Talib Kweli, the Brooklyn-born lyricist born in 1975, forged his voice in the late-90s underground renaissance through Black Star with Mos Def (Yasiin Bey) and Reflection Eternal alongside Hi-Tek. His sound fuses intricate, conscious bars over soulful, boom-bap production, echoing the raw energy of Reflection Eternal's own blueprint, Black Star's poetic fire, Jay Electronica's mysticism, Kendrick Lamar's narrative depth, Styles P's grit, Lauryn Hill's soulful edge, and producers like Ski Beatz and Oh No.

A pivotal figure in hip-hop's golden era revival, Kweli's solo runs like "Get By" and Radio Silence blend activism with melody, championing independence via Javotti Media. Distinctive for his scholarly Twitter debates, unyielding truth-telling on police brutality and inequality, and collaborations with Kanye West and Pharrell, he remains a tireless educator and emcee, prioritizing songcraft over dogma in an era of ghostwriting and trends.