Iconic partners rapper Talib Kweli and producer Madlib will release Liberation 2 exclusively on Luminary next month. Liberation 2 is their first album in 17 years, following the release of their seminal collection Liberation in 2006.
Subscribers to Luminary will be able to access the album. “After These Messages,” the album’s first song, is available exclusively on Luminary today.
“After These Messages” is notable for including a special performance by Kweli’s son Amani Kweli — a groundbreaking father-son duet in a rap song. Diani Kweli, Kweli’s daughter, will appear on additional tracks in Liberation 2.
“This album was written, recorded and mixed over ten years. It’s expansive in concept but tight in its substance and approach,” Kweli said of the forthcoming album. “People today are taking stock of what is most important – family, health, wellness, love. The materialism and debauchery that is stereotypically associated with hip hop has lost some of its luster. Madlib and I have been consistent in our messaging. Never has there been a better time for such honest, message driven music that pays tribute to the sounds that came before us.”
On the “After These Messages” video, Kweli and Madlib collaborated with Austin, Texas, videographer Chino Chase to create a simple and austere style that highlights the bars and performance. The video includes artwork by Brooklyn artist Voodo Fé and African artist Aissata Pinto Da Costa, who currently lives in New York.
Kweli made two journeys to Africa while recording the album and music videos for Liberation 2, visiting Ghana for the Black Star Line event, as well as Tanzania and South Africa. It also includes appearances by Q-Tip, Wildchild, Roc Marciano, Westside Gunn, and a posthumous contribution from Mac Miller.
Kweli added, “Liberation 2 is a story of how agents can never stop true creatives from linking up and building. Our partnership with Luminary allows us to retain ownership, allowing us to create an exclusive experience for listeners. I’m excited to be at the forefront of Luminary’s foray into the music space, and we have a chance to change the industry for the better with the release of this album.”
