His name is Arabic, meaning 'the seeker' or 'student of truth and knowledge'. His parents were both college professors: his mother an English professor, his father a sociology professor. As a youth, he was drawn to Afrocentric rappers, such as De La Soul and other members of the Native Tongues Posse and in 1995 began recording with producer Hi-Tek and rapper Mos Def who he met at central park, and later attended New York University with. With Mos Def (together the pair were known as Black Star), Kweli achieved some mainstream success with Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star (1998). Also noted are Kweli and Mos' central input on Rawkus Records' compilation album Soundbombing (1997). Soundbombing also include collaborations between Kweli and DJ Hi Tek as Reflection Eternal. Together they released Train of Thought in 2000, which sold better than most alternative hip hop albums at the time. He has since released a critically acclaimed solo debut, Quality in 2002. In 2004, he released his second solo album, The Beautiful Struggle. His third solo album Ear Drum was released on August 21st, 2007.
Kweli has created his own record label, Blacksmith Records and has recently signed acclaimed female rapper Jean Grae, with rumors continuing to grow that underground veteran MF Doom is the next artist to be picked up. He left Geffen Records and has signed with the Warner Music Group.
He has since broken through slightly more towards the mainstream, thanks in large part to several appearance on the comedy show Chappelle's Show, both solo and with long-time collaborator Mos Def, this is due to a friendship between the host and creator of the show, comedian Dave Chappelle and the rapper. He also had a guest spot on friend and frequent collaborator Kanye West's widely successful debut album The College Dropout on the track "Get 'Em High". West has also produced some of Kweli's songs, including his biggest commercial hit "Get By". Kweli can also be seen in a commercial for the NCAA's Big Ten Conference, rapping about the league's basketball teams. Talib Kweli provided the voice for the main character, Trane, in the video game Marc Ecko's Getting Up, released in 2006.
Keynote Speaker
Talib Kweli Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I just wanted to say a few words about him
And you all know who he is
Talib Kweli
Please, hold your applause 'til the end
We are glad
To come
And hear you speak
Kweli doesn't like me to talk about this but
One time we were drivin'
Through the Mississippi Delta
And there was a brotha runnin' up the side of the road
And he didn't have any, shoes on
He didn't have a, shirt on
And I started to drive right by this man
But Kweli said, "Stop the car, beause that brotha, might be in trouble"
And I stopped the car
Kweli said to the man, he said
"Brotha, are you OK? Do you need a ride somewhere?"
And the man looked at Kweli and said
"Shh, I'm escapin'"
And Kweli took him by the hand and said
"My brotha, you didn't get the memo
We have been free
For some time now"
Well, I'm windin' it up
Please welcome
A good friend, scholar, ghetto philosopher
Three time Nobel Peace Prize winner
First black man to pilot an air craft
The nigga that made up the Nike Swoosh
The man that made cool Aid say, "Ohh Yea"
Brooklyn's own
Talib Kweli
The opening lyrics of Talib Kweli's song Keynote Speaker set the stage for an introduction to the artist himself. The speaker is eager to introduce Kweli as the keynote speaker, but before he does so, he shares a personal anecdote about an encounter they had while driving through the Mississippi Delta. The two men come across a man running barefoot and shirtless on the side of the road. While the speaker is ready to drive on, Kweli insists they stop and check if the man needs help. When they approach the man, he reveals that he is escaping, but Kweli reminds him that slavery has been abolished and that he is free. This story highlights Kweli's compassion for others and how he goes out of his way to help those in need.
The second half of the lyrics focus on introducing Kweli to the audience. The speaker describes him as a good friend, scholar, ghetto philosopher, and a trailblazer in various fields, including being the first black man to pilot an aircraft and the creator of the Nike Swoosh logo. The introduction ends with a playful nod to Kweli's Brooklyn roots and his connection to Kool-Aid's famous catchphrase.
Overall, the lyrics in Keynote Speaker offer a glimpse into Kweli's character and accomplishments, showcasing his empathy and kindness towards others and his pioneering contributions to various industries.
Line by Line Meaning
A keynote speaker's about to come on now
A captivating personality is going to appear on stage.
I just wanted to say a few words about him
I would like to express my feelings about the speaker.
And you all know who he is
The listeners are familiar with the keynote speaker.
Talib Kweli
The keynote speaker in question is Talib Kweli.
Please, hold your applause 'til the end
Kindly refrain from applauding until the end.
We are glad
We are happy and content.
To come
We feel privileged to be present here.
And hear you speak
We can't wait to listen to your speech.
We love it!
We completely enjoy and respect your skillset.
Kweli doesn't like me to talk about this but
Kweli is hesitant about me sharing this information.
One time we were drivin'
During a trip, while we were driving.
Through the Mississippi Delta
In the southern portion of the United States.
And there was a brotha runnin' up the side of the road
We noticed an individual who was sprinting on the street's edge.
And he didn't have any, shoes on
The man was barefooted with no footwear on.
He didn't have a, shirt on
The man didn't wear a shirt or any upper body clothes.
And I started to drive right by this man
I was going to pass by that man.
But Kweli said, "Stop the car, beause that brotha, might be in trouble"
Talib Kweli requested me to halt the car because he thought the man might be in harm's way.
And I stopped the car
I stopped the car.
Kweli said to the man, he said
Enquiring about the individual, Kweli spoke to him.
"Brotha, are you OK? Do you need a ride somewhere?"
Talib asked the man if he was alright and required any assistance.
And the man looked at Kweli and said
The man gazed at Talib Kweli and responded.
"Shh, I'm escapin'"
"Hush, I am fleeing."
And Kweli took him by the hand and said
Talib Kweli grasped the man's hand and responded.
"My brotha, you didn't get the memo
"Friend, it appears you haven't heard the latest news.
We have been free
We are free from slavery, as a society.
For some time now"
It's been a reasonable period since slavery existed.
Well, I'm windin' it up
I'm ending my speech.
Please welcome
Please give a warm welcome.
A good friend, scholar, ghetto philosopher
A great associate, scholar, and ghetto philosopher.
Three time Nobel Peace Prize winner
An individual who has received the Nobel Peace Prize thrice.
First black man to pilot an air craft
A trailblazer, who was the first black man to operate an airplane.
The nigga that made up the Nike Swoosh
An individual responsible for designing the Nike Swoosh.
The man that made cool Aid say, "Ohh Yea"
The reason for the catchphrase "Ohh Yea" for the drink Kool Aid.
Brooklyn's own
Born and bred in Brooklyn.
Talib Kweli
The keynote speaker in particular is Talib Kweli.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: TALIB GREENE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind