Quote

We're in an illusion about what our role is in world politics and foreign affairs, and our policies are killing and destroying and doing a lot of things that we are not aware of.

Talib Kweli

Change background

T
T
T

Change font

TAGS & TOPICS

Talib Kweli
Age: 49
Born: 1975
Born: October 3
Musician
Poet
Rapper
Singer
Songwriter
Brooklyn
New York
Talib Kweli Greene
World
Killing
Aware
Illusion
Role
Policies
Policy
Affairs
Roles
Destroying
Politics
Affair
Things
Foreign

More quotes by Talib Kweli

Image
Artists make art for themselves. Art is an honest expression. Artists who pander to their fans by trying to make music for their fans make empty, transparent art. The true fan does not want you to make music for them, they want you to make music for you, because that's the whole reason they fell in love with you in the first place.
Talib Kweli
Image
Art Imitates life, of course, is that phrase by Oscar Wilde. I called that song Art Imitates Life because Oh No was in the studio and he actually came up with that hook. When I was trying to figure out a name for the record, it just kind of made sense.
Talib Kweli
Image
Jazz is the greatest American art form and our greatest export. We don't pay attention to the youth of jazz, don't stoke the fires creatively for the youth coming up. I feel like jazz musicians became too much of purists - with Donald Byrd doing funk jazz in the '70s.
Talib Kweli
Image
War is not civilized.
Talib Kweli
Image
Truthfully I wanna rhyme like common senseNext best thing I do a record with common sense
Talib Kweli
Image
Being called a conscious rapper is quite a compliment. It's a great thing to be. But as an artist, my nature is to not be in a box.
Talib Kweli
Image
I'm not looking to set a standard... but, I believe I have offered a challenge to others with my work.
Talib Kweli
Image
I met Mos Def around that time but I didn't hook up with him until I was about 17 or 18.
Talib Kweli
Image
I not only wanted to showcase lyrical skills but also continue to drop knowledge on the hiphop community. Im looking to elevate through my music, and through my music I educate.
Talib Kweli
Image
A true artist does not depend on radio for success. A true fan does not let radio determine what they support
Talib Kweli
Image
Consider me the entity within the industry without a history of spitting the epitome of stupidity.
Talib Kweli
Image
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.
Talib Kweli
Image
The most important time in history is - NOW - the present, So count your blessings cause time can't define the essence.
Talib Kweli
Image
I have a luxury of people coming to see me whether I play for the crowd or not. I don't take that lightly.
Talib Kweli
Image
Hip-hop is a vehicle.
Talib Kweli
Image
They ask me what I'm writing for - I'm writing to show you what we're fighting for.
Talib Kweli
Image
Hip hop has always been, for us, for artists who are pure to the craft - any place overseas, whether it's Australia, any place in Asia, Germany, Africa, it becomes something where you can still go and work. Hip hop is an import culture. We're spoiled by it here. It's homegrown.
Talib Kweli
Image
But you have to be creative on how you sell yourself and market yourself.
Talib Kweli
Image
Now people won't beat you up if you are gay they might just talk behind your back.
Talib Kweli
Image
My musical influence is really from my father. He was a DJ in college. My parents met at New York University. So he listened to, you know, Motown, and he listened to Bob Dylan. He listened to Grateful Dead and Rolling Stones, but he also listened to reggae music. And he collected vinyl.
Talib Kweli