat,’ the New York native seemed unaffected by the comment. Talib spoke to HipHopDX following the Complex article, saying: “I’m really happy about the place I’m in creatively,” and announcing the new album he’s working on.
Talib revealed details of the upcoming Indie 500 album on Monday’s HipHopDX “Daily Daily” video segment: “That album’s got myself, Brother Ali, Hi-Tek, Khrysis, Bad Lucc, Problem, Rapsody, Planet Asia, Nico, Pharoahe Monch, Slug from Atmosphere.”
We had a taste last week of what the project holds when Talib and 9th Wonder dropped Pay Ya Dues featuring West Coast rappers Problem & Bad Lucc and produced by Eric G. Have a listen as these three emcees rap about paying their dues in the industry. They have set the standard high for Indie 500 but if this first track is anything to go by, I am sure the album will not disappoint.
Talib Kweli will be visiting Australia at the end of October to perform at Soulfest, both as a solo artist and alongside Mos Def as Black Star
More: “Hip hop was always meant for you to turn up the the club” – read our conversation with Talib Kweli