Vibrate Higher: A Rap Story

by Talib Kweli

Overview

WINNER OF THE PEN OAKLAND/JOSEPHINE MILES AWARD

LONGLISTED FOR THE 2021 BROOKLYN PUBLIC LIBRARY LITERARY PRIZE

From one of the most lyrically gifted, socially conscious rappers of the past twenty years, Vibrate Higher is a firsthand account of hip-hop as a political force

Before Talib Kweli became a world-renowned hip-hop artist, he was a Brooklyn kid who liked to cut class, spit rhymes, and wander the streets of Greenwich Village with a motley crew of artists, rappers, and DJs who found hip-hop more inspiring than their textbooks (much to the chagrin of the educator parents who had given their son an Afrocentric name in hope of securing for him a more traditional sense of pride and purpose). Kweli’s was the first generation to grow up with hip-hop as established culture—a genre of music that has expanded to include its own pantheon of heroes, rich history and politics, and distinct worldview.

Eventually, childhood friendships turned into collaborations, and Kweli gained notoriety as a rapper in his own right. From collaborating with some of hip-hop’s greatest—including Mos Def, Common, Kanye West, Pharrell Williams, and Kendrick Lamar—to selling books out of the oldest African-American bookstore in Brooklyn, ultimately leaving his record label, and taking control of his own recording career, Kweli tells the winding, always compelling story of the people and events that shaped his own life as well as the culture of hip-hop that informs American culture at large.

Vibrate Higher illuminates Talib Kweli’s upbringing and artistic success, but so too does it give life to hip-hop as a political force—one that galvanized the Movement for Black Lives and serves a continual channel for resistance against the rising tide of white nationalism.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780374717346
Publisher:	Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Publication date:	02/16/2021
Sold by:	Macmillan
Format:	eBook
Pages:	336
Sales rank:	883,821
File size:	1 MB

About the Author

Talib Kweli is one of the world’s most talented and accomplished hip-hop artists. Whether working with Mos Def as one half of Black Star, partnering with the producer Hi-Tek for Reflection Eternal, releasing landmark solo material, or collaborating with Kanye West, Pharrell Williams, Just Blaze, J Dilla, or Madlib, Kweli commands attention by delivering top-tier lyricism, crafting captivating stories, and showing the ability to rhyme over virtually any type of instrumental. In 2011, Kweli founded Javotti Media, “a platform for independent thinkers and doers.” Kweli hopes to make Javotti Media into a media powerhouse that releases music, films, and books.

Talib Kweli is one of the world’s most talented and accomplished hip-hop artists. Whether working with Mos Def as one half of Black Star, partnering with the producer Hi-Tek for Reflection Eternal, releasing landmark solo material, or collaborating with Kanye West, Pharrell Williams, Just Blaze, J Dilla, or Madlib, Kweli commands attention by delivering top-tier lyricism, crafting captivating stories, and showing the ability to rhyme over virtually any type of instrumental.

In 2011, Kweli founded Javotti Media, “a platform for independent thinkers and doers.” Kweli hopes to make Javotti Media into a media powerhouse that releases music, films, and books.

Kweli is the author of Vibrate Higher: A Rap Story.

Table of Contents

Prologue 3

1 Stakes Is High 9

2 Growing Up Greene 19

3 Gifted and Talented 30

4 The Poetry of Practicality 39

5 The Word Became Flesh 44

6 The Cipher 53

7 Village People 66

8 God Lives Thru 75

9 The Nigga Ya Love to Hate 85

10 The salad Days 95

11 Friends with Rappers 99

12 The Best Is Yet to Come 109

13 1995 118

14 The Peaceful Warrior 130

15 Black Star Keep Shining 138

16 The Eighth Light 146

17 The Joy 156

18 The Bizness 165

19 Reflections of Our Ancestors 173

20 Spitkickers 179

21 The Strange Land 187

22 Wake Up, Mr. West! 194

23 Family. Matters. 209

24 Blacksmith Music 219

25 Shadows of Tomorrow 230

26 Independent's Day 237

27 Knowledge of Wealth 246

28 Dillagence 253

29 Twitter Fingers 260

30 Defenders of the Dream 271

31 My President Is Black 293

32 Trump's Amerikkka 300

33 The Story of Mama 307

34 The Beginning 317

Editorial Reviews

11/30/2020

Hip-hop musician Kweli recounts his rise through the music industry and shares his thoughts on current events in this outspoken and enthusiastic memoir. Kweli shares his upbringing as a “supernerd” from a middle-class Brooklyn family who went to boarding school and later incorporated Afro-centric philosophy into his “Black consciousness” hip-hop style. He narrates his rise as a whirl of deals and tours, collaborations with celebrities including Jay-Z and Dave Chappelle, recording sessions, and confrontations with industry execs who mismarketed his music and business managers who neglected his finances. Kweli is effusive about most of the musicians he knows, and waxes mystically about the “vibe”—a blend of social scene and creative ferment—at the metaphysical heart of musical collaboration. (“A vibe cannot be re-created; it can only be appreciated for what it is.”) On nonmusic matters, he revisits his activism at the Ferguson, Mo., protests after the 2014 shooting of Michael Brown, chastises President Trump and Kanye West for promoting white supremacy, battles tirelessly with racists on Twitter, and weighs in on his privilege (“As a straight American male, I was born into at least three oppressor groups”). The tone leans toward the hyperbolic at times, but the prose remains strong throughout. Kweli’s fans are in for a treat. (Jan.)

Publishers Weekly

"A plain-spoken striver’s tale that affectingly charts Kweli’s rise." —Allison Stewart, THE WASHINGTON POST

"Vibrate Higher: A Rap Story shows how hip-hop inspires alternative education. With a music career spanning over two decades, Kweli has never swayed from themes of Black Freedom" —Darryl Robertson, USA TODAY

"This memoir confirms what [Kweli's] work has communicated for years, demonstrating the sharp, nimble mind of an insatiable cultural omnivore... Whether discussing how he used to cut school to hone his rapping skills in Washington Square Park or recounting how he took his maternal grandmother, “the Obama Mama,” as his guest to the White House, Kweli turns back the pages of hip-hop history for music fans and has something to offer readers unfamiliar with his work. By the end of the book, even that latter group will appreciate the author’s standing as one of the most respected emcees in hip-hop." —KIRKUS REVIEWS

"[An] outspoken and enthusiastic memoir. Kweli shares his upbringing as a “supernerd” from a middle-class Brooklyn family who went to boarding school and later incorporated Afro-centric philosophy into his “Black consciousness” hip-hop style. He narrates his rise as a whirl of deals and tours...Kweli is effusive about most of the musicians he knows, and waxes mystically about the “vibe”—a blend of social scene and creative ferment—at the metaphysical heart of musical collaboration." —PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

“Talib Kweli is one of the most important voices and minds of our generation. His work across the board always makes me think on a higher level and see things in a new way, and all the while it’s done with quality and excellence. This book is an excursion into the minds of one our great ones." —COMMON

"Talib Kweli is a hip hop mirror ball, distributing light everywhere. For years, he's seen things, heard things—worldwide. It bodes the reader well to journey his mind and experiences in this book." —CHUCK D

"Thank you my dear brother Talib for these birth/family memories and your artistic/poetic Now words reminding us that we are indebted to your generation of poets/rappers for continuing the Trinity of Black language/music/and activism. Your brilliant life of poetry reminds us that A Luta Continua." —SISTER SONIA SANCHEZ

From the Publisher

01/01/2021

Rapper, activist, and entrepreneur Kweli, a vital and culturally engaged artist who has been writing and recording for more than 20 years, has penned a compelling memoir of his life in hip-hop. His lyrics and personal drive are a direct result of his childhood connection to Black cultural nationalism and his social awareness, as embodied by his parents, both teachers, to whose work this book is a quiet testament. Kweli recounts his family's history in New York and their experiences and struggles during the 1960s and 1970s, then covers his career and personal life, including collaborations with Mos Def, Common, Kanye West, and other artists, and discusses his involvement in protests in Ferguson, MO, after the murder of Michael Brown. Kweli also explores his influences in this detailed and conversational work, conveying the focus and effort with which he has approached his career and life. VERDICT Music lovers, both fans of Kweli and those less familiar with him, will be gratified by this evocative story of how he has drawn from experiences to craft his art.—Peter Thornell, Hingham P.L., MA

Library Journal

2020-10-27
The life and opinions of a hip-hop legend.

“The truth is that most rappers are supernerds,” writes Kweli early on. “While we live at the top of the nerd food chain, we are, without a doubt, nerds who are good with words.” This memoir confirms what his work has communicated for years, demonstrating the sharp, nimble mind of an insatiable cultural omnivore. Unfortunately, there are instances in which he undercuts his obvious intelligence with self-satisfaction, and he slides easily into lecture mode, regularly interrupting his story to inform readers of his political views in ways that don’t always keep the narrative moving. “While I was thirty-nine,” he writes, “I could feel this newfound attitude approaching. I began to question myself less and others more. In most of the rooms I find myself in, I am often the most experienced….I speak not so much from a place of knowledge but from a place of wisdom. And it feels good. Damn good.” Even readers who share the author’s politics will find their presentation intrusive on what is otherwise such a compelling retrospective of an impressive life. Whether discussing how he used to cut school to hone his rapping skills in Washington Square Park or recounting how he took his maternal grandmother, “the Obama Mama,” as his guest to the White House, Kweli turns back the pages of hip-hop history for music fans and has something to offer readers unfamiliar with his work. By the end of the book, even that latter group will appreciate the author’s standing as one of the most respected emcees in hip-hop. This book has been in the works for a long time. Some may wish that Kweli—who is busy with recording, touring, podcast hosting, activism, and prolific tweeting—left himself more time to polish another classic.

A valuable memoir featuring surprisingly average social commentary—thankfully, more of the former.

Kirkus Reviews