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.

On My Way
Talib Kweli Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I'm on my way

Whether sunny or rain I'm on my way
Destiny is pre-ordained I'm on my way
Whether ecstasy or pain I'm on my way
I'm black and free from your chains I'm on my way

Whether sunny or rain I'm on my way

Destiny is pre-ordained I'm on my way

Whether ecstasy or pain I'm on my way
I'm black and free from your chains I'm on my way

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Talib Kweli's song "On My Way" talk about his journey towards freedom and liberation. He starts off by saying that regardless of the circumstances, he is going to keep moving forward. Whether it is sunny or raining, he is not going to let anything hold him back. This shows his determination to stay focused on his end goal despite any obstacles in his way.

He then mentions that his destiny is already predetermined, suggesting that he believes in fate and that the universe has a plan for him. He is confident in his path and knows that he will reach his destination no matter what. The next line, "Whether ecstasy or pain," acknowledges that there will be highs and lows in his journey, but he is ready to face them head-on.

The final line, "I'm black and free from your chains I'm on my way," carries a powerful message about his identity and history. He is declaring that he is proud of his black heritage and culture, and he is not going to let anyone's prejudices or bigotry hold him back. He is breaking free from the chains of oppression and is determined to keep moving forward towards his goals.

Line by Line Meaning

Whether sunny or rain I'm on my way
Regardless of the circumstances, I am making progress towards my goals.

Destiny is pre-ordained I'm on my way
I believe that fate has already determined my path, and I am following it.

Whether ecstasy or pain I'm on my way
I will continue to move forward, whether experiencing joy or suffering.

I'm black and free from your chains I'm on my way
As a black person, I am asserting my freedom and independence from societal oppression, and continuing to progress in life.

Lyrics © Spirit Music Group
Written by: MOJICA, E. ISAACS, J. THOMAS, TONY COTTRELL

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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