American hip-hop artist Talib Kweli wants to lose his "conscious rap" label. Talib Kweli has never been short of words. He is considered one of hip-hop's lyrical leaders; a storyteller who steers clear of tales of gangs and guns in favour of messages with a socio-political bent.
So it's surprising to find a quiet Kweli at the other end of the phone just days before the much-hyped release of his new album Prisoner of Conscious. A barely audible phone line and frustrating long-distance delays don't help the situation. But what is clear from the outset is that the Brooklyn-born rapper is pretty chuffed with his fifth offering.
And fair enough. He is one of the most consistently good emcees around and Prisoner of Conscious delivers solid, meat-and-potatoes hip-hop.
As the title suggests, this is Kweli's attempt at breaking free of the "conscious rap" label that has followed him throughout his career. But he explains that doesn't mean he's no longer making thought-provoking music - there is just more of the personal mixed with the political.
