Quality
LP by Talib Kweli
Released	December 16th, 2002 (US)
Recorded	N/A
Genre	Hip-Hop
Length	N/A
Label	Rawkus
Producer(s)	N/A
Professional reviews
PopMatters link
Talib Kweli chronology
Reflection Eternal (2000) Quality (2002) Beautiful Struggle (2004)

Quality is rapper Talib Kweli's second album. It was released on December 16th, 2002 under Rawkus Records. Image File history File links Talib_Kweli_Quality. ... A gramophone record, (also phonograph record - often simply record) is an analog sound recording medium: a flat disc rotating at a constant angular velocity, with inscribed spiral grooves in which a stylus or needle rides. ... Talib Kweli Talib Kweli (born Talib Kweli Greene, 1975) is a rapper from Brooklyn, New York. ... December 16 is the 350th day of the year (351st in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... For the Cusco album, see 2002 (album). ... Motto: E pluribus unum (1789 to present) (Latin: Out of Many, One) In God We Trust (1956 to present) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York Official language(s) None at federal level; English de facto Government • President • Vice President Federal republic George W... A music genre is a category (or genre) of pieces of music that share a certain style or basic musical language (van der Merwe 1989, p. ... Hip hop music (also referred to as rap or rap music) is a style of popular music. ... A record label is a brand created by companies that specialize in producing, manufacturing, distributing and promoting audio and sometimes video recordings (especially music videos), on various formats including compact discs, LPs, DVD-Audio, SACDs, and cassettes. ... This article needs to be wikified. ... In the music industry, a record producer (or music producer) has many roles, among them controlling the recording sessions, coaching and guiding the performers, and supervising the recording, mixing and mastering processes. ... PopMatters is an international magazine of cultural criticism. ... Talib Kweli Talib Kweli (born Talib Kweli Greene, 1975) is a rapper from Brooklyn, New York. ... Reflection Eternal(a. ... The Beautiful Struggle is an album by American rapper Talib Kweli. ... Talib Kweli Talib Kweli (born Talib Kweli Greene, 1975) is a rapper from Brooklyn, New York. ... December 16 is the 350th day of the year (351st in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... For the Cusco album, see 2002 (album). ... This article needs to be wikified. ...

Track listing

1. "Keynote Speaker" (performed by Dave Chappelle)
2. "Rush" (feat. Xzibit)
3. "Get By" (samples Nina Simone's "Sinnerman")
4. "Shock Body"
5. "Gun Music" (feat. Cocoa Brovaz)
6. "Waitin' For The DJ" (feat. Bilal)
7. "Joy" (feat. Mos Def)
8. "Talk To You (Lil' Darlin')" (feat. Bilal)
9. "Guerrilla Monsoon Rap" (feat. Pharoahe Monch, Black Thought & Kanye West)
10. "Put It In The Air"
11. "The Proud"
12. "Where Do We Go" (feat. Res)
13. "Stand To The Side" (feat. Novel & Vinia Mojca)
14. "Good To You"
15. "Won't You Stay" (feat. Kendra Ross)

Dave Chappelle. ... Xzibit is the stage name of Alvin Nathaniel Joiner (born January 8, 1974). ... Eunice Kathleen Waymon, better known as Dr. Nina Simone (February 21, 1933 – April 21, 2003), was an American singer, songwriter and pianist. ... Formerly known as Smif N Wessun, the Cocoa Brovaz is a rap duo from Brooklyn, New York. ... In Muslim tradition, Bilal ibn Rabah (died c. ... Pharoahe Monch is an American hip hop artist from Queens, NY. He is known for his complex delivery and rhyme scheme. ... Image of artist Black Thought (born Tariq Trotter) is the lead MC of the Philadelphia-based hip hop group The Roots. ... Kanye Omari West (first name pronounced //) (born June 8, 1977 in Atlanta, Georgia) is an American hip hop producer and rapper from Chicago, Illinois. ... RES can refer to: a bimonthly media lifestyle magazine, see RES (magazine) a digital short film festival run by the magazine, see RESFest the R&B singer, Res (singer) See also: Renewable energy (sources) This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists pages that might otherwise share the...

Talib Kwelis thoughts on each song (Taken from album notes)

Keynote Speaker: On the reflection eternal album people actually came to me trynta find out how I got a drop from Nelson Mandela. They flipped when I told them it was Chapelle. People though I was such as conscious rapper that a frop from Nelson Mandela would make sense, thats the funny shit. Dave's civil rights era intro makes even more sense.

Rush: I wanted to call this song "Heroin" but C. Synth wouldn't let me. I told him rush was already the name of a rock group and Russel Simmons' highly successful company, but he kept saying something about kids getting the wrong idea. Maybe he's right. I would never use heroin, but doesn't that sound like a great name for a rock song?

Get By: This was the last joint recorded for Quality and I had to beatback Pharoahe Monch and Mariah Carey with a stick for the track. (Just playin') Kanye did his thug thizzle, tho. He lit a creative fire under me for the last part of this record. Everyday folks get up not to live, but to get by. This is why we accept our place in poverty, sorrow, misery.etc. Don't just try to get by that shit, Get out! Like Bob Marley said, "Wake up and live."

Shock Body: Bust how Talib Kweli Greene do it, what I bring to it, you hear the theme music-exactly. LG called this the Superman song. Rubix said Thundercats. This scratch beat invokes childhood superhero fantasies for everyone. This was the first joint we recorded for the album, and the first time I worked with Tiff and Steff, who held me down on the road. I dedicated this song to my parents, even tho my mom don't like it. She thinks it's noisy.

Gun Music feat. Cocoa Brovaz: When I performed this song on the Quality tour, some fans on the internet were disappointed. They said,"How can peace loving Talib Kweli love guns?! The horror!" Well, one, I can talk about anything I want to, especially something as prevalent in my community as gunplay, and two, they obviously didn't hear the words to the song. Is hip hop so divided that I'm selling out my audience by allowing the word gun to come out of my mouth? I don't think so, and I'll prove it. This is straight Brooklyn shit, and what says BK better than Tek and Steele? We also went to Kingston and got Juniour Cat on the adlibs. Gangsta!

Waitin' for the DJ feat. Bilal: Waitin' for the DJ Could become a new catch phrase. You know when someone asks you what's up, or wtacha' doin', instead of just chillin', you could say "Waitin for the DJ." 'Cuz truthfully party people, if you are just chillin' all you really doing is waitin' for the DJ to let your body rock! What else is life about? Speaking of DJ's, I wanna shout out DJ enuff and the whole heavy Hitters crew. Flatbush all day fam! The DJ is the foundation. DJ chaps from the 12 inch assasins is the one I'm on the road with. Me abd him are gonna be doing mixtapes soon, so look out for 'em.

Joy feat. Mos Def: Mos Def has always said that when you record a song, you wanna make the listener feel what you felt the first time you heard the track. Originally, I was just gonna spit on this, but there was so much joy on the track I ended up talking about my children. They are the reason I started this, and they are the reason I won't stop. This is as much a dedication to Daroel as it is to them because she has given me strength through those beautiful babies. Me and Mos became friends from having children the same age, so it fit to have him on the song. It wasn't planned, he was just in the studio that day, and it worked out. Having children is the best feeling in the world!

Talk to you (Lil' Darlin') feat. Bilal: I do hip hop music for a living but I listen to everything. On this album, I tried to also make songs that reflect my musical taste. This is the sound in my series of remakes(following "For Women") and like Nina Simone, Eddie Kendricks is one of my musical heroes. There are so many beautiful pieces of music my generation are not familiar with, and if I could invite you all to my crib, I would play them. Until then, I will give you my versions. Bilal absolutely destroys this record, especially when he came back to the studio later that night to add the doo wop parts.

Guerrilla Monsoon Rap feat. Black Tought & Pharoahe Monch: My crew is WILD NICE!

Put It In The Air feat. DJ Quick: Ahhh, another diehard Kweli dan favourite! Working with Quick showed me the difference between working with a nigga who makes beats and a nigga who produce. Quik is a master of sonic frequencies and captivating melodies and he uses organic instruments mixed in with keybboard wizardry - he just like Jules Wallet, a bad motherfucka.

The Proud: This song is inspired by the real life events I describe at the top of each verse. The verses are conversations I have with myself. I pray that my observations create discussion that leads to truth and action that frees my people.

Where Do We Go feat. Res (Dedicated to Weldon Irvine): In 2002 we lost a legendary musician in Weldon Irvine. He was a father, a mentor, an activist, and a friend who always reached out to younger musicans. He worked closely with Nina Simone, was sampled by BDP and A Tribe Called Quest, worked with Mos Def, Q-Tip and Ali Shaheed on piano and participated on Black Star and Reflection Eternal. He even picked up a mic under the name Master Wel. Although this spirit will forever live in all of us, he will be missed. We love you Weldon.

Stand To The Slide feat. Novel & Vinia Mojica: I picked two beats with similar sounds from Jay - his R&B beats as he calls 'em. They were intended to make up one song, but "Where Do We Go" and "Stand To The Slide" became different animals. They still remain back to back, so this is the Jay Dilla section of the album. Vinia Said she was sick of being the hook girl, so she decided to bust a verse. It was also fun to get drunk with Novel and then lay adlibs. Savion takes this over the top for me-tapping, why not? This song also became my poem on the Def Poetry Jam. I was so nervous around all those ill poets, you can hear my voice shaking, so thank you to everyone who told me they enjoyed it anyway.

Good To You: This was supposed to be the first Blackstar track we worked on in a minute, but the topdog/underdog started. If you ain't seen it, Mos killed it! Well anyway, I met Kanye when he was stopping by the studio to give Mos a track, but Mos was late. So I always get these tracks by default. "Good To You" is one of my favourites.

Won't You Stay feat. Kendra Ross: The most magical thing about the last track on Quality is getting to work with Kendra Ross. She is a dose friend, truly talented, beautiful and one of a kind. I have wanted to do a record with her since college and God blessed me with that opportunity. It is rare that you meet folks who move you like that, so when you do, you gotta let 'em know.

External links

• TalibKweli.com - Official Site