Coming back with his first album in five years, legendary rapper Talib Kweli shows his pen game is sharper than ever on the 36-minute lyrical exercise of Gotham. From start to finish, the Black Star member uses his tenacious delivery and cold bars to assert his dominance and show he can still hold his own with about anyone in the game. With a score handled by producer Diamond D, Kweli is accompanied by a score that perfectly embodies classic New York hip hop but thrives by modernizing age-old traditions. With this pairing understanding their each and every strength, the two allow themselves to do so much lyrically and sonically. From Diamond D’s synth and string-heavy instrumentals to the pen game of Kweli, which gets more substant and socially aware at given moments, the two both show their range as all-around threats. With this being said, the lp’s best moments generally stem from the 46-year-olds heated banter, which makes him appear both menacing and calculated. Layering this experience featured verses from New York City staples like Skyzoo and Busta Rhymes channel the best out of Talib and Diamond. Aside from the album falling off in the second off due to some awkward rapper-singer collaborations, Gotham is an exciting project that showcases that despite what some may say, Talib Kweli has aged gracefully.
Rating: 6.4/10
Top 5 Songs:
- Sons of Gotham
- Olympic
- On Mamas
- Attention Span
- Chilin While Black
Written By: Mr. Fantastic
