Something must have been in the water. Today marks the birthday of two of the game's most celebrated lyricists, Black Thought and Talib Kweli. The legendary Roots frontman turns forty-eight, while the Black Star veteran rides triumphantly into forty-four.
Two elder statesmen, with respectable discographies beneath their respective belts. For Thought, his pedigree as a writer needs no introduction. Between his work with The Roots and the impeccable ten-minute Funkmaster Flex freestyle, many still consider him to boast the nicest pen-game in hip-hop; a frequent visitor of the "favorite rapper's favorite rapper" club, and for good reason.
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Though Talib's musical output has slowed of late, the frequent slayer of Nazis remains a force to be reckoned with - both behind the mic and on Twitter. Lest we forget about some of his own stellar work, including the solo album Quality, the Hi-Tek collaboration Reflection Eternal, and the Mos Def partnership effort Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star. In fact, Thought and Kweli actually collaborated on the lyrical onslaught "Guerrilla Monsoon Rap," essentially listening for any self-styled bar aficionado (it's produced by Kanye West, at that).
Happy birthday to a pair of lyricists extraordinaire!