Talib Kweli‘s musical IQ is unmatched. Known for his skills on the mic, the Brooklyn rapper — whose 2002 debut Quality could be appropriately described by its title — also knows good hip-hop when he hears it.
“The best year in hip-hop can be debated, but for my money and experience, no year was better for hip-hop than 1988,” Kweli tells Billboard. “The albums that came out in 1988 have stood the test of time to become classics. They are the blueprints for what great hip-hop would be for years to follow.”
Ahead of his performance for Control Fridays at Hollywood’s Avalon on Friday (June 17) alongside FKi 1st and Gravez, the master rhymer offered up his favorites from ’88 below in a #TBT-appropriate playlist.
Public Enemy – “Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos”
Talib Kweli: “Hearing Chuck D refer to the government as suckas was revolutionary for my 12-year-old self. Also, PE understood the power of visuals long before the Internet was prevalent. The video for this song, like many PE videos, was a mini-movie. This is one of hip-hop’s greatest stories.”
Big Daddy Kane – “Raw”
“The opening bars of Big Daddy Kane’s ‘Raw’ showed me how poetic and artistic hip-hop could be. Beyond that though, the track, laced with Bobby Byrd and James Brown samples, announced the arrival of something big.”
Slick Rick – “Hey Young World”
“When I hear the sing-songy style employed by many of today’s rappers, I think of Slick Rick. His voice always sang when he rapped, but he took his melodies to a new level on this one. I loved The Great Adventures of Slick Rick, but it was an adult album, so I didn’t relate to some of the subject matter at 12. But I knew ‘Hey Young World’ was written for me.”
Boogie Down Productions – “My Philosophy”
“When this dropped, I thought KRS-One was the smartest person alive. I consider KRS my lyrical mentor, and this was the song that convinced me he should be. I’d never heard someone so eloquently and intelligently explain the difference between themselves and back MCs.”
Eric B. & Rakim – “Follow the Leader”
“Lyric-wise, ‘Follow the Leader’ is the best rap song ever written. I’ll take the Pepsi challenge with anyone on that one. When I first heard this song, I literally felt like I was in space, looking back at this ball of clay we call Earth. This is lyrical astral traveling. Our daily word.”
EPMD – “Strictly Business”
“Phife’s favorite rap group in the world was EPMD, and for good reason. Erick and Parrish made magic together in the studio. They were tried-and-true New Yorkers, but Erick’s production spanned the world. ‘Strictly Business’ turns Bob Marley’s ‘I Shot the Sheriff’ into a hustler’s anthem.”
Talib Kweli Reflects on Phife Dawg’s Legacy: ‘He Embodies the Very Best of Us’ (Essay)
MC Lyte – “Stop, Look, Listen”
“The second verse of ‘Stop, Look, Listen’ is one of my favorites of all time, but Lyte sounds perfect on all the verses here. Holding it down as the only female MC on the list, Lyte also held it down as one of the only female MCs who was competing with the boys back then. In many ways, she bested them. This song is an example.”
Marley Marl – “The Symphony”
“The OG posse cut. Craig G and Marley were upstarts, just trying to get on base. Kool G. Rap advanced the runners with his verse and Big Daddy Kane comes through for the clean-up. As one of the top radio DJs and producers in the city, Marley had his finger on the pulse. This record proves it.”
Kool G Rap and DJ Polo – “Road to the Riches”
“Kool G Rap and Polo always seemed dangerous to me, but in a good way. They seem older and wiser than most, and they definitely had street cred backing them up. ‘Road to the Riches’ is a classic tale, with a classic loop. Biggie would remake this record for the Bad Boy era and call it ‘Juicy.’ But G Rap was the OG.”
Biz Markie – “Make the Music With Your Mouth”
“Biz Markie was often mistaken for a novelty act throughout his career, due to his willingness to not take himself so seriously and make humorous songs. But let’s never forget how truly down by law he is. He is the premier curator of hip-hop culture. When ‘Make the Music’ dropped, there was nothing more hip-hop than the Diabolical Biz. Steve Miller Band never sounded so raw.”
DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince – “Brand New Funk”
“Long before the Fresh Prince left Philly for Bel Air, he was taking trips to NY with Jazzy Jeff to go to clubs like Latin Quarters. Will Smith approached his music career much like his film career: He saw the opportunities and attacked them. Because of humorous singles, the album He’s the DJ, I’m the Rapper seemed like a novelty record, but Will and Jeff had something to prove. ‘Brand New Funk’ is excellent hip-hop, helmed by an excellent MC trying to make a name for himself.”
Jungle Brothers – “J-Beez Comin’ Thru”
“Done by the Forces of Nature by the Jungle Brothers is probably my favorite hip-hop album. The samples were ahead of their time and it’s dripping with black pride and creativity. This song was the centerpiece of that album. Wanna know if a group of dancers really know hip-hop? Throw this on.”