Though swagger and outsized charisma never go out of style, lyrical prowess seems to have a shifting value in the rap world. It's strange, of course, considering that the MC has always been the focus

Brooklyn rapper Talib Kweli earned his status as underground hip-hop royalty early in his career through his work with two acclaimed projects: Black Star, his collaboration with Mos Def, and Reflection Eternal, his duo with DJ Hi-Tek...

Summerfest is announcing stage headliners at a steady clip now. Here's the latest batch: June 25: Robin Trower June 26: Talib Kweli July 1: Asher Roth July 1: Sound Tribe Sector 9 July 2: Guster July 2: Shiny Toy Guns These acts join previously announced ones like Anthony Hamilton, Blake Shelton, Conor Oberst, Dropkick Murphys, Jack's Mannequin, Lupe Fia...

I'll have a more thoughtful review of the show in next week's Shepherd, but I can't resist the opportunity to beam a little bit about last night's Nas/Talib Kweli show. I'm often jaded about local rap concerts�I'm always turned off by the inordinate number of openers, short sets and considerable delays�but last night's show at the Rave was just about perfect. Even the sound was good. Last time ...

Given Nas’ inability to explain on his previous album exactly why hip-hop was dead, the media understandably greeted Nas’ latest album, originally titled Nigger, with great skepticism. Against the odds, though, the rapper created a piece of art that proves that its controversial original title wasn’t just a . . .

Nas w/ Talib Kweli @ The Rave, 8 p.m. Given the inability of Nas’ last album to explain exactly why hip-hop was dead, the media understandably greeted Nas’ latest untitled album, originally titled Nigger, with great skepticism. Against the odds, though, the rapper created a piece of art that more than addressed...

Hard-touring rapper Talib Kweli returns to Milwaukee for a 7:30 p.m. performance at Marquette University’s Varsity Theatre tonight. In recent years, Kweli has found a comfortable balance between his status as one of the underground rap scene’s favorite conscious rappers and one of mainstream rap’s long-shot stars, releasing . . .

Jay-Z had it easy. He faced few restrictions in his quest for money and stardom. Unapologetically driven by material desires and founded on a platform of social Darwinism, Jay-Z’s ascent to mogul-hood represents capitalism in its purest form. Like most rappers, Talib Kweli wants what Jay-Z has—money, esteem, an audience—but in his pursuit of these goals he’s been held to a much stricter standard than Jay-Z. Long ago labeled a conscious rapper by his fans, Kweli is expected to be above the perceived vanity of mainstream rap. While rappers like Jay-Z can play anything-goes, Tammany Hall politics, Kweli must adhere to restrictive campaign finance regulations or risk alienating his idealistic fans.