Talib Kweli...BREATHe

Kweli Words
www.talib-kweli-blog.com

I don’t make music for the fans. I never have, and god willing I never will. Do I have your attention? Are you offended? Do you understand? Lemme explain…. The true music fan respects the artist who is honest with him or herself. The art is the expression..if I’m only expressing things that are of value to you, than I’m not being a true artist. Once I start to do it for the sake of the fans, then I will really fall off and become irrelevant. I will become transparent..instead of the complaint being, “it doesn’t sound like black star”, it will be, “he hasn’t grown since black star.”
The honest artist will grow and challenge his audience to follow where he is going, and not the other way around. People who love Be shitted on Electric Circus, but they fail to realize Common had to make Electric Circus to get to Be. It is a process that is easy to criticize if you’ve never had to do it. It’s not like Electric was for him and Be was for the audience. They were both made for him Think about this before you say I’m supposed to make music for the fans. Uhh, no, I’m not. You hear artist who make music for the fans all the time in the media. If someone asks them, why do you only talk about sex violence drugs and jewelry, their stock reply is “I’m making music for the fans, I’m giving people what they want.” You look at some of their sales and think, hey maybe they’re right. Then you come to your senses and be like fuck that! .
I’m not that dude. I make music for me, and so do my favorite artists.

I’m strictly talking about the process of creating music in the studio though. Once you put a barcode and a price tag on it, it no longer just belongs to you, it belongs to everybody. Like Cee Lo said, we are selling soul. In every song put out for consumption is a piece of my soul. It is intensely personal, that’s why I only make music and get on stage with people I’m cool with. Anything else would be unnatural and not correct. On stage, I strictly belong to the people. In videos, I am trynta to get the people to spend money on the album. However, I cannot let these realities corrupt the creative process. The reason why my shows stay packed is because I work hard to keep it honest. This is not what I believe, it is knowledge I’ve gotten from doing it so long. You know what else is interesting? The same fan who shits on an artist for doing an ad or a song they feel like is just for the money is the first one to say you should respect me because I bought your album. This is why you can’t make music for anyone but yourself..Phonte from Little Brother talks about this excellently in one of his blogs.





I started a label with Jean Grae and Strong Arm Steady, Blacksmith Music, distributed by Warner, and we will define the vanguard of underground coast to coast.. My most recent albums and mixtapes got everyone from David Banner to Wordsworth to Rakim to Doom to Papoose. No artists on this site puts out more music than me, thru a label or myself or otherwise. I’m definetly not making the music I used to, and I’m not going to, because the nature of the artist is to grow. If you want me to sound like I’m 20 and just signed to Rawkus, don’t hold your breath. You don’t have to buy the new shit, someone will. Just respect what I’ve done for the community you cherish so much. Respect M1, even if you don’t like the album, that’s all I’m saying..If I don’t have the right to say that, then I shouldn’t be down, y’all are right…

{Written for his blog,Please visit www.talib-kweli-blog.com for the complete script of this BREATHe moment,words written by the man himself, Twalib Kweli}

Literafeelya Magazine

Literafeelya Magazine
"a literal source of n'ergy by way of ink!"

www.literafeelyamagazine.net

Communication, a word, which has lingered in my mind for the past two years, is screaming, "You must say something to the people that will help them understand the importance of Literafeelya Magazine." Now in 2006-future, it is relevant that publishing literature, art, and writing be the object of all my desires--destiny�. Communicating on an international level, by way of the Internet, I have had the pleasure of editing and publishing a wonderful online artistic-political magazine. The year 2005, undoubtedly was the best for me. As I look at the hits that have been tallied week after week, it has come full circle in my mind that what we do here is very important, and should be documented. The magazine started out with 100 hits back in 2003; today we are almost at 8,000--and counting. I thank you for taking the time to show the world that what we have to say has meaning, and can change minds/perspectives. Communication once again pops up in my head. It took awhile for me to understand what I wanted to do with my life. At the age of 23 I finally decided that I was a writer-publisher, and wanted to help others get their words out, by publishing a magazine that would challenge the status-quo! Allowing others the opportunity, through communication, by way of words, in an artistic fashion has been the mission. We have accomplished just that and will still continue to pursue higher heights. My mother used to walk in our two-bedroom apartment, and see on my walls, that I had made magazine covers in.2 collages. It didn�t dawn on me until I wrote a poem one day that this would be my lifelong passion�collecting magazines, writing, and publishing work. In addition, reading Nancy Drew mysteries, books by Judy Blume, Mildred Taylor, and of course the ever-loving Babysitters Club always enthused my little brain and fingers�writing book reports on these important authors for class. Today you can�t beat me buying magazines from all walks of life, and continuing to build my library that has amassed well over 500 books. Communicating with each other is the most vital part of the 21st century. We all can play a part in this by taking a stand on issues that are important to us. Whether by discussing issues on the radio, writing articles, and producing art, this is the time to do it. As you plan to dig in.2 this issue, #18, take the time to read works by writers who truly understand what it means to have a voice, and be heard. Open your mind to a new way of thinking and planning your future in the 21st century. As we continue to understand the issues of the world, the current state of Black America, and the plight of the next generation, communication is the most vital element that we can all use in order to get points across--making a difference. I recently went to see an art show by Glenn Ligon, housed in the Contemporary Art Museum of Houston, TX. It was indeed a visual conception of communication that I once forgot that I possessed, creating collages. Understand that we all play a part in getting out our own issues that we do not feel are kosher and vice-versa. I will now begin to take upon that challenge and create my visual impressions of life for the world to CEE. It is up 2.U. to display that internal knowledge that the Supreme Being has given you to share with the world as well. Literafeelya Magazine is one branch of my tree that he has given me to share with you. Thank you for accepting it. It has been a challenge, but you have received it well. I see literature and magazine publishing on the Internet as the catalyst of the next major movement in our history. "Art in the 21st Century: What's Yo' Flavah," is definitely representing for the masses. Get down wit it. Read. Read. Dig in. Sit back, vibe, recollect. Write to the magazine about your issues, and above all else share this publication with someone you know. Literafeelya now has its archived site up; and you can get the first beginnings of our conception at http://www.freewebs.com/mosheflow/. Remember to stay up, Believe N.U., and the Written-Word.... One Luv to Black History Month and Women's History Month! Holla.Black & Enjoy! KYM -aka- So.Fly

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