Talib Kweli

Released: September 28, 2004

Featuring: Mary J. Blige

Songwriter: Talib Kweli Kanye West Mary J. Blige John Legend

Producer: Kanye West

[Intro: Talib Kweli]
New Talib Kweli!
You know what it is
C'mon

[Hook: Mary J. Blige]
I try, I try
I try, you know I try
I try, I try
I try, you know I try

[Verse 1: Talib Kweli]
K. West! Kweli!
Got searched on the plane, Arabic first name
Disturbed by the fame just like Kurt Cobain
Breath of life, kiss of death, my lips pursed the same
You flirt 'til she came
Nothin' hurt like the pain and torture
Daughters of the dust lookin' for a vein
Something to take in vain like the Lord's name
Put your hands together, got 'em all sayin'

[Hook: Mary J. Blige]
I try, I try
I try, you know I try (Ooh)
I try, I try
I try, you know I try

[Verse 2: Talib Kweli]
Yo, it's all ghetto in gear higher than falsetto
More metal for beef that we don't let the law settle
I try to navigate the treacherous waters of
America's ghettos that set up to slaughter us
But there's more of us
Although we speak in different languages
We all pretty familiar with what anger is
Young and dangerous, trigger stranglers
Get up on some gangsta shit
Guns to bang ya wit'
And we put it on records to entertain ya wit'
Our growing pains go way deeper than Mike Seaver's
Our uniforms is white sneakers and white T-shirts
On top of wife beaters
We like to light reefers
The 'hood need us, but rappers just ain't the right leaders
I put a lot into it
This is my product and I gotta move it
Stop the industry but you can't stop the music

[Interlude: Mary J. Blige]
An upside down kingdom where life is just not fair (upside down kingdom)
Some many sufferin' cuz deep inside they're scared (so scared)
Fear pumped into their veins to keep them from their destiny
Where would they be if you and I don't care?

[Hook: Mary J. Blige]
I try
I try, you know I try
I try, I try
I try, you know I try

[Verse 3: Talib Kweli]
Yo, the things I'm seein' on the news is insane
A stock broker shoot his kid and throw himself in front of a train
A mother leave her baby home for two weeks all by himself
Three years old, eatin' ketchup and mustard, cryin for help
Tryin' to bring your struggle to life
The label want a song about a bubbly life
I have trouble tryin' to write some shit To BANG in the club through the night
When people suffer tonight
Lord knows I try

[Hook: Mary J. Blige]
I try, I try
I try, you know I try
I try, I try
I try, you know I try

[Interlude: Talib Kweli]
Life is a beautiful struggle
People search through the rubble for a suitable hustle
Some people usin' the noodle, some people usin' the muscle
Some people put it all together, make it fit like a puzzle
Come on, say it now
Life is a beautiful struggle
People search through the rubble for a suitable hustle
Some people usin' the noodle, some people usin' the muscle
Some people put it all together, yeah

[Hook: Mary J. Blige]
I try, I try
I try, you know I try
I try, I try
I try, you know I try

Upside down kingdom
Oh, they're so scared
Everyday on the news we can't look around with
Something somewhere
I try, I try, you know I try
I try, I try, I try, you know I try
Lord knows, Lord knows we try
Yeah

If skills sold, Talib Kweli would have been one of the most commercially successful rappers of his time. As it was, however, the earnest MC became one of the most critically successful rappers of his time, which dawned in the late ‘90s when he rapped alongside Yasiin Bey (then known as Mos Def) and DJ Hi-Tek as part of the group Black Star.

Talib is known for his numerous collaborations with other artists like Kanye West, Common, Madlib, Bilal, The Roots, Dead Prez, Q-Tip, John Legend, the list is endless. He has also embraced a whole new generation like Blu, Kendrick Lamar, Curren$y, and Ab-Soul.

Kweli has recently spearheaded a direct-to-fan means of distributing his music via his new site #KweliClub. Check it out to get his latest music including many free downloads.

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