Yes, Talib Kweli's Black Star cohort, Mos Def gets the most recognition between the two Black Star members. Although his artistic forays are not as genre
expansive as Mos Def's, Talib Kweli maintains a quiet, consistent integrity that solidifies his place under the banner of engaging, conscious lyrics. "Liberation" stays the course with the understated, spontaneous feel of a mixtape, thanks to Cali's unsung Madlib at the controls.

"Soul Music" calls one and all to a meditative journey paved by greats like Marvin Gaye. "Happy Home" kindles an urge to go through the pages of old family photo albums with reverence. "Function" brings the grit just as "Time is Right" forces amateurs to press repeat for a clinic on the basics. Madlib aptly proves all left coast producers are not sentenced to a life of rehashed G-funk chords. Talib, as always, delivers. For these reasons, the nine song "Liberation" feels like an album stripped of the excessive skits and needless collaborations that inflate the average offering.