Talib Kweli - Listen

Talib Kweli never seems to disappoint: Listen, the lead single from his third studio album, Ear Drum, is a sample-heavy juggernaut that captures the boom bap rap at its pinnacle. The constant request for "people to wake and listen" can be very repetitive, as he rarely uses the sample as a part of his rhyme pattern and word play. Lyrically Talib floats effortlessly around true underground issues, like fans not giving enough credence to the penmanship of MCs. Rarely can an artist insult his followers and still have them bobbing to the kick, whistling to the flute. Far from being a musical masterpiece, Listen is a true tune for hip-hop aficionados. [Omar Jenning]