Brooklyn rapper Talib Kweli recently found himself coming to the defense of fellow emcee DMX during a conversation with Montreality. While speaking on the controversial lyricist, Talib shared his belief that DMX is an artist who has been exploited by the media.
Additionally, Talib says the hardships DMX faced at the start of his career were “packaged” and “marketed” in order to sell records, and once the fallout began to take place, both fans and those in the industry were not there for the rapper.
“Well, I definitely think DMX is somebody who has been exploited by the media,” Talib said. “He’s someone who clearly had a rough life and had some pathologies and some demons from when he first came out. And those things were packaged and marketed as something to be sold, but then when the fallout happens you get famous from that type of pathology. There’s no one there to be there. Like the record companies, management, fans, consumers. None of us are really there. And it’s really up to DMX’s family and the people who love him and care about him to be there for him. You know what I’m saying? I love DMX as a person, as an artist. To see somebody come from where he came from and achieve the heights of success that he achieved is inspirational to me.”
According to Talib, there were numerous times spent in the studio where he and DMX would discuss positive music and community.
“And me and him spent a lot of studio sessions together,” he said. “No songs ever came out of it, but we spent a lot of studio sessions together building about positive music. And music that has a community.”
Known as one-half of the Brooklyn-based duo Black Star, along with Yasiin Bey (formerly known as Mos Def), Talib offered an update on the group, informing listeners that at the moment Black Star is more of “a live experience.”
“We got some Black Star shows coming up,” the rapper said. “Two in London. One in Munich, Germany end of next month or so. That should be fun. But Black Star is like a live experience thing at this point…Trying to get Liberation 2 off the ground. God willing it happens.”
In addition to touring, Talib is also at work on his own book, tentatively titled Vibrate Higher.
“I’m working on a book now,” he said. “I have different titles for it. Right now it’s called Vibrate Higher. But that might change by the time the book come out. My book is like memoir, music, race, history, and memoir, all together. I’m trying to make it an interesting read.”
Talib’s discussion with Montreality about DMX comes weeks after it was reported that the Yonkers rapper would serve as George Zimmerman’s opponent in a celebrity boxing match slated for March. Numerous updates have been made in regards to the fight, but in a statement released earlier this month a rep for DMX revealed that the rapper never agreed to participate in the match.
“Damon Feldman has announced that the George Zimmerman fight is cancelled via his Twitter,” DMX’s rep, Domenick Nati said in a statement. “As previously stated, DMX never agreed to the fight and we thank you for all of the support from DMX’s fans. This situation will not affect any of DMX’s upcoming concerts in America or around the world.”
