iTzMe

Q: What's the toughest thing so far about being CEO of your own label?

TK: The toughest thing is getting people to respect me. A lot of people respect me as an artist, but to respect me as an executive is different. I’m the CEO of Blacksmith with Corey Smith. Sometimes with artists you have to keep them pampered a little bit and it’s hard to get them to keep it real with you.

Q: Where do you see this whole Blacksmith movement going?

TK: I see it as a flag for people that’s into real music like Jean Grae, Strong Arm Steady, and other artists that will come to my label. I want to start a movement that can bring it all together.

Q: How did you decide on the initial artists that would be on the label?

TK: Well Jean is somebody I knew for years and was somebody I always wanted to work with. Strong Arm Steady is the same thing I known them for years. First and foremost their my friends and secondly I respect their work ethic.

Q: Jean Grae is a dope female MC in the game, where do you think she ranks against the other females?

TK: Forget female MC’s she’s better than all these niggas out here.

Q: Can you tell me why?

TK: I don’t have to tell you just listen to her records and see. Her music is a powerful thing. Anyone interested in Jean Grae just type in the name and you will hear all types of beautiful pieces of music. She has put out so much music by herself it’s just crazy, I don’t have to explain just go and see.

Q: I see you have a lot of confidence in her.

TK: Yeah, she has confidence in herself.

Q: What’s your plans with Strong Arm Steady?

TK: Well you know they got their own mixtapes out and working on an album. I just look forward to hearing more from them and getting people more familiar. You can check them out on and of course they will be all over my mixtapes.

Q: What impact did Rawkus have on your career?

TK: It’s a great thing, because I learned a lot from being at Rawkus. They had a lot of confidence in my career and me doing the Blacksmith thing is a result of the experience I received at Rawkus.

Q: What do you think it is that makes you such an incredible MC?

TK: My life experiences and my passion. I like to put them together and create good music you know.

Q: Where does Talib Kweli rank himself?

TK: Number one.

Q: Why do you choose to take the "conscious" route with your music?

TK: Well I don’t have no choice I do what I know. I know this. I know how to make music that speaks to certain social issues and what’s going on in peoples hearts. Right now hip-hop is at a celebration stage where everybody is happy to be at the club partying. That’s all good I like going to the club and partying too, but that’s not the only thing we should talk about.

Q: Can you tell me about the new album “Eardrum”?

TK: Yeah “Eardrum” I’m excited about it. It’s got Jean Grae, UGK, Kanye West, Norah Jones, and production by Just Blaze, Madlib, Hi-Tek, Pete Rock, it’s a good piece of hip-hop.

Q: Explain the title?

TK I just wanted to make an album that got you focused on the sound. People can check out the album cover now on
or “Eardrum” and Blacksmith is what were tryna do.

Q: How does it make you feel when people say New York Hip-Hop ain't what it used to be?

TK: New York ain’t what it used to be when it comes to the marketplace. Every region has creative things, but that doesn’t really affect me. Although I rep Brooklyn I’m not thought of as a regional artist, my music relates to kids who listen to hip-hop beyond specific regions. I’m about to be in Norway, Australia, and Scandinavia in a couple weeks. I’m not really concerned about a petty regional opinion.

Q: Why will "Eardrum" top your last album?

TK: Well as an artist you always strive to make your newest work better than the last. Only time will tell if it is, but of course as someone who created it I think it is.

Q: Do you find that major labels put a lot of pressure on their artists?

TK: Yeah they got to. Major labels have a bottom line. The pressure is there, but the key is how to use that pressure to your advantage and get everybody on the same page.

Q: Would you say the best Hip-Hop comes from the underground?

TK: Yeah without a doubt. Not just from hip-hop’s underground, but anybody’s underground. The underground cats whether it’s hip-hop, rock, or whatever that’s where the real shit is always gonna be.

Q: How far do you see Jean Grae going in her career?

TK: I hope she’s able to do as good as I am and surpass me. Jean Grae is a phenomenal artist that should be on the level of a Lauryn Hill in my opinion.

Q: When you've hung up the mic, what do you think fans will remember most about your music?

TK: Their gonna remember that I kept my real name Talib Kweli and I stayed true to who I was. They gonna remember that my music did not ignore what’s going on in the current trends, but also did not follow them.

Q: Who would you like to work with that you haven’t already?

TK: I would like to work with Andre 3000 and Immortal Technique.

Q: I would like to see Talib Kweli and Nas!

TK: [Laughs], me too. If you go to somebody asked a question about Nas and would I ever work with him. The reason I had asked you to call me back was because I was typing my response.

Q: You planning to work with Rakim too?

TK: I worked with Rakim last year on a song called “Subway Surface” and put it on my mixtape “Kweli Confidential”.

Q: Final words for hhnlive.com?

TK: “Eardrum” in stores July 24th.

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"Cool As AC Cuz The Heat Secure Me"- Bank$ aka The PLK

Hip Hop Police

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BringEMout

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good read

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