“Quality over quantity homie, it’s only right,” part of the hook to the song, “Boomerang,” from Talib Kweli’s latest release, Train of Thought: Lost Lyrics, Rare Releases & Beautiful B-Sides Vol. 1 keeps playing in my head because it is very fitting for both this new project and for Talib Kweli as an artist.
Train of Thought, which dropped yesterday, by surprise on Kweli’s website, is a 12-track collection of unreleased music kept in the vaults. Features include Common, Killer Mike, Kanye West, Consequence, Yasiin Bey and others while production is handled by long time collaborator Hi Tek, as well as Kanye West, DJ Quik, Dave West, Ayatollah and more. Each track slaps with its own unique flavor. The album showcases Kweli’s street-smart style and that classic New York delivery that Kweli so effortlessly commands with his sharp lyrics and intellectual reporting. This is definitely a project worth listening to from start to finish.
