Honestly, when it comes to hip hop legends, everybody always expects a certain level of greatness to come with every project – it just happens. That’s why when Talib Kweli’s Gutter Rainbows dropped in 2011, perhaps I felt that since it was better than most other stuff, it was really good. But in this case, I feel I judged the album prematurely and, after letting it settle in over the past two years, I now realize that the album wasn’t entirely as good as I may have made it out to be. Kweli’s last solo effort was not great, but it wasn’t a total flop either, but it was as if the underground champ lost his spark…
Then Prisoner of Conscious dropped and I had to think to myself, am I getting caught up in Kweli’s history again or is this record really as good as it sounds. Listen after listen I let the sounds of positive lyrics, upbeat, almost ostentatious production and new-age hip hop vibes sink in and try to understand what the epitomized conscious rapper was saying. What stood out was that Kweli spent a lot of time talking about himself on this album, more so than I can recall him doing so on past albums. Although this may seem appropriate, as Kweli really depicts a narrative in almost every song that ties into the theme of a Prisoner of Conscious.
Tracks like “Turnt Up,” “High Life (feat. Rubix Cube & Bajah),” “Rocket Ships (feat. Busta Rhymes)” and “Upper Echelon” are clearly mainstream-appeal records that do little more than demonstrate superb microphone flows and witty punchlines to assert his creative lyrical rep. Now punchline rap is never a bad thing at all and all rappers should bask in the fun of rapping circles around listeners, but Talib is known for his provocative messages, among other things. The most provocative song on this album is probably a tie between “Hamster Wheel” and “Delicate Flowers,” both female-oriented tracks.
Not to confine the underground great into a label-box, but since Gutter Rainbows it is as if Talib Kweli has left behind what made Train of Thought, Quality, The Beautiful Struggle and Eardrum so great. Notes of Kweli’s disregard for his signature lyrical style can even be heard on half-disappointing Reflection Eternal follow-up effort, Revolutions Per Minute.
But above all, Kweli does stay doing one thing: boasting an impressive emcee bravado. Talib Kweli is hands down one of the best to ever do it – top 25 – and that must never be overlooked. Overtime, emcees dwindle in skill, of course, as the creative juices seize up a little bit, but artists like Kweli stay strong and thorough in their efforts, despite less than appreciable tracks. Prisoner of Conscious may not be Train of Thought, but it’s a hell of a lot better than many other albums coming out.
The production on this record really gave this album a boost in entertainment, thanks to guys like Oh No, S1 and RZA; however, the beats cannot save Talib’s lyrics at times and it is with high hopes that if and when Kweli returns to the mic, he will come correct with something a little more significant to say. So, my rating…
7/10
I recommend this album to any fan of positive hip hop and sounds like what Hi-Tek and No I.D. have been doing.
Tracklisting:
1) Intro
2) Human Mic
3) Turnt Up
4) Come Here (feat. Miguel)
5) High Life (feat. Rubix Cube & Bajah)
6) Ready Set Go (feat. Melanie Fiona)
7) Hold It Now
8) Push Thru (feat. Curren$y, Kendrick Lamar & Glen Reynolds)
9) Hamster Wheel
10) Delicate Flowers
11) Rocket Ships (feat. Busta Rhymes)
12) Before He Walked (feat. Nelly & Abby Dobson)
13) Upper Echelon
14) Favela Love (feat. Seu Jorge)
15) It Only Gets Better (feat. Marsha Ambrosius)
16) Outstanding (feat. Ryan Leslie)
***Notable Mentions:
Havoc: 13
Astrid Engberg: Poetry Is Gone
