Quotes By Talib Kweli

But it becomes disrespectful when the artist's process is not respected.

I don't feel comfortable making empty music.

I think its man's nature to go to war and fight.

The beautiful thing about hip-hop is it's like an audio collage. You can take any form of music and do it in a hip-hop way and it'll be a hip-hop song. That's the only music you can do that with.

My fondest memories were watching the Beastie Boys get prepped to come on stage. They had a lot of antics and they play a lot of basketball... then they were giving out cameras to the crowd, and performing from the bleachers. The most important thing I learned was that you control your crowd, not the other way around.

I'm at a loss for words. But even my loss is amplified.

Hi-Tek is on three or four songs on the new record.

I think music sharing of any kind is great.

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.

But you have to be creative on how you sell yourself and market yourself.

I met Mos Def around that time but I didn't hook up with him until I was about 17 or 18.

People consider Black Star a great album, and I think it's a classic album. But the fact is, both me and Mos Def have made better albums since Black Star.

So I think hip-hop is moving and is going to continue to move in the direction of rappers just being honest with themselves, whether you're talking about Common and Mos Def or Nas and 50 cent.

I will never do a record without some sense of responsibility.

As far as being on a major label, some labels get it and get what they have to do, and some labels don't. I don't think the label I'm on necessarily gets it, but I think over time they're gonna have to.

War is not civilized.

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 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.

The way I see it, if people truly love my music, they will support me in some way down the road.

Once you're signed to a label you compromise.

Even an independent label is looking for a hit, they're not looking for a record that's not gonna do well.

People can be inspired the way I've been inspired by music.

I started rapping because I wanted people to hear what I have to say, I want as many people to hear me as possible, and I do everything in my power to make that pop.

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

Hip-hop is a vehicle.

So I just had to step up how I was doing it and the moment that I stepped up and the moment I focused all my energy on that is when things started to happen. So there's a direct relationship between my inspiration and my output.

Woman are complex creatures.

The problem with our role is Americans live in a world of illusion.

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.

Honestly, you have to take care of yourself. That's probably something I have learned on the road.