Up next in 10
Talib Kweli and Madlib stop by Sway In The Morning to talk about ‘Liberation 2’. Amani Fela, Talib’s son stepped into his own in an exclusive cypher with his father.
NBA Legend Rasheed Wallace stopped by to co-host in a room full of stars.
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Exclusive interviews from Sway Calloway and the Sway In The Morning/ SwaysUniverse.com team with some of today's biggest celebrities, like Kevin Hart, Kanye West, Eminem, Usher, Jessica Alba, Steve Aoki, Torey Lanez, Julia Stiles and so much more.
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0:00
Man, we got him here today, man. I can't believe it, man
0:03
You can't believe it? It's like a deja vu moment for me, seeing who's in the studio with us today
0:09
But I'm going to start with my brother, and I say that with all sincerity and being genuine about it
0:16
You know, me and this man throughout our careers have always touched base, met at the crossroads
0:21
The energy has never been different. Heather, it's only evolved, you know, as we support each other in our walks in life, our families, the whole nine
0:29
I support him not just because I think he's an incredible artist who makes valuable music
0:36
And what I mean by that, the music he makes could bring value to your life, to your consciousness, to your family, to your future
0:43
And I'm not even speaking monetary. I'm speaking health, mental, wellness, the whole thing
0:49
And he's been consistent. He's also been a vanguard in a sense
0:53
This man has stood on his own two feet. He's been willing to do it independently
0:57
He has shown us different ways of how you can really exercise your creative prowess and control it and have complete proprietorship over what it is you do, which is important now because back in the day when we put out music, we gave it away
1:12
We signed it away to some colonizers who didn't have our best interests at hand
1:16
Talking about slaves and masters in our contract. And so I want to welcome him back to the show to celebrate the continuation of the 2007 album Liberation with Liberation 2, my brother Talib Kweli
1:29
Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. Thank you. Thank you. A lot of family in the house
1:34
And we just came back from Ghana and had a life altering experience
1:38
Absolutely. And it was great seeing you. I rapped about Sway recently in the song while I was rapping about Sway
1:45
I decided to film the video for that song in Ghana without knowing that Sway was going to pull up
1:51
And what's crazy is, the song is featuring Casper Niaves, shout out to Casper
1:56
and Sean Kuti, who's Fela Kuti's son. And when we started filming the video
2:01
five minutes into filming the video in that restaurant, you walked in that restaurant
2:06
Oh, y'all was filming that night? When you walked in, the reason why you in that video, the clips
2:10
is from that restaurant, when you walked in the restaurant while we were filming the video
2:15
And I didn't even know you was in town. Sheed. You see how that goes, Sheed
2:20
That's a blessing. That's a blessing. And we was in Accra, Ghana, at a beautiful restaurant right off the ocean
2:28
Dave Chappelle, Casper there. Everybody's there. We're hanging out. That was the best journey I ever had
2:35
It was beautiful. Shout out to Vic Mensa. Vic Mensa. For starting the revolution
2:40
And shout out to Chance the Rapper for picking up the torch. And I have so much love and respect for those brothers
2:45
What they did, I don't feel like was talked about enough. Because a lot of people, it's called the Black Star Festival
2:49
so of course I had to be there. But a lot of people say we should go back to Africa
2:53
We should invest in our communities. We should do this and we should do that at chance. And Vic did it
2:58
And I didn't see enough press on it. We're going to keep talking about it too. Years ago, there was a group that Knife Winder just called
3:09
Luke Pack, that he just called and talked about. And I was on the, we and King Tech were doing the world famous wake up show
3:16
And at this point we became syndicated and we were the first syndicated radio show of its kind to be on five different continents
3:24
Sheed. I just thought I'd let you know. You know, it was a section of California called Oxnard where a lot of incredible talent
3:33
Oxnard is known for incredible boxers. And at this time they were known for incredible MCs
3:40
and the production that was coming out of there was so unique
3:44
That's what we used to like to do, you know, find a needle in a haystack
3:48
And we used to invite these guys. Oh, no, used to come up too
3:52
Matt Lib came up. My brother Cornbread from Cali Wild, who told me to tell you what's up, came up
3:59
And Matt Lib, who's Oh, no, his bigger brother, became this really prolific and just incredible music maker
4:08
All right. I won't even say beat maker or producer. He creates cinematic sounds that kind of just that sounds like nothing else
4:18
And we've seen him do it across the board, whether he's doing remixes for Blue Note, whether he's teaming up with MF Doom, whether he's teaming up with Jay Dilla
4:27
I mean, all Freddie Gibbs, all the different people he's worked with, the alcoholics, Kendrick Lamar, whoever it is, Mac Miller, all of these different people that he's worked with
4:36
he has really elevated sound and creativity. To me, I mentioned him today when we were talking about some of the greatest producers
4:45
that come out of the culture, and I did a whole soliloquy on them. I wish I could remember what I said this morning because it's much better than what I'm saying right now
4:52
What you're saying is beautiful, brother. I'm coming from the heart, and I'm just really happy to see this, man
4:57
After all these years, brother, you look good, man. Welcome Matt Lib to the show, man
5:01
Come on, man. We got Matt Lib on the show. With your fly fit on, too
5:06
Damn, yo, yo, Paulie said, Mad Lift is coming. I was like, how'd he do that
5:11
I didn't know about that. You did the Tribe Called Quest? Yeah, documentary
5:16
Documentary, too, right? The music for that, yeah. That's right. Right now, I'm finishing up the Mac Miller album
5:22
Planet Asia album, Erica Badu album, different stuff. Yeah? Is that the same from the project
5:30
that was mentioned years ago after he passed that was never released? Yes, sir
5:34
So you finishing that project. Yes, sir. So the estate is down now. Yeah, they do
5:38
Oh, man. Oh, man. We got to get up to Mac Miller. Because Mac Miller's featured on Liberation 2
5:43
That's right. That's right. And I was listening to his verse, and it sounded like he just wrote it last week
5:48
Me and Mac Miller both rhymed to the same Mad Lib beat at the same time in different places
5:54
And when we found that out, we were like, well, now it's a song together. Wow
5:59
That's wild. Damn, I couldn't download. What's the name title of that one? Right to Love Us
6:04
Right to Love Us I wanted to download I'm gonna send that I'm gonna send you the wave Send me that Okay
6:08
Cause we couldn't do it Cause you know Luminary Yep Yeah We gotta get our chips first
6:13
You gotta get the chips first Alright Can you introduce Who else is here today
6:17
Oh yeah So on the first liberation There's a song called Happy Home
6:21
It's one of my favorite songs I've done in my career I detail growing up And Brooklyn
6:25
And my family And the Green family And at the end of the song Were my two children
6:30
Imani and Diani And they were babies They were you know young toddlers, you know, kindergarten age at the time
6:35
and they're singing on the hook along with me. 16 years ago this week, that album dropped on the DSPs
6:44
16 years later, the new album, Liberation 2, is out, and my daughter Diani's on it
6:51
She just performed to Jimmy Fallon with me and my son Imani. And my daughter and my son are both from the new album
6:58
They both barring me out. And my son Imani Fela is here today. What's up, Imani Fela
7:03
Beautiful. Hey, nice to have you. Hey, man, is it hard being the child of such a well-known person
7:11
Was it difficult at all? I mean, there's pros and cons and what that's like
7:19
But I can't really complain. I mean, it wasn't... Now's your chance to complain
7:25
I not going to complain There things that come with it There certain pressures and expectations right What are those I curious I got a kid You know like the expectations people place on you that know of him
7:36
or, like, the people that are in the inner circles, right? They're like, yo, you know, like, especially since I'm doing music, too
7:44
we're in the same room. So it's like people see me and they expect me to kind of, you know
7:51
fill his lane type shit. But ultimately, you know, I've been working on my craft for like, I'm turning 27
8:01
I've been like 10 years now. And I've been able to find my own sound and my own lane
8:09
And I'm still glad we found an opportunity to sync up, you know
8:14
Did he ever whip you as a kid? You went right to that
8:19
Yeah, we don't do corporate punishment in the greenhouse hole. This is a big thing, though, online
8:24
He uses his words. I use my words. I talk, yeah, that's right. He uses his words
8:28
It's crazy because I actually got into a huge thing online when I mentioned that, that I've never, you know, my parents didn't do that to me and I didn't do that with my kids
8:35
And people get upset when you say that. Like, you don't your kids up? Oh, you ain't black
8:41
Wow, we talked about that. Now, people get upset when you say that, bro. They do get upset
8:45
They be ready to beat you up when you say you don't beat up your kids. I never whip my daughter because I don't want her to feel like men can, you know
8:52
chastise her with a spanking. If you had a son, would you have punched him in the chest
8:57
Absolutely. Okay. Without a doubt. All right. Yo, do you still use the SP-303
9:08
I use iPad. Yeah. Been using iPad for 10 years. Yeah. I want everybody to understand what that man just said
9:15
You just called him one of the greatest producers of all time And you were accurate to say this
9:19
And a lot of people focus on I gotta have this and I gotta do this
9:23
This man has been doing this with an iPad for the last few years That's how you've been producing the music
9:28
Well, look at Rasheed Faith What's the science? Like, how did you discover that
9:34
What you want to create Sound best using an iPad? Because it has everything in there
9:39
It's basically like a computer You got your MPC That's an efficient answer
9:44
Yeah, that is right. You got your NPCs, you got your WAV files, whatever. Yeah
9:48
Working with Ye, what was that like for you? That was crazy. It was crazy
9:54
Sign the NDA. But what was crazy? He's mad cool, though. He's nice, you know what I mean
10:02
He's calling me the best beatmaker. I was calling him the best beatmaker. We was just giving each other props
10:07
You know, it's crazy. That time that I came to see you, there was a time I went to see you
10:11
and Ye pulled up and rest in peace MF Doom Doom pulled up and Twitter had just started
10:16
I was a year in and I was so excited I'm like I'm in the studio
10:19
with Mad Lib and MF Doom and Kanye West and then the next morning
10:25
I woke up to a text message from Kanye please delete that I don't want nobody to know
10:30
that what I was doing that we was working on some secret shit and he was right he was right about that
10:35
and that No More Parties in LA track was being discussed around that time
10:39
that song didn't come out until like 10 years later Really? The beat was 10 years old before it even came out
10:46
The beat was 10 years old. From the iPad? Yeah, that's from the iPad, yeah
10:54
Wow. MF Doom, man, where did y'all meet, man? Give me some stories, bro
11:00
The mad villain, man. I was working on my stuff with Stone Store at the time
11:05
And they were asking me who I wanted to work with, and they mentioned Doom or whoever
11:11
and that album was my favorite album at the time. M.M. Fool
11:16
The Fool, yeah. Yeah. And they linked us up, and we connected real quick
11:22
And he was like my musical cousin. We didn't talk much. We just vibed, you know what I mean
11:27
Y'all didn't talk at all? We'd be in the same house, but we didn't really talk much. We just passed music to each other
11:33
So you could go a day, not say shit, just walk in files? Same with me and Dilla
11:38
Same with me and Dilla. Like, I had that connection with those two artists. You know what I mean? Damn
11:43
Both my brothers gone now. Both of them gone, man. Rest in peace. That's why it's important that you are out like this, man
11:49
I appreciate you coming to the show, brother. Thank you. Dilla, man, so you really ain't got much stories
11:55
but his process was different, how he made his beats, right? Did you steal anything
12:01
You know what I mean? No, we just go back and forth. He used, like, shitty equipment like me, too
12:06
Like, we didn't, you know, shitty equipment. and it's mainly the music you put into it
12:10
So we just traded records and traded, and there was a time when I was giving them beats
12:15
and I sounded like him and a time when he sounded like me. Wow, man, and Freddie Gibbs
12:22
That was talking, I know that was talking in that studio. Yeah, he crazy, man
12:29
That's my cousin too, though. That's your real cousin? Nah, we just, you know, musical cousin
12:34
What has been the biggest challenge for you working with an artist? or does it always flow like that
12:39
Has there been an artist that took you? I only work with artists that are like-minded. That's why I'm so choosy
12:45
Very choosy. There could be 10 people and I only work with one of them or none of them
12:51
It doesn't bother you that as great as you are, we don't hear your name mentioned a lot
12:56
when people talk about Listed Off? No, I'm doing music for my health. That's about it
13:01
People like it, that's fine with me. If they don't want to hear it, go listen to something else
13:05
music for your health that's the realest shit you ain't never heard that
13:10
speak to that what does that mean that's all I do 24 7
13:14
sometimes I stay up 3 days in a row and just do music that's all I do is music
13:20
I don't really have a life beyond that besides my kids and stuff I was going to ask you if you had kids
13:25
seeing Talib's son here which is beautiful to me and since Rashid is here and I know he has children as well
13:32
your son is able to come to you and say you know possibly dad check this out how this sound and you're able to critique
13:39
from a level of experience man if you're having a son maybe wanting to get into music and sheet i
13:45
ask you this question too having a son getting a basketball how do you critique and separate like
13:49
the father portion of it um versus the artist portion of it like my kids aren't in the music
13:56
they're in the sports you know i mean wow my son plays baseball and all that
14:01
And my daughter does sports too Alright well that's a perfect transition since you mentioned sports
14:06
What about you? It was kind of tough Because of who I am
14:11
Everybody looked at him like he had Shoes to fill but The thing about it in that basketball world
14:18
Yeah we both played ball but he played a different Position than I did you know I was a big man
14:22
Four or five my son played to three so That's two totally different positions so I think that
14:26
Helped him as he Grew and went to college and all of that Yeah
14:31
I remember the sound piece is the antidote project that came out
14:36
the Lu Pack project that came out in 1999. That's the project that made me be like, I got to work with Madlib
14:42
Okay. Yeah, hearing that Lu Pack album. Yeah. How important do you feel that project was to your career
14:48
Well, I don't listen to it, man. Yo, this is hilarious. It was important for me I didn really want to rhyme back then I didn really want to rap I wanted to just do the beats So it was important to show different styles of my beat making
15:05
you know, the process. That's about it. That's it, man. Once I do an album, I just move on
15:10
Just keep it moving, huh? You mentioned Erykah Badu, who's an incredible producer in her own right, man. 100%
15:17
And then she's just a powerful spirit in itself. You know, she's genderless to me
15:25
I mean, she's everything. You know what I mean? That experience, what is that like
15:30
We just started. I mean, we just started on an album. Real quick, can you list the Erykah Badu songs that you've done already
15:36
that people may not know? Because I don't think people know that you've done some of them classics
15:41
I did like The Healer. Oh. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. And Incense. Mm-hmm. We have a lot of unreleased stuff, though
15:49
Yeah. How do you keep track of it all, man? I don't, man
15:55
He just appears and disappears. He trying to get you the game
15:59
Play some of his music. Look at him. It's hilarious. Like, Sway, stop asking me shit
16:06
I'm just here. Enjoy my presence. When Kwalee said he was coming, I was like
16:11
I ain't going to never see this dude again. I'm interviewed now
16:15
I do this journalism thing now, right? I am blessed to have interviewed Madlib twice in my life
16:20
Right now, I'm shouting my man Chino Chase. He does my visuals and stuff. You know what I'm saying
16:24
we're working on a liberation documentary and the point of the documentary
16:29
is are we going to get a Mad Lib interview that's the whole premise
16:34
so we actually did an interview with him but before he did
16:38
I asked you three times the first couple times and when we actually did it
16:44
he was like I'm the same way I see as a journalist
16:53
I see what's happening here and I'm just watching it like this is amazing. I'm the same way
16:59
Kuali been asking me to come to the show and I just I don't know why it is
17:04
but I'm just You don't like being interviewed? Nah, not anymore. I don't
17:07
I just haven't had the I want to have the because I'm not going to give you
17:11
a good one because you know what I mean? Like I want to have the
17:15
Yo, we was just at a radio station and they asked Madlib
17:19
to do some drops. He was like, no. And then they asked me to do an interview
17:26
And I said yes And then the first question I did not like the question
17:30
I said you know what bro I gotta go I don't have the energy Because I'm just gonna be fake
17:34
And that's why I don't Because I know you and I Would have an amazing conversation
17:39
At some point But I know folks don't really I don't feel folks know the depth
17:45
Like he knows the depth You know what I mean It's like why waste your time
17:49
It's just I wanna do something else with the time Like, we played some music recently that Heather didn't like
17:55
and she wanted her minutes back. I asked God, can he give me back the past two minutes
18:00
And I'm still waiting on his answer. Now, Rasheed Wallace, in case y'all didn't know
18:07
is a new member of the show. So welcome. They're working at ball for us
18:11
You got a question you want to get in there, man? I just got one question for Talib
18:16
Yes, sir. When you guys were in Ghana and he walked through the door
18:20
did he the video up? did you guys say cut had to do it over
18:25
so I mean I don't you know Sway is such a good dude
18:29
you know what I'm saying yeah and thank you there's aspects of a conversation
18:34
that I'm gonna keep private okay but we had a conversation particularly about
18:39
Sway's participation in this video and the song we're talking about Sway on the song
18:43
and we're talking about something that he told me was something that's difficult
18:47
in his life and I didn't know that at the time and when he said it I'm like I can imagine
18:51
I can see why that would be difficult. But I sent him the video and I'm like, can we use your image in this video
18:58
when we talk about you in the video? And what he said to me was, don't put me right where you say my name
19:04
I could still be in the video, but don't put me where I say my name because that situation is..
19:09
And I appreciate this man so much. So it was like, he didn't the video up
19:15
because he's like, it's a candid shot, but it's supposed to be candid
19:19
Yeah. Yeah, absolutely, man. And I'll tell you something else. We were out and about
19:25
We stomped across. And Ghana, I tell everyone, when you go to Africa, if you've never been, go to Ghana
19:32
Go to Ghana first. Because they received us like we grew up there
19:36
And it was one party, Letitia Wright was there. And all of these Ghanaian celebrities were there
19:43
We were all hanging out. We were like kids in the playground. And it was one point where everywhere I stood, man, somebody would always tap me like this
19:51
And it was always a hand trying to hand me a joint. I was like, what the
19:55
No, I'm good, man. Thank you, man. And then I'll move over to each other. It was different people coming up to me, kept tapping me, trying to hand me the joint
20:02
It was J.I.V. It was J.I.V. And I was like, I told Cootie, I said, J.I.V. is high as shit
20:09
I've never seen high J.I.V. Because you kept telling him no. He was like, okay, cool
20:14
And he turned around and tried to hand you the joint. But they blamed it on Todd Liv
20:18
It was my joint. It was his joint. It's all your fault
20:23
We was having fun, man. Let me ask you this. With Liberation 2, in a side of cold, it talks about redefining revolution
20:31
Shout out to Assata Shakur, by the way. Yeah, absolutely. How do you redefine, what is revolution in your eyes today in 2023
20:42
What does that look like? I think it's self-care. is mental health is wellness is taking care of yourself so that you're in a position
20:50
to take care of others you know me i toured for 200 days a year for 20 years yeah until the
20:55
pandemic and the pandemic happened and then there were no more shows and i'm like well who am i if
21:01
i'm not talib quality who gets on stage to do shows live in the flesh what is it that i actually do
21:06
and i had to recalibrate and and and reconsider who i am and how i could be in service and there
21:13
were things that was happening just with me health-wise that i wasn't taken care of when the pandemic happened it was the first time in my adult life that i was in one city for more than
21:22
two months i had never experienced that before oh wow i had never experienced being able to have a
21:27
regimen i had never experienced being able to be like you know what i'm going to work out in the
21:33
same the same time every day i'm going to eat you know try i never did that being on the road you
21:38
just do what you can do when you can do it. And I feel like I've been in service to the people
21:44
just from being on the road and doing my music and this and that. But imagine how much more I could be in service
21:50
to the people if I was feeling better. And I think about during the pandemic
21:56
there was music. I was listening to some radio show and they played this Craig G song
22:01
of Craig G and Marley Marles album that they did together. And I'm like, this beat knocking. I don't remember hearing this
22:06
When did Craig G and Marley do a record together? This shit's crazy. And then my verse came on
22:11
And I'm like, oh shit, I'm on this record. Which means that Craig G must have sent me that song
22:19
in 2010 or 2011, when at 2012, whenever they did that record
22:24
I was high in the studio probably drunk high tired but still operating on a very professional level to the point where I probably laid my verse sent it back and never thought about it again And now 10 years later I like how much music is out there that I haven been paying attention to
22:38
and have I actually been present? You know what I'm saying? When you were doing it. When I was doing it
22:42
When I got back on stage after the pandemic, there were a lot of songs I couldn't remember the words to
22:48
Songs that I used to get a standing ovation for if I would perform. So I'm like, was I really actually present
22:53
No, I wasn't. I was just painting by the numbers, and I was doing it really well
22:57
I was getting standing ovations for not being present. So imagine if I could actually be present
23:03
You know what I'm saying? I can relate to that. See, you can relate to that? Yeah, yeah. No, in fact, you definitely in one, that zone, that feeling when you're out there
23:11
For me, it's the court, of course. And when I step out there in between them lines, man, it's a different world
23:16
I don't hear the shit talking from the fans. I barely hear what the coaches saying
23:21
And, you know, I'm focused in on my defensive assignment and what my other guys are saying to me out there on the floor
23:27
You zoned out. You know, zoned the same way y'all would get in the booth, all that
23:31
That's how. And zoned out with y'all words and, you know, zoned out with you making your beats
23:35
That's the same way I zoned out on that court. You know, I don't think about, even though you have another life
23:41
I don't think about my kids when I'm out there playing and this and that. Even though, as you mentioned, yes, I have to make sure that I take care of myself
23:47
because I am the breadwinner for the family. because if I go down, we all go down
23:52
Yeah. And I definitely took that cliche into my retirement and losing weight and trying to stay in shape
24:02
doing things a little bit better than what I did when I was running up and down the court for 20 miles a day
24:06
So I ain't doing all that now, but it's that zone though. So when you get in that zone, it's totally different, bro
24:13
It's a whole new ball game. And I want to just add on because I don't want to make your question about Revolution just about personal care
24:20
I feel like that's the first step. But for me as an artist, the next step, what I've learned to do, particularly with social justice
24:26
is as an artist, we have to take a back seat. There are people out there doing the work
24:30
who've been doing the work, whether they're famous or not. And as artists, we have to give them our platform
24:34
We should be giving them our platforms, giving them our voices, and not standing in front of them
24:38
but amplifying their voices. The people, which is why we started out this Liberation Project
24:42
with my daughter reading a piece that Asada Shakur wrote, and making it poetic and putting it to music
24:50
I love it, man. We got Mad Lib here, believe it or not
24:54
I keep saying that. Nobody believes it. We got Talib's son, Imani
25:00
Imani. Imani. He's very talkative. I can see where he gets it from
25:06
Talib Kweli. I'm going to play this song, and we want to do a fight. Can we do a cypher
25:09
That's why you're here, son. Yes, that is. Okay, we're cool with that? You got some bars
25:13
You got some bars? On deck? Okay, I'm going to play air quotes, right
25:17
And I noticed in air quotes that during the verses, the drums disappear
25:23
Right? Talk about that. What was the purpose of that? So you could focus on the words, you know
25:30
Uh-huh. And every song ain't got to be drums. You listen to Griselda or any of the new stuff, a lot of stuff don't have drums
25:40
Uh-huh. Or the drums are underneath, you know what I mean? And me and Dilla used to do that a long time ago
25:45
And that's a tactic You like the end result of that Yeah Not all the time
25:49
But for certain things We did that We did an interview With 50 Cent
25:55
Back in the day With MTV I used to do this series Called All Eyes On
25:59
It was for the Massacre album And we had a whole concept I mean
26:02
This guy Sean Lee A couple other folks That worked at the time Wanted to do
26:06
We used to You know When you watch those TV segments They always got them Generic drum beats
26:10
Underneath and shit That you know Stock beats And so we said
26:14
We're not gonna play any beats, we're just going to have somebody do a score over this interview
26:19
And the score would be themed around this whole mafia thing. And we did it at that restaurant that Castellano got shot in front of the steakhouse
26:30
Tad's. Yeah, we did it at the steakhouse and the whole night. I loved it
26:34
It was a steakhouse out in front of Tad's steakhouse. Yeah. Wow
26:38
He got lyrics to go. Bars. So I understood. That's why I noticed it. Right
26:44
Let's play air quotes. We're going to come back with this. My daughter Diani's on this record
26:47
Diani kills it. She kills you on it. I mean, kills it. Air quotes
26:55
Liberation too. Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. Tell them how they can get this album
26:59
man. This album is available exclusively on luminarypodcast.com. If you want on your computer
27:06
if you have your phone, it's the luminary app. It is a podcast app
27:10
A lot of people have been complaining about, oh why you put it behind the paywall
27:14
because good art costs money that's why it costs us money to make it
27:18
a lot of people are complaining about it's not on the DSPs but this Luminary deal is the best deal
27:23
that I've had in my whole career I'm a 25 plus year career it's the first time we not getting robbed
27:28
the first time we have equity and ownership off the top and on the Luminary app
27:33
it's not just you paid $5 a month I think it's $35 for the year
27:38
you get to listen to the Liberation album which we will be putting on vinyl at some point
27:42
You get to listen to the Black Star album, No Fear of Time, produced by Mad Lib
27:46
You get to listen to every episode of my podcast, People's Party, which you started the show with
27:50
You get to listen to every episode of Midnight Miracle, my podcast with Dave Chappelle, Yasin Bey
27:56
as well as all the other podcasts they have there. So when you are complaining about that, you're complaining about getting too much bang for your buck
28:03
There it is, man. You ever feel pressure? Because having to produce that Black Star album
28:09
I mean, people have been waiting on that for decades. Do you ever feel pressure to perform
28:13
Nah. You really didn't know what he was going to say? I mean, maybe pressure is the wrong word
28:22
Like, I would want to make sure. I know a lot of people wanted a different sound
28:26
but it was mainly up to what they wanted to do. Okay. Okay
28:30
And you followed that lead? Yeah, yeah. All right. What is it like working with Yassin
28:37
It's my man. You can find him. You know what I mean? That's not like you. You can find him
28:42
He might be worse than me. Really? Yeah. Wow. Yo, I'll never forget one time I was in Paris doing something
28:50
documenting something. And I'm like, damn, man, I was looking around and no nothing
28:54
It was beautiful, though, because the anonymity and all of that, and I could just experience life
29:00
And I'm like, yo, this is dope, right? And it was around the time ASAP Mob came out
29:04
And I was like, oh, I see where everybody getting their flavor and style from. Right
29:07
They had it popping in Paris, right? And it was like, yeah, we got a surprise guest here
29:13
who's about to jump on the mic. It was the Yassin Bey. Was he on a skateboard
29:18
I think he was. He was skateboarding around Paris. Yeah, that's what he be doing. And we saw each other, kind of like we saw each other in Ghana
29:25
and he was like, yo! And then he disappeared. All right. Shout out to my brother
29:32
No, beautiful man. DB, how often have we had father, son, or father-child cyphers on this show
29:40
Let me think, never. Has Corey Gunz been up here? Peter and Corey, not at the same time as Peter. No. Nah
29:48
What about, nevermind. Ice Cube, no, no. What about, T.I.? What about Dexter and his son
29:58
Who's Dexter? Y'all know who Dexter is? Nobody knows who Dexter is. The ms
30:01
Like Rich the Kids, Dexter? No. Dexter, the rapper. He hangs out with Kanye West
30:06
He used to be hanging out with Tropical Quest back in the day. Oh, Dexter. I didn't know he..
30:11
His son rhymes. I didn't know that. I didn't know that either. Awkward moment. La la la
30:18
I know T.I. I'm the money. Edit out the video. Yeah, this ain't gonna make the video, Tyler
30:24
No, no, you gotta keep that in there. You gotta keep that in there. Dexter needs to know
30:28
Dexter needs to come on out. T-shirt. T.I. and Damani, you know
30:33
But now we got Talib and Amani. Yes. Yes. This is it, man
30:39
I'm excited about this, citizens. This is one of the things I said to Kwaleed, man, if your son coming up
30:45
you better tell him he must have bars. And I told him
30:49
Okay, Matt Lib know we've been doing this for decades. He had to go through this whole procedure
30:53
Ain't nobody in here exempt, young man. You ready? Okay, man, get up on that mic, man
30:59
On it, man. Okay, you ready? Okay, yo, DB. Okay, welcome to the Valley of the Hyena
31:07
Drop a beat on him. Okay. This is what we doing
31:16
Turn that beat up, Torch. Yeah. Turn it up. Yeah, you got respect to greens
31:24
Hey. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. Every street rapper over 40 turned conscious
31:34
It's like they start facing all their demons and their monsters. I'm proud of y'all, though
31:37
I won't make fun of y'all, I promise. Y'all graduated from the school of hard knocks with honors
31:41
But now we on mission to focus on liberation. We build a black wealth when we come up for reparations
31:47
African art be at the balls in my crib. Seeker of truth and knowledge, mama named me Talib
31:52
Talking about life in Brooklyn, that has the acronym. Revolutionary and busted back like a Jacobin
31:57
Pan-African and these rappers sweeter than saccharine Dancing on their grave like a rerun of what's happening
32:02
The devil hypnotizing with just like the lotto Tales from the crypto we worship and false idols
32:08
Enticing them with sex like Heth back at the grotto black Fillers get bottled white, fillers get coddled
32:13
What do I know? I'm only here to inspire the scholars Only, yo, we all make dollars
32:18
That's why I walk with my head up Keep my shit on swivel, it's easy to get drizzled
32:24
Dead up, not paying attention to get you wet up Sharing your location
32:28
Talking about it Just set up Imani Fela Yo you next up
32:32
Imani Fela Ay I seen greener grass I seen blue skies Sharp
32:38
you up In a suit and tie Who was I They assume how I move
32:41
Is suicide Patience is key Yet they try to Ring the truth to dry Move aside
32:45
I seen more foul shit Than you who drive Who's surprised You calm it down
32:49
If you knew the guys We screw in eyes You know what's up You knew the vibes
32:53
Beautifully brutalized Our redemption Will soon arrive You be a euthanized, do the lies for the do or die
32:58
Strap on my boots and ride for the s that prove a lie Decline inspiration if I'm so inclined
33:03
Yeah, define inspiration when it's soul time Right, we roll with the roll of body, not the roll of mind
33:08
Word of God, fabricated paradise, I ain't rolling mine We wanted all the smoke till we open fire
33:13
Ay, blowing our brains out, then tell us keep an open mind Yo, yo, yo, yo
33:21
You got another one for this one? Oh, for sure, let's go Okay, okay Um, uh, uh, yo
33:27
Rockin' with Imani over mood tracks Penne alla vaca with the flow to posh to relax
33:32
Mr. Lover lover like Shaggy without the Scooby Snacks The baby mama got a cleavage out that has a booby trap
33:38
My coming predicted divine scriptures See the griffithers dressing like they post-apocalyptic fly fishes
33:43
Get the picture when I frame the capture I'm the famous rapper posing as a backpacker
33:47
Dating a cracker smacker The shoe fit slipping dorm like a Gucci loafer I thought I told ya the error of the goofy sofa Blowing up like a supernova stronger than a super soaker I wetted up like a super soaker Mental state seems to be in a defensive place
34:01
Your fans must've caught the corona and lost their sense of taste I hesitate, still extend the grace
34:06
You get it straight, list is fake If I ain't on it when they mention greats To be considered one of the best, you gotta say my name
34:11
I ain't never lied in the rhyme, can you say the same? Just had to air it out on the track
34:16
I got my man Imani Fela in the back Let's go, life. Hey, hey, hey, check it out, look
34:51
Cash rules everything around me Astoundingly my brothers and my sisters on the other side surrounding me
34:57
We ain't on the same plan, ain't no looking down to me Ain't no looking up to me, nobody can with me
35:02
Respect is a luxury On hands like spears way beyond my years
35:06
Still got my gears stuck with me Riding till the ice on your neck turn bubbly
35:10
s buddy buddy till the money get in front of me Never where I wanna be, always on the path too
35:15
I light that ass up before I let somebody gas you I fast forward The ways I ride
35:20
Michael like fast food Y'all still ask for it Show your ass for it Can't believe trash
35:24
That important Shit is bad news If life a game I'm a bass boy
35:28
Here the crash course Let's go Wait a minute Hold up Hold up
35:32
Hold up Green ball Yeah yeah yeah Yeah You gonna respect the greens
35:38
Let's go The is going on I had to put my sonny's on
35:45
There the B I wasn't expecting the tone from his voice that came out
35:49
I was not, man. The Greens, the hottest father-son cypher duel in hip-hop
35:58
That's right. And if you want the title, come up here and take it
36:02
That's right, Dexter. You want the title, come take it. Leave Dexter alone
36:07
Some of the fathers and sons won't rap together. You want the title, come take it
36:12
The only two, I mean T.I. and Damani, You know those That's a level right there Yeah
36:18
Shout out to D-Montagy But you know This your first time up here man I'm gonna do you like I used to do them dudes
36:23
And Lu Pack Man I never let them get off Come on Come on man You remember that man
36:27
You still got nightmares Before you stop rapping You know what I mean man
36:33
Let me stop Okay One more beat Let's do it Let's do it
36:36
Let's play this for Heather B Yeah We gonna see who speak
36:42
That truth right now Kwalea, you got another one? Let's see. Yeah
36:48
Yeah. Rider of the storm, wise enough to warn the people about the evil that be going on
36:54
Way before the money going, money is the root of. You know the rest, you know the love of it
36:59
Got you investing in your death. I stay touring. I'm live in the flesh
37:03
They make computer music. They try to make a copy of me. The computer blew it
37:07
They raised in the age of their enlightenment. Little did they know that they were slaves to their environment
37:12
The doggone tribe so the stars without telescopes When you have no God, you start selling folk
37:18
I tried telling folk, their attitude is bellicose So much more to life to rap about than selling coke
37:23
You can tell that it's dope My squad official, they irrelevant Because their intelligence is artificial
37:29
The scar tissue on the face, tell the folklore We launch missiles in the space to start the Cold War
37:34
Starlight, star bright, get the arc right Put my story on the screen at the archlight
37:40
Stare clear of the beast and the trunk of the dice They try to start a fight like De La Reese and Harlem Knights We got the flow to culture vultures try to copyright But they copy wrong we are not alike We got the flow to culture vultures try to copyright but they copy wrong we are not alike
37:58
We are not alike, ayy. We are not alike. Shout out B's. Yo, ayy. Ayy
38:06
I said, I have no brand, I do the branding. Y'all sculpting sounds in need of sanding
38:11
The panic expected I stay grounded I never press for landing Always stopping in the plans
38:15
I never have a hand in Seeking examined Take it as such You run it up Some s want bandages
38:19
They get abandoned Vanish like avalanches A quick sand spirit Cripped through the planet
38:22
Move every dance of the ranch In a quick glance We'll leave you thirsting for more Scratching at your neck
38:26
Scraping at your core The industrialization of my people Let their spirit pompous appore
38:30
The taste of quiet I require silence Can order signs of law The masses now
38:34
Milenously the time will be off Get the from around me If the wounds ain't Grind me and raw
38:38
The limelight all ivory and gold All I see is seek and destroy Ay
38:41
We yzing my alliances need our void They got the keys but we got the noise, yeah
38:46
Once they forgot to breathe we deployed the void Ay yo Ay Ay Ay Rewind
38:58
I know you gotta go, Heather, Heather gotta go do it I told you we was gonna go for a time
39:06
She did say that She did say that One of the gifts that has been handed down to me
39:19
I believe through ancestral DNA lines Epigenetics is the ability to recognize
39:26
When you're in a moment What you were talking about earlier What we talked about with that song
39:33
What happened in that time I knew I was in a moment
39:37
prior to that. Different emcees I've seen and come across over the years
39:43
whether it's a Razzcast or even an Eminem. Razzcast kids, by the way
39:48
Oh, oh, oh, oh. That's a good one. I knew I was in a moment
39:54
listening to your son right now and you rap together. This is a moment
40:00
This is a beautiful moment. I agree. And Sway, I don't always rap
40:07
when I come here. You don't. And I don't always, you know, ask you nobody. because I feel like
40:10
I've earned a certain amount of cultural cachet and currency where I can tell Sway
40:15
I'm good. Y'all can go listen to them records. But I can't, my son light a fire
40:19
under my ass. And I can't, he put me in a position where I'm like
40:22
no, I got to keep rapping and I love and appreciate you for that
40:27
Imani. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Imani, man. And he making you, yo, you sound incredible
40:32
He sounds incredible. That's a whole nother story right here. he sounds phenomenal
40:37
he's doing things literally like I almost shed a tear last night like he's doing things
40:41
lyrically and stylistically that I gotta say it man like I feel like
40:45
he's light years above his peers I feel like I'm biased against my son
40:50
but I'm like I'm not seeing nobody come like this yeah man that's why I'm looking
40:53
you see my look towards you is different now you see that I know what I'm seeing
40:57
Heather I know what I'm looking at you're incredible brother man I appreciate
41:02
y'all man Kwalee thank you for this moment, man. Thank you. You have no
41:06
idea for so many other reasons why I needed this. No doubt. Thank you, brother
41:09
Alright, Liberation 2. Mad Lib, man. Thank you for coming to see family
41:14
man. Thank you for having me, brother. Come on, man. Absolutely, man. Let's all tell King Tech you came up here. He didn't believe
41:19
he was coming. I said, what up, man? I definitely will. DJ Revolution, the whole team, man
41:23
You know we love y'all, brother. Come on. We were there then. Y'all showed us love first
41:27
Yeah, man. So, and to see what you've done, man, I'm proud of you, brother. I'm proud of you
41:31
man. Imani, man, can you write me some raps. Can you be my ghostwriter
41:35
Please. We're going to talk. We're going to talk. Please, Heather. All right. So Liberation 2
41:39
make sure y get it Luminaries right And then how can people read you Imani Via Instagram Imani ain here Imani Always making shit complicated
41:51
And, yeah, I'm supposed to be, you know, releasing some music pretty soon
41:55
Tap in with Javoti Media for that. Imani got an album with Javoti coming, and Deani got an album with Javoti coming
42:00
Okay, tell Deani we said what's up, too, man. She got bars as well
42:05
Pali, where you want them to go? Luminaries? I mean, you know where I'm at. I'm in the breeze with the blunts
42:10
You know, you're going to see me out there. Don't be trying to handle it. Oh, if you're in New York City tonight, there's a Japanese restaurant called NEN
42:16
Myself and Jay Period are doing an all-vinyl Native Tongues tribute tonight at 10 p.m. in New York City
42:23
Damn. And I ain't played all-vinyl in like 10 years. Wow. I'm about to go to the record store right now
42:28
And get some, right? Get some more. Me and Tosh just said we should stop going out on the weeknights
42:31
What's happening, Tosh? Now quality it is. Man, Lib, I know I'm not even going to ask you how people can reach you
42:39
He can't reach me. He can't reach me. Holler at me. I'll pass the message on
42:44
He can't reach me. Rasheed Wallace, I want to thank you, man. A shout-out to Rasheed Wallace
42:49
Always represented for hip-hop. And, bro, you always support us, man. It really sits on our heart, man
42:56
We appreciate you. Oh, for sure, man. When you do positive things, man, you know, positive people follow you, man
43:01
Thank you, brother. Y'all keep doing what y'all doing. Y'all bring a lot of positive energy every morning to the country, man
43:07
And you started off with the song. Yeah. Wake up every morning
43:12
Y'all know what I'm saying? Y'all write this to Teddy P and Howard Melvin. Yeah, Teddy P
43:17
Appreciate that, man. And, hey, I'm just here whenever y'all need me
43:21
Goodbye. Thank you, sir. You are now officially a worker. A slave boy
43:26
A worker citizen. There you go, man. Heather, how can they reach you? I'm at the happy hour, WHB
43:30
Okay. And we're going to end with after these messages. Liberation 2, man. Make sure y'all pick up the project sheet
43:35
How can they reach you? Oh, they know, man. Yep, I am underscore she with six E's
43:40
Okay. Reek Wallace, man. Be safe, brother. Thanks for coming through, right
43:47
Joe, how you say your name again? Joe Thunder, baby. Joe Thunder, baby. And on that note, Citizens DB, thank you
43:53
Reach him at It's Really DB. Yep, Mix will be posted later today at Mixcloud
43:57
It's Really DB. Torch. I'm at Torchinson. That's Torch, I-N-G-T-O-N. I'm at Real Sway
44:03
That's a real New York name. Yo, check it. Jay Ivey's coming tomorrow. Oh, tell him
44:07
Wait, hold on. Ask him a question. What you want to ask him? He's doing City Winery, right
44:12
Yeah, he's doing City Winery. And what's the question? I was going to say, play back the clip about, remember what the story you told
44:16
Yeah, you should play him back then. Jay Hyvey. Jay Hyvey. Jay Hyvey. Okay, you got any other questions for him
44:21
He just won his first Grammy. Make sure that you give Jay Hyvey his props because he put in work for all the spoken word
44:30
and all like, Jay Hyvey has been behind the scenes quietly for years, making sure that
44:34
spoken word even got a category. Yeah. Along with other poets and other people
44:39
Shout out to Jessica Caremore. And shout out to J.I.V. and Tyree Ture and everybody in Chicago
44:45
Word is bomb. Jessica Caremore is on the album, right? She's on Liberation. That's right
44:49
What's the name of that song? Wild Love. Wild Sweet Love. It's named after a Nina Simone lyric
44:54
I like you in a love song. Hey, man, I'll take the Pepsi challenge on these s right now
44:59
I do better love songs than any rapper. Drake, LL Cool J. I'm trying to see everybody
45:03
Let's go. Yo, but you did a good love song. I liked hearing him talk about love
45:06
I do this well, bro. Love is very easy for me to talk about. And I pride myself on being able to make good rap love songs
45:13
But I got to say, this one I just did with Mad Lib. This Wild Sweet Love. It's followed by Wild Sweet Beauty with Kenan Omari, which my son's friend, came and played flute on the reprise of it
45:24
You know, we have a good time. Yeah, man, you got a good project. It's an excellent project. Congratulations
45:28
And on that note, Citizens, y'all stay on the right side of positivity. and we have nothing left to say
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