Talib Kweli Greene (born October 3, 1975) is an American rapper, songwriter, producer, entrepreneur, and activist from Brooklyn, New York. He became one of the defining voices of late-1990s underground hip-hop through his technically precise rhymes, literary approach, and sustained interest in social and political themes. Although his work has often been associated with conscious rap, Kweli has also moved comfortably through soul, jazz rap, boom bap, alternative hip-hop, and more experimental styles.
Kweli's breakthrough came through two influential partnerships. In the mid-1990s, he met Cincinnati producer Hi-Tek, and the pair formed Reflection Eternal. Their early work appeared on the Rawkus Records compilation *Soundbombing*, helping establish the label as a major home for independent hip-hop. Reflection Eternal's debut album, *Train of Thought*, followed in 2000. Built around Hi-Tek's atmospheric production and Kweli's dense, conversational verses, the album became a respected example of turn-of-the-century underground rap.
Kweli's other pivotal collaboration was with fellow Brooklyn rapper Mos Def, later known as Yasiin Bey. As Black Star, the duo released *Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star* in 1998. The album combined sharply observed writing, Afrocentric ideas, and sample-based production, including several tracks produced by Hi-Tek. Songs such as "Definition" and "Respiration" helped make Black Star a landmark of the Rawkus era and established Kweli as a major figure among listeners who valued lyricism over conventional commercial formulas.
He began his solo career with *Quality* in 2002. The album broadened his audience without abandoning his emphasis on writing, and included "Get By," produced by Kanye West. The song became Kweli's first significant mainstream hit, built around a sample of Nina Simone's "Sinnerman." His next album, *The Beautiful Struggle* (2004), employed a more commercial production style and featured contributions from Mary J. Blige, Anthony Hamilton, The Neptunes, Just Blaze, and West. It reflected Kweli's continuing effort to balance accessible songwriting with his more uncompromising lyrical identity.
With *Eardrum* (2007), Kweli reached the highest chart position of his solo career at the time. The album brought together producers including Madlib, Pete Rock, Hi-Tek, West, and will.i.am, illustrating his ability to work across different branches of hip-hop. He also collaborated with Madlib on *Liberation*, initially distributed as a free digital release, and later reunited with Hi-Tek for Reflection Eternal's *Revolutions Per Minute* in 2010.
Kweli founded Blacksmith Music and later established Javotti Media, an independent company intended to support music and other creative projects. Through Javotti, he released albums including *Gutter Rainbows* (2011), *Prisoner of Conscious* (2013), *Gravitas* (2014), *Radio Silence* (2017), and the collaborative projects *Indie 500* with 9th Wonder and *The Seven* with Styles P. His later work has continued to emphasize collaboration, including *Gotham* with Diamond D, Black Star's *No Fear of Time* with Yasiin Bey, *Liberation 2* with Madlib, and *The Confidence of Knowing* with producer J. Rawls. Across these projects, Kweli has remained known for combining skilled emceeing with a clear sense of cultural purpose.