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PUTTING HIS
FACE ON.
FACE TO FACE.
BOLD FACED.
FACE THE MUSIC.
FACE THE FACTS.
FACE THE FIRING
SQUAD.
DEADPAN.
CD REVIEW
Kweli meshes traits on album
“QUALITY"
Talib Kweli
★★★★ out of -a it is it is
BY TITAN BARKSDALE
TIIK GAMECOCK
Talib Kweli’s lead single,
“Waiting for the DJ,” has a glossy
video complete with scantily clad
models dancing under strobe lights.
The video created some uncertain
ty about his new release, “Quality,”
because many fans expected the so
cially-conscious emcee to stay seri
ous, but Kweli can have fun, too.
On this album, Kweli shows
he’s not the same kid sharing the
mic with backpackers from his
“Fortified Live” days. He shows
he’s not the same incense-burning
revolutionary from his Blackstar
days. He also shows he’s not just
a complement for partner and pro
ducer Hi-Tek, who is absent from
this album. Kweli shows he’s fi
nally fused his many characteris
tics on this album.
“Quality” opens with unbridled
energy that doesn’t fade until a few
tracks later. “Rush” has a crescen
do of incessant thumps that usher
in blaring, staccato horns followed
by knifing electric-guitar chords
that mesh perfectly, thanks to the
Megahertz production. Kweli lets
the listener know how passionate
he is about hip-hop: “I’m spilling
it like I never had a meal in my
life/feed my family with my pen,
it’s so real when I write.”
Produced by Kanye West, “Get
By” features chopped piano chords,
Miss-Mary-Mack hand claps and a
bellowed chorus, all of which form
a soul-stirring ode to people and the
self-destructive crutches they use
to get through life. Cocoa Brovaz
drops in on the puzzling, yet oper
ational “Gun Music” as Kweli
takes on the persona of a trigger
happy gun carrier.
Of course, “Quality” features
some tracks that show Kweli’s
more familiar visceral side: “The
Proud,” “Where Do We Go” and
“Stand to the Side” are included
on the album in succession, giv
ing the listener a block of intro
spective social commentary
backed by slow grooves.
It’s also essential that Kweli in
clude ballads: “Joy,” a screaming
Ayatollah-laced track about child
birth; “Talk to You,” a brooding
Soulquarians production that fea
tures Bilal; and “Won’t You Stay,”
a melodious Dave West construc
tion that features Kendra Ross
singing the hook.
DJ Quik’s synthesized sound on
“Put It In the Air” might be the
only outright miss on the album.
This track is well put together and
Kweli rides the beat, but, like
“Gun Music,” it disrupts the al
bum’s continuity.
There’s also an abundance of
singing supplied by Bilal, Res,
Vinia Mojica, Kendra Ross and
others. To some, the crooning
might be over the top, but dedicat
ed fans know this has been a part
of Kweli’s soulful vibe. The useless
guest spots, such as Xzibit’s few
seconds of babbling at the end of
“Rush” and Mos Def s unimagina
tive hook on “Joy,” are counter
acted by tracks such as “Guerrilla
Monsoon Rap,” on which Black
Thought and Pharoahe Monch join
Kweli in a lyrical suicide drill.
Unlike on “Train of Thought,”
the track sequencing of “Quality”
is almost flawless, which gives the
album a distinct flavor and the lis
tener a smooth, pleasurable ride.
Aside from a few slipups, all of
Kweli’s traits find a happy com
promise in “Quality.”
-1
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Indian Music
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5
would be producing with the
Sarod.
He said what he played during
the concert would be “dry” to
Westerners because “Westerners
are used to hearing harmony.”
In Indian classical music, mu
sicians play only one note at a
time and rely heavily on melody.
“We use the same notes as you
use,” Buddahdev said while play
ing a scale, “but our manner of us
*
ing them is different.”
Buddahdev and Dasgupta’s first
piece lasted almost an hour before
breaking for intermission.
Subsequent pieces were shorter.
Patel said instrumental music
transcends cultural boundaries.
“You don’t need to know vocabu
lary to understand,” he said.
Earl Thomas, a third-year math
student, attended the concert be
cause he has a personal interest in
music. “There are probably some
things they’re doing up there that
we can’t interpret,” he said. “I
think it’s a good thing for artists
of different parts of the world to
show what they have.”
Talwani and Keshiv Desai, an
other of SIPA’s founding members
and USC graduate, said they are
trying expose Columbia to Indian
culture. SIPA’s goal is to have five
or six concerts a year, including
instrumental music, vocal music
and Indian dancing, said Talwani.
E-mail sipasc@yahoo.com for
information about SIPA and its
events.
Comments on this story?E-mail
gamecockmixeditor@hotmail.com
CROSSWORD
ACROSS
1 Latvian
5_of Galilee
8 Warnings
14 Sea green
15 NYC arena
16 Make shoe
repairs
17 Sound of rippling
water
18 Simian
19 Zodiac sign
20 Kitchen fixture
21 Brought to mind
23 Writer Bagnold
24 Large African
antelopes
25 Religious grp.
27 Low
28 Jacket part
33 Marriage partner
35 Artful paper
folding
37 Denver pro
40 Persian Gulf
island
41 Commuter flight
43 Fibula or tibia
44 Vagrants
45 Actor Kilmer
47 Epic tales
51 Of thp Vatinan
53 Lug along
54 Achieved a
narrow victory
59 Lawman Dillon
60 King Arthur’s
paradise
61 Inc. in Liverpool
62 Landed
63 Make shoe
repairs
64 Tour segment
65 Riviera city
66 Light meals
67 Raw mineral
68 Time period
DOWN
1 Ran out
2 Horselike
3 Hit the hay
4 Speak with
condescension
5 Kiss loudly
6 Give one’s
support to
7 Order of
business
© 2002 Tribune Media Services, Inc 11 /25/02
All rights reserved.
8 Giant with 100
eyes
9 Knowing look
10 Lamenter’s
words
11 Tim of “WKRP in
Cincinnati"
12 List of options
13 Inadvertent error
22 Self-defense
system
26 Aluminum
silicates
28 Detroit team
29 Quite a few
30 Singer Tillis
31 Rhea’s relative
32 Designer
Claiborne
34 Crafty critter
36 Greek letter
37 _humbug!
38 Spanish river
39 Globe
42 Reitman or
Lendl
43 Demolition
expert
Solutions
■»
46 Very handsome
young man
48 Net minder
49 New York
prison
50 Hunting dog
51 Window parts
52 Rock shelf
54 Violent conflicts
55 Baking box
56 ESA’s partner
on the ISS
57 Voting group
58 Part of an egg
HOROSCOPES
ARIES Hold on tight and set
your course for the stars.
Projects started now turn out
even better than you
imagined. You still have to do
the research, but luck is in
your favor.
TAURUS Tempted to do
something fiscally foolish?
Here are a few clues to
minimize the danger.
Investing in home and family
is the strategy most likely to
reap rich dividends. Real
estate works, too.
GEMINI Hand over the reins to
somebody who wants to take
control, so long as this is a
person you can trust. The one
who’s most noticeable now
probably is trustworthy.
CANCER You may be draggin’,
but don’t let on. An early start
gives you a huge advantage.
Don’t sleep late if it’ll cost you.
LEO You’re almost ready to
take offlike a rocket. But if
you do, will you leave
something valuable behind?
Don’t give up anything you
can’t replace.
VIRGO You may not be ready to
get back to work quite yet.
There’s an almost
overwhelming urge to stay
home with family and catch up
on the latest news. Maybe you
can if you do only the most
important tasks.
LIBRA It’s much easier to be a
team player now. It’s not that
they’ve changed; more likely
you’ve grown. You’re ready to
play on a higher level.
SCORPIO There’s liable to be
an inspection today, or an
exam, or an audit. All they
want are the facts, and if you
produce those, they’ll be
happy and you’ll gain in
status.
SAGITTARIUS You should be
able to blast past just about
any obstacles in your path.
You’ve done the planning, ^
right? Punch into overdrive!
Warp speed!
CAPRICORN There’s almost too
much going on inside your
head. You could come up with
a get-rich scheme that will
actually work. Find a quiet
place where you can think it
over.
AQUARIUS Today is an 8 _ Do
you have a devoted and
affectionate partner in your
life? Want one? Good prospects
should be abundant.
PISCES You can achieve the
goals you’ve set, but it may
take a while. There’s plenty of
work, and you know where to
find it. If you don’t, ask f
around.
CALENDAR
Monday, Nov. 25
"MOSTLY MARTHA": A
German cooking comedy, the
film depicts a battle of wills
between a workaholic chef
and her 8-year-old niece,
whose parents were killed in
a car wreck. 7 and 9:15 p.m.
Nickelodeon Theatre, 937
Main St.
Tuesday, Nov. 26
"MOSTLY MARTHA": 7 and
9:15 p.m. Nickelodeon
Theatre.
"BAREFOOT IN THE PARK": 8
p.m. Workshop Theatre, 1136
Bull St. $13 for adults; $11
students, seniors and
military.
Wednesday, Nov.27
THE BREAKFAST CLUB:
Senate Park, 931-B Senate St.
$5.
NONSTOP HIP-HOP LIVE: New
Brookland Tavern.
"MOSTLY MARTHA": 3,7 and
9:15 p.m. Nickelodeon
Theatre.
"BAREFOOT IN THE PARK": 8
p.m. Workshop Theatre. $13
adults; $11 students, seniors
and military.
Thursday, Nov. 28
2 DEEP PRESENTS JIVE
TURKEY: Jason Wilson's
birthday bash. New
Brookland Tavern.
"MOSTLY MARTHA": 7 and
9:15 p.m. Nickelodeon
With The Movielife, Brand
New and Burns Out Bright
8 p.m. New Brookland Tavern,
122 State St. Tuesday.
Theatre.
Friday, Nov. 29
LIFE EVER AFTER WITH
CATALYTIC AND POP 39:
Senate Park. $5.
THE VOID FAREWELL SHOW:
New Brookland Tavern.
BETWEEN THE BURIED AND
ME WITH END OF ALL: Uncle
Doctor's, 1734 Mobile Drive.
"I LOVE YOU, YOU'RE
PERFECT, NOW CHANGE": 8
p.m. Trustus Theatre, 520
Lady St. $20.
FILMPHORIA: The event
features screenings of .
student, local and
independent films. Art Bar,
1211 Park St. 18 and up.
"LAST KISS": In this tale of
midlife crises, Carlo, a man
with marriage looming over
him, plans to travel across
Africa with his drinking
buddies and starts an affair
with an 18-year-old girl on
his wedding day. 7 and 9:30
p.m. Nickelodeon Theatre.
Saturday, Nov. 30
COURAGE RILEY WITH WAKE
UP SEPTEMBER: 6 p.m. New
Brookland Tavern.
EXIT 101 WITH SELLING
TRUTH AND INFINITE: 9:30
p.m. New Brookland Tavern.
LOVEFIST WITH SHELDON:
Uncle Doctor's. u
"I LOVE YOU, YOU'RE
PERFECT, NOW CHANGE": 8
p.m. Trustus Theatre. $20.
"LAST KISS": 3,7 and 9:30
p.m. Nickelodeon Theatre.
Sunday, Dec. 1
"LAST KISS": 3,7 and 9:30
p.m. Nickelodeon Theatre.