Talib Kweli Gets Unexpected With Maino & 9th Wonder on “To the Music” (Listen) Posted by Nathan S. on 08/13/12 | Filed under Talib Kweli, Maino

If you couldn't tell by a title like "Prisoner of Conscious", these days Talib Kweli is all about trying to break out of the "concious/underground" rapper box he's been thoroughly placed in. Or rather, he's so thoroughly placed himself in. Hey, you can't overturn almost two decades of music in a few months.

Still, on the "unexpected collaboration" scale, with 10 being the most unexpected and 1 being the least unexpected, Kweli doing a track with Maino is like a 4, especially when you've got 9th Wonder throwing down yet another classic soul instrumental. (For the record, Mos Def is a 1, Gucci Mane is a 10).

The thing to remember, and I have to believe Kweli knows this, is that no matter who is on the track, ultimately the only thing that matters is that the music sounds dope. To borrow a joke from Danielle, he could have Kat Stacks on the hook and if it sounded dope, I"d be down. (Well...maybe not Kat Stacks, but you get the point.)

With that in mind, I've got absolutely nothing against "To the Music". Actually, I'll go a step further and say that if this tracks feels a little average, it's because we've gotten to the point where we're so spoiled by the constant flood of new music, that shit like this sounds average. Back in my most hardcore rap nerd days, I would have slapped by grandma for a Kweli and 9th Wonder joint. Sorry grandma, but I don't take it back.

Anyway, Kweli's "Prisoner of Conscious" is due to drop later this fall, with his "Attack of the Block" mixtape coming "soon". And yes, I'll be copping both of them.

See Also: Talib Kweli, Curren$y & Kendrick Lamar “Push Thru” the Struggle (Listen)