Everything Madlib touches turns to gold. A collaboration with the veteran producer is considered among the highest honors in Hip-hop, and artists such as Freddie Gibbs, MED and Blu have had the privileged of recording numerous classics over his beats. Then there were the crossovers that seemed too good to be true, wherein Madlib joined forces with the likes of MF DOOM, Yasiin Bey and J Dilla.
Deep down Madlib’s list of glowing credentials is a 2007 album titled Liberation, a product of his alliance with New York MC and activist Talib Kweli. The record made waves when it dropped and continues to do so for its stellar quality of sound and lyricism. Privy to its value in the Hip-hop community, the pair have announced its sequel, Liberation 2, due next month. Its first single, “After These Messages,” featuring Kweli’s son, Amani, is now here.
Watch “After These Messages” (Music Video)
The upcoming album, to the disappointment of many, won’t be available through major streaming platforms. On March 6, Liberation 2 will go live exclusively on the Luminary podcast network. Those hoping to listen to it will have to bypass its paywall by … well, paying.
This is the second time Madlib and Kweli have made this move. Last year, two decades after Kweli and Yasiin Bey’s iconic debut as Black Star, the Brooklyn duo released their highly anticipated sophomore record also produced entirely by Madlib, also exclusively on Luminary. It was for that reason that a lot of people never even listened to it, not to mention those who haven’t yet heard that there’s a second Black Star album! Still, it was a power move considering the artists involved were able to price and move their product on their own terms in an era where streaming services have severely devalued music.
The Luminary network is currently the home of Kweli’s podcast, People’s Party. Additionally, it also features The Midnight Miracle, a podcast he hosts with Dave Chappelle and Yasiin Bey. Whether or not the new record with Madlib will sell more units than Black Star’s No Fear of Time is uncertain, but it does have a few more selling points.
Liberation featured contributions from Consequence, Strong Arm Steady, Candice Anderson and Res, but its sequel goes even harder. The new album is set to have appearances from Westside Gunn, Q-Tip, Roc Marciano, Wildchild and the late Mac Miller.
“This album was written, recorded and mixed over ten years. It’s expansive in concept but tight in its substance and approach,” Kweli said about Liberation 2. “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.”
Madlib Discusses Historic Collaborations With Talib Kweli on the People’s Party Podcast
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