Talib Kweli Rapper Quotes & Sayings

Before Eminem, the idea that there would be a white rapper that anybody would really check for was fantastic or amazing or impossible. — Talib Kweli

Just because someone has great content doesn't mean you like them as a rapper. — Talib Kweli

I feel like people mislead themselves when they tell themselves they're into me because of the lyrics. From my vantage point, people aren't into me because of the content, because of the lyrics. Because there's a million of rappers who have great content. — Talib Kweli

If I focus on being an activist and my job is to be a rapper, I'm not going to be as good of a rapper. I need to focus on hip-hop and focus on making the music, so that when the activists come to me and they need my voice to create a platform, then I've got enough people listening to me. Not because I'm conscious, but because I'm dope. — Talib Kweli

There just needs to be a gay rapper. He doesn't have to be flamboyant, just a rapper who identifies as gay - who's better than everybody. Unfortunately hip-hop is so competitive that in order for fringe groups to get in, you gotta be better than whoever's the best. — Talib Kweli

Being called a conscious rapper is quite a compliment. It's a great thing to be. But as an artist, my nature is to not be in a box. — Talib Kweli

There just needs to be a gay rapper who's better than everybody. That's when that question will no longer be able to be asked. — Talib Kweli

People didn't really take white rappers seriously until Eminem, because he was better than everybody. Like female emcees, you need to be like Lauryn Hill or Nicki Minaj or killing everything before somebody takes you seriously. — Talib Kweli