After Talib Kweli revealed he’d been working on album with Kanye West on Wednesday (October 31), thirst for the mythical joint effort got real.
But, it looks like Kweli’s Instagram post wasn’t an attempt to jumpstart the collaborative process after all. Rather, it was a reminder that the Black Star luminary had warned ‘Ye about people out there who would use him — including conservative commentator Candace Owens.
“We started working on one but I stopped going around once it was clear that he wasn’t hearing me re: the Trump/Candace Owens stuff,” Kweli tells HipHopDX via email. “I posted that clip on IG not so much to restart the album, but to remind him that I was warning him thru song about the very people who took advantage of him way before he allowed them to.
“I have a lot of love for Ye but he still has more work to do.”
Earlier this week, ‘Ye announced he was distancing himself from politics. Toward the end of Kweli’s Instagram caption, he welcomed ‘Ye “back.”
[This article has been updated. The original version was published on October 31, 2018 at 12:20 p.m. PST and can be found below.]
At this point, Kanye West is almost like a musical assembly line. He’s pumped out multiple projects this year — including Nas’ NASIR and Pusha T’s DAYTONA — but evidently he has much more waiting in the wings.
According to a recent Instagram post from Talib Kweli, ‘Ye was working on a joint album with the Black Star MC. In light of Kanye’s recent “awakening” and decision to step away from politics, Kweli clearly thinks production should resume.
“Me and @kanyewest started an album together last January,” he wrote in the caption. “That same month Candace Owens trolled me on twitter and her followers called me all types of niggers and monkeys for months. Hey Ye it’s probably time to revisit this one… lyrics are timely AF. Welcome back.”
In the Instagram clip, Kweli raps a few bars from one of his collaborative tracks with ‘Ye. Unsurprisingly, the verse revolves around the current political divide plaguing the nation.
“Niggas wanna play both sides/Like both sides got very fine people/One side is fighting, playing nazis/The other side is straight evil/If people wanting to be equal is a threat to you/And equality is death to you/You’re probably sensitive about your testicles/We celebrate diversity with carnivals festivals,” he spits.
HipHopDX has reached out to Talib for comment.
Talib Kweli is one of the most underrated MCs. Love how outspoken about racism he is.
Yeah. He is a great hypocrite racist that talks about racism. Extremely overrated if anything. You must be a Drake fan and believe in the tooth fairy and BLM.
Hey dumbass! how can he be racist when he employs whites, mexicans and other races in all of his productions, he doesnt keep anyone oppressed from shit. He speaks the truth about you crackaz and now you butt hurt cuz revealed your weakness hahah . look up racism stupid colored man.
I saw Mos Def and Talib Kweli in concert last summer. They had the whole venue chanting F**K Donald Trump. I loved it!!!!
Yeah cause that’s what real friends are fo! They stop fuckin with you when you speak and think differently! Now it’s all good cause Yeezy said he done with politics? Fuck Kweli for that, and every other fake ass friend that turned on Ye! Soul mates become soul less!
Came here just to post the same thing. I wouldn’t be surprised if an upcoming bar is abut people not wanting to do anything with you, but once you put your beliefs aside those same people will try and fck with you
Talib Kweli and Kanye been friends and been making music together for over 15 years.
You salty Trumptards started dicc riding Kanye only a few months ago. Now y’all mad cus he wants nothing to do you it’s your MAGA white Supremacist terrorism group
“White Supremacist terrorism group”. Hahahaha. You’ve been watching too much CNN.
And Happy Halloween to all y’all and remember, soon as they boo you make em un-boo you! Cheers lads!
This would be a great fuckin collaboration. Ye’s soulful production over kwelis lyrics content? Gets no betta. Kweli better be ready for ye. Would be a missed opportunity. Anything ye touches gets attention.
“Anything ye touches gets attention.” —- except for those 5 albums he produced and put out earlier this year. They got attention for about 1 day and a half, then everyone forgot about them. They were decent projects, not great but decent.. but he gets more attention for his antics than his music lately
Yay!!! Mos Def needs to jump on this project too
Ye and Candice are soul mates.
No one is checkin for broke ass tired racist Taliban Kweli. Especially Kanye after Talib spends all his time bashing him on his twitter page. Now he wants to jump on the bandwagon. Talk about playing both sides. Notice how Kanye is not responding? This is all Talib tryin to stay relevant and stay in the spotlight what a shitta ass person
I still listen to Nasir and Teyana Taylor album, and still waiting for the visuals. I’m here for Kanye West as the producer, not as an artist anymore, I’ll listen to who album he produces and not him rapping or singing.
Yeah were are the Visuals for that Nas album? or The Ye Album or Kids see Ghosts? there are some good songs on those joints.
I’m not touching anything Kanye is part of! I’m done!
Having been accused of sexual harassment, I guess under the party Talib would vote for he would be in jail, because proof doesn’t matter, as it didn’t with Kavanaugh. ‘Welcome Back.’ SMH.
The Democratic party has been taking advantage of black people ever since they failed at trying to keep slavery legal..
Yo Talib Is the fakest dude in hip hop straiggt up n down and he been exposed. Go away.
Very true. I met this dude at a roots show in Detroit. He was complaining about how white the audience was. Seriously. Not heresay. In front of me. I was a promoter at the venue at the time. This was like 20 years ago. I made a mental note “this fucktard is a racist, entitled piece of shit.” He spoke with an air of privilege. You can tell he always had money, he didn’t come from a struggle. Fuck this clown.
@Fuck TwaWeeb & Diablo
No, you’re just two butt-hurt white ppl who don’t like him exposing your fuckery.
I remember when Talib Kweli was talking about why white supremacists are obsessed with anime porn LMAO