Talib Kweli Greene (born October 3, 1975 in Brooklyn, New York) is a North … Read Full Bio ↴Talib Kweli Greene (born October 3, 1975 in Brooklyn, New York) is a North American MC known as one of the most prominent rappers in underground hip-hop, and is critically acclaimed frequently, despite not being commercially successful. Kweli first gained recognition through Black Star, a collaboration with fellow MC Mos Def. He released his solo debut album Quality in 2002 and has since released 2004's The Beautiful Struggle, 2005's mixtape album Right About Now, 2007's Eardrum, 2011's Gutter Rainbows and 2013's Prisoner of Conscious. He has also released two albums with Hi-Tek under the name Reflection Eternal and a collaboration album with Madlib in 2007 plus two albums with Res under the name Idle Warship.

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.

NY Weather Report
Talib Kweli Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Come on
Yeah
I like to take this opportunity to thank everybody
Who been riding with me so far, it's a been a long journey
But they say your life's path is not about the destination
It's all about the journey
I appreciate y'all

It's my blood, sweat, tears, years
My struggle, love, hate, fear, New York City
You could make it here, you could make it anywhere
I came prepare for the rain, hail, sleet, snow
Whatever the weather we ride
Let my people go to the place where knowledge is born
We walk into the 3rd eye of the storm, check it out

Futuristic lyricist, straight from the renaissance
Top of the suffer chain, Rap's upper echelon
My people suffering, slave to another chain
This voyage is maiden like my mother, other name

Is this your first trip to hell?
Avenge a capitalist, if it's a product then we got it for sell
When I first started to spell, my words fell into rhymes
Turned into songs, everything else fell into line

I paint the pictures, you could see the people bleeding my bars
When I was a teen, I was mean, about to reach for the stars
So if I fail or fell, write in the clouds, tighten the vowel
Watered down, used to be no biting allowed

Now the gangsters, no grinding allowed
You'd probably see a fight in the stage
Before you see a fight in the crowd
I send this out to my people facing the storm
Homie, we riding it out, you inspire what I'm writing about

It's my blood, sweat, tears, years
My struggle, love, hate, fear, New York City
You could make it here, you could make it anywhere
I came prepare for the rain, hail, sleet, snow
Whatever the weather we ride
Let my people go to the place where knowledge is born
We walk into the 3rd eye of the storm, check it out

It's the 3rd eye of the storm
It's the 3rd eye of the storm
It's the 3rd eye of the storm
It's the 3rd eye of the storm

Check it out
Check it out
Check it out
Been fuckin' around (uh uh)

I'm not a judge but I'm handing out sentences
To political prisoners, regular inmates with no visitors
Niggas in the streets outside to reach up for ministers
Not those that say they spiritual but actual practitioners

Rap listeners, we open the black businesses
This underground shit with samples to lack clearances
Once you get a past appearances, you could tell who shit is fake
And who's shit is based upon the past experiences

We really been to war, hand in hand like crack sales
Building man to man, they tryin' to kill off the black male
Females left to raise up her son
From the day he was one

Til' he twenty, and he raise up a gun
And get the blazin', for his place in the sun
The smoke grazin' his lung
Young in his years and he's facing a ton

None of his peers wanna share the role
Of the childcare provider
But they hit a nigga blunt and share saliva
You ain't a rider and you hustlin' backwards

Too many equate success with imitating these crackers
So our kids looking up to drug dealers and rappers
We takin' all the work away from the Black actors

Revelation is first and Armageddon is after
Tsunamis and hurricanes, natural disasters
The fast food culture, speed is always a factor (c'mon)
Instant gratification, they want the cash faster

It's my blood, sweat, tears, years
My struggle, love, hate, fear, New York City
You could make it here, you could make it anywhere
I came prepare for the rain, hail, sleet, snow
Whatever the weather we ride
Let my people go to the place where knowledge is born
We walk into the 3rd eye of the storm, check it out

It's the third eye of the storm
It's the third eye of the storm
It's the third eye of the storm
It's the place where knowledge is born
Check it out (ha)
Check it out
Check it out
Talib Kweli
That's what it is, break it down

Par-par-para
Par-par-para
Par-paranorm I perform through a storm
Perform
Perform, perform
Perform, perform, perform-form perform through a storm
S-s-storm, storm, storm, storm
S-s-storm, storm, storm, storm
S-storm, s-storm
S-s-storm, storm, storm, storm
Paranorm I perform through a storm

S-s-storm, storm, storm, storm
S-s-storm, storm, storm, storm

Overall Meaning

The song “NY Weather Report” by Talib Kweli is an ode to his hometown of New York City. The lyrics describe the struggles, triumphs, and hardships that come with living in the city that never sleeps. The opening lines express gratitude to his fans for their support throughout his career thus far. He acknowledges that life is not just about reaching a destination but enjoying the journey. He then goes on to describe the various difficulties he has faced in his life, from blood, sweat, and tears to the love, hate, and fear that come with living in a city like New York. He explains that if you can make it in New York, you can make it anywhere.

Talib Kweli uses the metaphor of weather to describe the harsh and unpredictable nature of life. He describes how he is always prepared for whatever comes his way, whether it be rain, hail, sleet, or snow. He challenges his listeners to go to the place where knowledge is born, which he calls the 3rd eye of the storm. He paints a picture of a futuristic society where he is a top-tier rapper and his people are suffering under the chains of capitalism. He talks about being an artist who paints pictures with his words, and how his music is a way to express the pain and struggles of his people.

The song is an inspirational ode to New York City, but also a call to action for his listeners to fight against the injustices that exist in society. Talib Kweli challenges his fans to speak the truth and to use their voices to make a difference in the world. He encourages his listeners to embrace their struggles and use them as a way to grow and learn, rather than letting them defeat them.

Line by Line Meaning

Come on
Let's begin

Yeah
Confirmation, agreement

I like to take this opportunity to thank everybody
I want to express my gratitude to all those who have supported me

Who been riding with me so far, it's a been a long journey
All those who have stayed with me throughout this lengthy process

But they say your life's path is not about the destination
It is often said that the journey of life is more important than its end goal

It's all about the journey
The journey itself, rather than the destination, is what truly matters

I appreciate y'all
I am grateful for everyone who has supported me

It's my blood, sweat, tears, years
I have put in a lot of effort and time into my work and it has taken a toll on me physically and emotionally

My struggle, love, hate, fear, New York City
I have experienced a variety of challenging emotions while living in New York City

You could make it here, you could make it anywhere
New York City is a difficult place to live, so if you succeed here you can succeed anywhere

I came prepare for the rain, hail, sleet, snow
I am ready for any obstacles that may come my way

Whatever the weather we ride
We will face any difficulties together

Let my people go to the place where knowledge is born
I want to lead my community to a place of enlightenment and learning

We walk into the 3rd eye of the storm, check it out
We are entering a particularly challenging situation, but we will persevere

Futuristic lyricist, straight from the renaissance
I am an innovative rapper with a progressive approach, drawing inspiration from historical art movements

Top of the suffer chain, Rap's upper echelon
I have risen to the top of the rap game despite the struggles I have faced

My people suffering, slave to another chain
My community is still struggling and oppressed, despite our efforts to progress

This voyage is maiden like my mother, other name
This journey is just as important to me as my mother's legacy, which is a different kind of important to her

Is this your first trip to hell?
Are you experiencing hardship for the first time?

Avenge a capitalist, if it's a product then we got it for sell
We are capitalizing on the products of our capitalist, oppressive society to seek revenge

When I first started to spell, my words fell into rhymes
My initial attempts at poetry and music began with rhyming words

Turned into songs, everything else fell into line
My poetry eventually became songs, which helped to align my other goals in life

I paint the pictures, you could see the people bleeding my bars
My lyrics vividly depict the harsh realities of life, which can be upsetting to some listeners

When I was a teen, I was mean, about to reach for the stars
During my teenage years, I had an aggressive attitude and high aspirations

So if I fail or fell, write in the clouds, tighten the vowel
If I ever fail or stumble, I want my legacy to be remembered and celebrated

Watered down, used to be no biting allowed
In the past, copying others was not accepted in the rap community

Now the gangsters, no grinding allowed
Even the most daring and violent rappers are no longer accepted in mainstream rap

You'd probably see a fight in the stage, before you see a fight in the crowd
There is more aggression and violence in the performer community than in the audience community

I send this out to my people facing the storm
This is a message of hope to those who are experiencing difficulty

Homie, we riding it out, you inspire what I'm writing about
We will endure this challenge together, and my lyrics are inspired by our shared experiences

Been fuckin' around (uh uh)
I've been messing around, not taking my work seriously enough

I'm not a judge but I'm handing out sentences
Although I am not in a position of authority, I have strong opinions and am vocalizing them

To political prisoners, regular inmates with no visitors
I am advocating for those who are unjustly imprisoned or have lost touch with loved ones

Niggas in the streets outside to reach up for ministers
Community members who need guidance and support look to spiritual leaders for help

Not those that say they spiritual but actual practitioners
I seek out leaders who are actively practicing their faith, rather than simply speaking about it

Rap listeners, we open the black businesses
As rap music gains popularity, we are using our platform to support black-owned businesses

This underground shit with samples to lack clearances
We are operating outside of mainstream music, often using samples without permission

Once you get a past appearances, you could tell who shit is fake
Once you look past surface-level details, you can recognize what is authentic and what is not

And who's shit is based upon the past experiences
Some artists create music based on their experiences, while others rely on gimmicks and inauthenticity

We really been to war, hand in hand like crack sales
We have faced intense struggles as a community, but have supported each other like drug dealers forming alliances

Building man to man, they tryin' to kill off the black male
Our community is working to raise up and empower black men, despite societal pressures to destroy them

Females left to raise up her son
Single mothers have been left to raise their children alone

From the day he was one
This challenge begins early in a child's life

Til' he twenty, and he raise up a gun
Eventually, these young men may turn to violence as their only option

And get the blazin', for his place in the sun
They will fight to establish their spot in the world, no matter the cost

The smoke grazin' his lung
They will suffer physical and emotional damage as a result

Young in his years and he's facing a ton
These young men are far too young to face such heavy burdens

None of his peers wanna share the role
Other community members are not stepping up to support these young men

Of the childcare provider
These young men's needs for care and support are going unmet

But they hit a nigga blunt and share saliva
People are more willing to indulge in unimportant activities than to support these young men in meaningful ways

You ain't a rider and you hustlin' backwards
If you are not actively working to support our community, you are not helping

Too many equate success with imitating these crackers
Too many people believe that success is achieved by adapting to white, mainstream culture

So our kids looking up to drug dealers and rappers
The youth of our community lack positive role models, so they look up to people who may not have their best interests at heart

We takin' all the work away from the Black actors
We are failing to support black actors by turning to other sources of entertainment

Revelation is first and Armageddon is after
We are facing predictions of the apocalypse, and we must first gain insight in order to survive

Tsunamis and hurricanes, natural disasters
We are facing destruction from natural forces on top of societal struggles

The fast food culture, speed is always a factor (c'mon)
Our culture values speed and efficiency, even at the cost of our health and wellbeing

Instant gratification, they want the cash faster
We are so focused on achieving quick success that we are missing out on more meaningful, long-term achievements

Par-par-para
Sound effects to emphasize the intensity of the following lyrics

Par-paranorm I perform through a storm
Despite the challenges, I continue to create music

Perform
Emphasis on the consistent act of creating music

Perform, perform
Repetition to emphasize the importance of continuity

Perform-form perform through a storm
I persist despite difficult circumstances

S-s-storm, storm, storm, storm
Continued sound effects to emphasize the intensity of the situation

S-storm, s-storm
Repetition to emphasize the severity of the storm

Paranorm I perform through a storm
I create music despite adversity

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Nicholas Marcell Speed, Talib Kweli Greene

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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