Talib Kweli's Top 100 Hip-Hop Songs of All Time (Back to The Forum)

If you haven’t seen this yet, here it is..http://rapgenius.com/posts/Talib-kweli-s-top-100-hip-hop-songs

This is one of the most generic lists I have ever seen and I was pretty disappointed with it. Seems like any 16 year old kid who has listened to Rap for 2 years could have put a similar one together. I expected much more from someone like Talib, a dude who has released classic albums and been in the game for a minute now.

“Drop It Like It’s Hot?” “Lean Back?” “Shake Ya Ass?” “Move Bitch?” “Get Low?” “Hot In Here?” “Bring Em Out?” “In Da Club” etc. Seriously? Out of the myriad of dope songs that have come out in the past 30+ years, “Till the sweat drips down my balls” is one of your favorites? Even the songs of less commercial acclaim still ceased to impress me, the selections are just too obvious.

I know, I know, they’re his favorite songs, his opinion blah blah blah…. Either way, the list just seems lazy to me and has no personal touch to it.

It’s his prerogative

Shut the fuck up

I would hope he would know plenty of obscure shit, just weird he listed none of it.

Oh, I know he knows “obscure shit” (If you really want to call it that?)

He’s collaborated with Mike Zoot, Rubix, a lot of dope MC’s.

Don’t know the specific question the interviewer asked. Or I’m just making excuses for Kweli, who knows lol.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuHHxCU-Fh4

I agree that it would have been cool to get inside the mind of a great MC and see his influences, I too found the list disappointing. I’m not much into “obscure” tracks, but if he had some on his list maybe it would have struck a little curiosity in me to go and hear them. At the end of the day, that’s what it’s all about, showing your fans the things that inspire you.

Yea, it would be hard to imagine he doesn’t. The article was originally published in Rolling Stone, but I don’t see how the source would impact his answer. TBH, I was expecting a list that would introduce me to alot of new material, and it was kind of the opposite.

I feel like a list of 100 is too much. You’d just run through your library and pick songs you really like.

I’d rather see a list of his 10 favorites, where you really have to sit down and think.

I’m not hating, I don’t really care, I’m just saying. It would be cool.

Every daam song he listed I heard except Exhibit C by Jay-Elec. Its funny cause he got his start by doing cameos for a uber-underground group called Mood from Cincinati which DJ Hi-Tek was apart of into he teamed up with Talib. Maybe this is Talib’s cry to be accepted in the mainstream. Seriously, not even a song by Last Emperor?

Do you guys think it’s possible he didn’t actually make that list, that an editor did?

I think a lot of hip-hop purists (especially here around RG) make the assumption that if you’re an intelligent person with good taste, your favorite artists have to be MF DOOM or Aesop Rock. But tbh, most people like that just want to chill and have a good time and not always listen to the deep, lyrical, conscious stuff that makes you think so hard.

@A094H2, such a cliche response. Ok, why doesn’t Kweli ever try to re-create what he believes to be Top 100 material? Top 100 material being…. a hit record………

Listen to the first 35 seconds of this and tell me this a list Kweli would honestly conjure up.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYp25wnla9Q&feature=related

@NikeH3ad….. No, I don’t see how that is possible. Any artist with the slightest bit of integrity would not allow someone else to write their opinion for them and then submit it to a major publication. It would be very difficult imagining Talib allowing that to go down.

@A094H2…. First, there are plenty of other artists besides MF Doom and Aesop Rock that intelligent people with good taste like, they just seem to get the most mention around these parts.

Secondly, you seem to think people who like this “highly lyrical” music don’t listen to it to enjoy themselves. Trust me, we do or we wouldn’t listen to it. There is quality music for any mood or occasion. If I want to party with friends, I would have a plethora of artists whose music would fit the mood right… and none of them sound like any of the trash that gets played on the radio.

Maybe the problem is that people don’t think enough and their musical tastes are a direct reflection of their overwhelming ignorace… “God forbid I would have to listen to lyrics that an 8 yr old couldn’t comprehend”….

But as usual, George Carlin said it best…

ignorance*

@Haru…. This is straight off Talib’s Twitter… seems like he did catch some shit.

“Only one answer to everyone questioning my list. It’s MY list. You don’t like it, you can very easily make your own. Try it it’s fun!”

I’m trying to figure out what’s wrong with the list? There’s a lot of dope tracks on his list. People make music for others and listen to music for themselves.
Maybe Talib don’t listen to a bunch of other hip hop like his own cuz he ain’t riding his own tip.
If you pay attention to his other interviews, he’s more into Coltrane, Davis, Monk and other jazz greats, so maybe, outside of doin shows and tracks, he doesn’t go and search out MCs and albums. Remember hip hop beats are made out of other music so if he’s lookin for beats he ain’t checking Dre or Kanye or even Hi Tek, he’s probably lookin for something to sample to make the beat

Im sick of trying to defend MCs whom I thought were real and true to the game. Just recently KRS was being politically correct in a debate. Fuck this shit, I’m done. His list sucks. And if he keeps this type of shit up I’ll have much less respect for him.

Only one Talib song

@ spice like you some sort of approval inspector for MCs. Dude you wack all your RG points come from explaining a played out Next song and you want criticize Kweli and anyone that takes up for them as not being true to the game. Shut up. Aaron Hall and Keith sweat got a couple songs they need you to explain on RG. True to the game lol.

If I was talib I would just put 100 songs from my discography

Never met an intelligent Aesop Rock fan tbh. :yeshrug: But that’s aside the point… how does he not even mention his best song?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vWR5Pj3FKU

Seems like any 16 year old kid who has listened to Rap for 2 years could have put a similar one together.

Fight The Power- Public Enemy
The Message- Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five
Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See- Busta Rhymes
Mona Lisa- Slick Rick
Rock the Bells- LL Cool J
Award Tour- A Tribe Called Quest
O.P.P- Naughty By Nature
Full Clip- Gangstarr

You sure?

I agree that some songs shouldn’t be in that list though. Like Drop it like it’s hot is anyone fav track.

Besides for Full Clip, a 16 year old Hip Hop fan should definitely know those tracks.
People who hate Hip Hop still know “The Message” and “OPP”.

“I think a lot of hip-hop purists (especially here around RG) make the assumption that if you’re an intelligent person with good taste, your favorite artists have to be MF DOOM or Aesop Rock. But tbh, most people like that just want to chill and have a good time and not always listen to the deep, lyrical, conscious stuff that makes you think so hard”—some idiot

You’re ASSuming. There’s a bunch of “underground” shit thats party-laced that don’t rely deep thought. I true hip hop purist knows about Spice-1,E-40, Above The Law,shit like that. If you’d see my IPOD you’d be amazed. The fact Talib loves songs by 50 Cent don’t surprise me, 50 songs can move the dance floor, its expected. The argument is people would expect he’d have some shit there we never of, or some sleept-on shit, doesn’t mean it has to be on some Encyclopedia Britannica shit. If I was too jot down my top 100 you’d see songs by Sir-Mix-Alot and Sbabazz The Disciple. Just because you lack proper insight in hip hop dont mean you can throw stones at those who do.

ITT: Pre-pubescent “hip hop heads” are critiquing the tastes of a legend.

Cool.

ITT: A simple discussion on why Kweli made this list and what did he base it on.

Rollin with my mf strap on side of me
Bass to the mf 9
Don’t f with the east bay G