Posted on 09.28.2004

Talib Kweli
"The Beautiful Struggle"
Release : September 28, 2004
Label : Rawkus Records

Review :

Talib Kweli’s sophomore solo album arrives with considerable fear that his mainstream aspirations may turn off longtime fans (ah, the curse of the conscious rapper). However, the album isn’t as crassly commercial as some might complain. To be sure, The Beautiful Struggle could stand more consistency, and the album’s production is a primary liability : songs like "A Game" and "Going Hard" weakly ape current fads while "Around My Way" inadvisably interpolates the Police’s "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic." That said, the balance of the album still holds up to scrutiny. Kweli might cut a party track ("We Got the Beat") and puff up his street cred ("Back Up Offa Me"), but much of The Beautiful Struggle articulates itself with emotion and intellect : "I Try," "Ghetto Snow," and "Black Girl Pain," for example. Like Kweli’s debut Quality, this follow-up falls considerably short of classic status, but it still suggests some moves in a promising direction.

Track Listing :

1. Going Hard
2. Back Up Offa Me
3. Broken Glass
4. We Know - Faith Evans
5. Game
6. I Try - Mary J. Blige
7. Around My Way
8. We Got the Beat
9. Work It Out
10. Ghetto Show - Anthony Hamilton
11. Black Girl Pain
12. Never Been in Love
13. Beautiful Struggle

Buy Talib Kweli "The Beautiful Struggle"