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Vibrate Higher: A Rap Story
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, and 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 which 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.
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, and 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 which 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.
338 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 11, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews
February 15, 2021
When I learned Talib Kweli was writing his memoir I expected to get a deep look into the life of the man that gave us, 𝙃𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙨 𝙐𝙥 𝙀𝙮𝙚𝙨 𝙊𝙥𝙚𝙣 and 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝘽𝙡𝙖𝙨𝙩 (𝘵𝘸𝘰 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘺 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘷𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘴). I wanted to learn more about the artist that is still in heavy rotation on my playlist, and one half of 𝗕𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫. And although I did learn more about Talib the man, I learned even more about Talib the artist. Vibrate Higher gives us an inside look into the culture of rap music and how Talib found and solidified his place in it, only to emerge as one of the most lyrically gifted MCs in the game. In this book, Talib’s life story is the dessert, it is the story of rap music that is the main course. Hence the title, Vibrate Higher: A͟ ͟R͟a͟p͟ ͟S͟t͟o͟r͟y😉.
⠀
Reading this book was like listening to a Talib Kweli CD. Smooth in delivery, yet very relevant and extremely powerful in content!
⠀
I loved reading about the beautiful relationship Talib shared with his late grandmother “Mama Obama”😊. 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘮𝘢𝘻𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘣𝘦𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘭. In the book Talib also shares her great words of wisdom.
⠀
Reading about the brotherhood between Talib and Yasiin Bey aka Mos Def touched my heart. I am happy to know their kinship is real, and has stood the test of time.
⠀
As a long time Kweliclub member, it was cool learning about how Kweliclub got started. (𝘚𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘰 Kweliclub 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘢𝘸𝘦𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘵 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘈𝘙𝘊). Talib’s passion for reading and books is a consistent theme throughout the book.
⠀
But, it’s the final chapters of the book that packs the most powerful punch. It is in these chapters Talib goes into detail about his role in combating systemic inequality and racism. He writes about the Black Lives Matter movement, and how Trump’s presidency, & police brutality has affected this country, as well as, his life.
⠀
Overall, this book satisfied the hip hop lover in me. 𝐕𝐢𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐞𝐫 is a book that should be in the library of hip-hop lovers of all ages.
⠀
Reading this book was like listening to a Talib Kweli CD. Smooth in delivery, yet very relevant and extremely powerful in content!
⠀
I loved reading about the beautiful relationship Talib shared with his late grandmother “Mama Obama”😊. 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘮𝘢𝘻𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘣𝘦𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘭. In the book Talib also shares her great words of wisdom.
⠀
Reading about the brotherhood between Talib and Yasiin Bey aka Mos Def touched my heart. I am happy to know their kinship is real, and has stood the test of time.
⠀
As a long time Kweliclub member, it was cool learning about how Kweliclub got started. (𝘚𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘰 Kweliclub 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘢𝘸𝘦𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘵 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘈𝘙𝘊). Talib’s passion for reading and books is a consistent theme throughout the book.
⠀
But, it’s the final chapters of the book that packs the most powerful punch. It is in these chapters Talib goes into detail about his role in combating systemic inequality and racism. He writes about the Black Lives Matter movement, and how Trump’s presidency, & police brutality has affected this country, as well as, his life.
⠀
Overall, this book satisfied the hip hop lover in me. 𝐕𝐢𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐞𝐫 is a book that should be in the library of hip-hop lovers of all ages.
September 7, 2021
Kweli is my favorite rapper and one of my favorite artists in any form.
Everything I love about him and his music (and his podcast) is present in Vibrate Higher: his endless verbal dexterity, his commitment to hip hop culture and art, his empathy and action for oppressed people in any situation, his sense of humor, humility, hunger, and haughtiness.
In the book’s opening, Kweli says he doesn’t trust people who claim to have no vices; I don’t trust people who are afraid to expose their human complexity and vulnerability. Who show you only one facet but claim diamondhood.
That’s one of things I most enjoyed about Kweli’s book. Whether he’s sharing anecdotes about his marital tensions, his anxiety about his personal appearance or his frustration with his own financial choices, Kweli is first a human artist, allowing us into his journey.
His comments in the book’s last chapter, about how energy and the union of creation are his religion, mirror—to a word—my own existential views.
No wonder he’s always spoken to me whether he knew it or not. His first name, Talib, means “student” in Arabic; though not Muslim, his parents gave he and his brother names to function as aspirations and reminders of what they wished for their children. It’s difficult for me to think of three words I’d more proudly pick to describe myself.
For the general readers who follow my reviews, I’d say you probably should be a hip hop fan if you’re going to pick this up. That said, Kweli’s thoughts and writing—especially about his career, family, and social justice—are sophisticated, strong, and can stand alone.
Everything I love about him and his music (and his podcast) is present in Vibrate Higher: his endless verbal dexterity, his commitment to hip hop culture and art, his empathy and action for oppressed people in any situation, his sense of humor, humility, hunger, and haughtiness.
In the book’s opening, Kweli says he doesn’t trust people who claim to have no vices; I don’t trust people who are afraid to expose their human complexity and vulnerability. Who show you only one facet but claim diamondhood.
That’s one of things I most enjoyed about Kweli’s book. Whether he’s sharing anecdotes about his marital tensions, his anxiety about his personal appearance or his frustration with his own financial choices, Kweli is first a human artist, allowing us into his journey.
His comments in the book’s last chapter, about how energy and the union of creation are his religion, mirror—to a word—my own existential views.
No wonder he’s always spoken to me whether he knew it or not. His first name, Talib, means “student” in Arabic; though not Muslim, his parents gave he and his brother names to function as aspirations and reminders of what they wished for their children. It’s difficult for me to think of three words I’d more proudly pick to describe myself.
For the general readers who follow my reviews, I’d say you probably should be a hip hop fan if you’re going to pick this up. That said, Kweli’s thoughts and writing—especially about his career, family, and social justice—are sophisticated, strong, and can stand alone.
March 21, 2022
I've been a Talib Kweli fan since Black Star came out in 1998, and so was primed to very much enjoy this memoir, which covers Talib's early life in Brooklyn, his early involvement with the conscious hip-hop scene, and the various twists and turns of his career.
The politics are mainly pretty interesting and good; he discusses, for example, meeting with Assata Shakur and Mumia Abu-Jamal, and his activism around Ferguson, political prisoners, mass incarceration, immigration, racism, Islamophobia, Palestinian national liberation and more.
As one of the most consistently radical hip-hop artists of the last 25 years, I think there's a case for being a lot more critical of Obama - whose politics M1 of dead prez famously described as "white power with a black face." And the echoing of the Russiagate conspiracy is kinda disappointing. Regardless of whatever the Russian state did or didn't do in relation to the 2016 elections, corporate Democrats have cynically used claims of Russian interference as their get-out-of-jail-free card and as a means of totally ignoring the substantive issues of class and race. The lesson of 2016 should have been to stop aligning themselves with neoliberalism and imperialism; to take up the needs of the oppressed. And yet all they could say was "it's all Putin's fault", hypocritically and conveniently ignoring the US's very long history of interfering in elections all around the world.
Anyway, a nice memoir. Hip-hop fans will enjoy.
The politics are mainly pretty interesting and good; he discusses, for example, meeting with Assata Shakur and Mumia Abu-Jamal, and his activism around Ferguson, political prisoners, mass incarceration, immigration, racism, Islamophobia, Palestinian national liberation and more.
As one of the most consistently radical hip-hop artists of the last 25 years, I think there's a case for being a lot more critical of Obama - whose politics M1 of dead prez famously described as "white power with a black face." And the echoing of the Russiagate conspiracy is kinda disappointing. Regardless of whatever the Russian state did or didn't do in relation to the 2016 elections, corporate Democrats have cynically used claims of Russian interference as their get-out-of-jail-free card and as a means of totally ignoring the substantive issues of class and race. The lesson of 2016 should have been to stop aligning themselves with neoliberalism and imperialism; to take up the needs of the oppressed. And yet all they could say was "it's all Putin's fault", hypocritically and conveniently ignoring the US's very long history of interfering in elections all around the world.
Anyway, a nice memoir. Hip-hop fans will enjoy.
March 9, 2021
Really a must read for any hip-hop fans. There are some great stories, insights, and lessons on craft and activism. It covers a lot and does it really well.
February 24, 2025
this one was made for an audiobook. love a memoir narrated by the author and loved the subject matter - not just history about rap & hip hop including that of some familiar and unfamiliar artists, but also a commentary on the black experience. good blend of educational and entertaining.
February 24, 2021
I really wanted to like this book more - there’s an incredible story hinted at here about a young boy becoming a man through his art, but it always feels like Kweli holds back just as he’s approaching something real. We never really get to grapple with the idea that he was shot at by white townies during his high school years; we never truly reckon with his relationship with controlled substances; we don’t even get a mention of his Twitter ban (in fact the book was clearly written over a year ago, well before he was kicked off). What we do get is good - his struggle to blend the artistic integrity of his underground roots with mass appeal is clearly outlined, and his reflections on his childhood ring with some true insight, as do his views on promoting and supporting Black culture, but I was hoping for a clearer-eyed look at his life. I’ll still cherish this, but if I can damn him with praise, the book doesn’t quite live up to his recorded music.
February 27, 2021
This was a great book and I'd say a must read for anyone hiphop fan, especially anyone a fan of 90s and early 2000s hiphop. It's almost like a history book of hiphop and Talib's stories are crazy. He was always one of my favorite artists and I proudly tell people how his tour DJ had to borrow my turntable when I was in college. Reading his story just added to my love for him as an artist.
April 19, 2021
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Most of the chapters are pleasantly-concise and the range of topics is vast. I have a new level of respect for Talib Kweli. While I’ve always appreciated his lyricism and place in the hip hop culture; I now have an appreciation for his overall contributions to “the struggle.” This is a very well-written and fulfilling read!
February 28, 2025
A nice insight into the culture. The narrative strangely bounces between Kwali’s denouncement of higher fame and then namedropping famous people he’s worked with. I appreciate that this feels like he wrote it himself, something you don’t often see with celebrity memoirs.
Could’ve done without the Trump chapter.
Could’ve done without the Trump chapter.
February 18, 2025
I probably wouldn’t have picked up this book on my own, so shoutout to Bing Bong Book Club! This was a fun read, a unique voice, and very educational. He mentions he was second behind high school musical on the charts in 2007. I was probably one of the HSM listeners w no exposure to hip hop 😂 I’ll have to check out his music next.
August 18, 2023
Such a beautiful and inspiring story of Talib Kweli. I think it’s beautiful learning about an artist that you have been listening to for quite some time. His impact in the rap industry will continue to live on for a long time.
March 22, 2021
I am a big fan of Talib's music and message. It just seems his story, or at least the way he tells it, might not be particularly interesting. This memoir could have really benefited from an editor who could parse through some of the details to focus more on *what* things meant to Talib rather than listing names of people he met and working through every story in chronological order. As a fan of hip hop, some of the anecdotes were entertaining, but nothing really felt new or enlightening. And from someone who I rely on to tell the story of hip hop from the inside, it fell flat as a story of what and not why.
November 4, 2021
Loved Black Star, and Kweli's other collabo mixes, so picking up this book off the shelf was an act of faith, and it came correct, enjoyed the entire arc of Kweli's life to date.
Thoughtfully written, this is an interesting modern biography of a legend lyricist still living among us.
Thoughtfully written, this is an interesting modern biography of a legend lyricist still living among us.
March 6, 2021
Sadly, this comes to an end before he was kicked off Twitter for harassing black women.
January 17, 2024
I'm ashamed to admit that I had no idea who Mr. Kweli was before I read this book. I was looking for Black Thought's new book and stumbled onto this. I'm also not really a fan of hip hop or rap music, but I greatly appreciate its importance as the latest American born musical style. The greatest contemporary musical styles have all come out of black or African American communities. This fact alone is enough for Hip Hop to garner serious attention from music lovers and scholars alike.
I love Talib Kweli's writing style and his honest reflection on his life. I was awed by his intelligence and confidence in his own abilities. While reading, I listened to a few of the songs he references and was really impressed by the music as well as his lyrics. This is the fourth or fifth book from or about a rap artist, and I enjoyed this the most. He will be part of my music rotation.
I love Talib Kweli's writing style and his honest reflection on his life. I was awed by his intelligence and confidence in his own abilities. While reading, I listened to a few of the songs he references and was really impressed by the music as well as his lyrics. This is the fourth or fifth book from or about a rap artist, and I enjoyed this the most. He will be part of my music rotation.
December 12, 2023
Excellent book, brought me back to some glory days in my life growing up in Flatlands, Brooklyn a few years behind Kweli. Loved reading about his experiences and the commentaries on multiple issues hit home. Highly recommend
March 2, 2021
Kweli's biography is an engaging account of growing up in New York City in the 80s and 90s and the struggles of a young man to experience early success, establish a career, and take care of his family. Overall, Kweli does an excellent job avoiding the pitfalls of less interesting memoirs. He is confident, but does not come across as arrogant, smart, but not condescending, insightful, but not arcane, and gracious of his friends and family without dwelling on or being spiteful of petty slights. Kweli recognizes and reflects on his own immaturity and mistakes in a way that many adults never take the chance to do, even for their own sake. In short, Kweli accomplishes the difficult task of humanizing not only himself, but all the people that influenced him along the way, from the friends who got caught up in gangs and died to his parents who set aside their differences to help Kweli find his own identity after struggling in high school and college despite his great academic potential.
Kweli's stories will be fascinating to anybody interested in the history of hip hop or in the cultural history of New York City. Most people will recognize pieces of themselves in the adventures and challenges Kweli faced, and anybody who has friends who grew up in New York City may find themselves fondly remembering characteristics of those friends and their stories of antics around the city. Perhaps most importantly, Kweli's humanizing of all the people who influenced him will help bridge the divide that keeps people from understanding what motivates Americans like Kweli to devote themselves to movements for social justice. Kweli's, and others', passion comes not just from the age where police departments are compelled to release video footage of unqualified officers using unnecessary force, but from a lifetime of bearing witness to and reflecting on social justice through life and art.
Overall, Kweli finds that right balance in telling stories that illustrate his life, but he is sure to leave readers wanting to hear more. Hip hop fans will be eager for more stories of Kwelis relations and collaborations with different artists while others will want to hear more about middle-class life in New York City in the 80s and 90s and Kweli's work supporting social justice movements. Apparently, some reviewers want more insight into Kweli's trouble's with Twitter, as if nobody else has ever wasted hours and days reacting unprofessionally or ungraciously to a family member with differing political views, or a follower looking for attention. Kweli's memoirs may not be an instant classic or satisfy all readers, but perhaps this is because the stories America needs to hear right now are ones that remind us how much, as Americans, we are alike.
Kweli's stories will be fascinating to anybody interested in the history of hip hop or in the cultural history of New York City. Most people will recognize pieces of themselves in the adventures and challenges Kweli faced, and anybody who has friends who grew up in New York City may find themselves fondly remembering characteristics of those friends and their stories of antics around the city. Perhaps most importantly, Kweli's humanizing of all the people who influenced him will help bridge the divide that keeps people from understanding what motivates Americans like Kweli to devote themselves to movements for social justice. Kweli's, and others', passion comes not just from the age where police departments are compelled to release video footage of unqualified officers using unnecessary force, but from a lifetime of bearing witness to and reflecting on social justice through life and art.
Overall, Kweli finds that right balance in telling stories that illustrate his life, but he is sure to leave readers wanting to hear more. Hip hop fans will be eager for more stories of Kwelis relations and collaborations with different artists while others will want to hear more about middle-class life in New York City in the 80s and 90s and Kweli's work supporting social justice movements. Apparently, some reviewers want more insight into Kweli's trouble's with Twitter, as if nobody else has ever wasted hours and days reacting unprofessionally or ungraciously to a family member with differing political views, or a follower looking for attention. Kweli's memoirs may not be an instant classic or satisfy all readers, but perhaps this is because the stories America needs to hear right now are ones that remind us how much, as Americans, we are alike.
January 13, 2022
I enjoyed this. Talib isn't one of my favorite rappers but seeing history from his perspective was a really cool experience. My favorite chapter is the one where he talks about meeting Kanye for the first time. Hearing about his relationship with Yasiin Bey and Hi-Tek was really heartwarming for me.
February 26, 2022
Fun walk down memory lane of mid 90s New York Hip Hop. Talib Kweli is very introspective and it’s interesting to read through his thoughts. The book overall is a little defensive and self aggrandizing. After reading it I felt like he spent too much time trying to justify his place in history and silence his haters.
August 20, 2021
I'd probably go with 3.5 stars if it was an option. I really enjoyed learning more about Talib's background story. Some deep nuggets of wisdom in this book.
Here are a few favorite clips:
Hip hop started as freedom songs written by the descendants of slaves, even if that freedom was represented by fame, wealth, and material gains that remain rooted in white supremacy and patriarchy. This poetry is ugly and gorgeous all at once, and to the untrained ear hip-hop's passion can be mistaken for a desire to be negative. I counter that hip hop at its best is an attempt to make sense of senseless conditions and a quest for power embarked on by the powerless. A voice for the voiceless, hope for the hopeless.
Poetry connects us to our spirit and allows us to connect with and relate to others, but poetry set to a drum connects us to the African origins of music.
Biggie was a feeling - raw emotional portrayals of not being satisfied with your lot in life. If 2pac and Nas were speaking directly to us, Biggie was speaking for us, and what he had to say was often no pretty.
As long as you remain kind and compassionate at all times, who you worship or what rituals you do or don't participate in don't matter. Abraham Lincoln said many great things, but one of the greatest was: When I do good, I feel good. When I do bad, I feel bad. That's my religion.
Raising black children, female and male, in the mouth of a racist, sexist, suicidal dragon is perilous and chancy If they cannot love and resist at the same time, they will probably not survive. -Audre Lorde
The search for knowledge is life; once we stop seeking knowledge, we die.
The phrase Black-on-Black crime is racist coding; it seeks to blame the oppressed for their own oppression and to perpetuate the idea that Black people are more violent w/o examining or taking responsibility for the causes of the pathologies you fin in neighborhoods packed with systematically oppressed people.
I believe that hip hop is a vehicle for the liberation of my people. I believe that the seed of BLM is there in Dr. King's writing and, for my generation, that it's there in the rise of hip hop.
The electoral college, set up by wealthy slave owners to ensure that states with the most land had more votes, along with the incredible amounts of money that candidates need to run, all but make certain that those who benefit from white supremacy are the only ones who can ascend to power.
Here are a few favorite clips:
Hip hop started as freedom songs written by the descendants of slaves, even if that freedom was represented by fame, wealth, and material gains that remain rooted in white supremacy and patriarchy. This poetry is ugly and gorgeous all at once, and to the untrained ear hip-hop's passion can be mistaken for a desire to be negative. I counter that hip hop at its best is an attempt to make sense of senseless conditions and a quest for power embarked on by the powerless. A voice for the voiceless, hope for the hopeless.
Poetry connects us to our spirit and allows us to connect with and relate to others, but poetry set to a drum connects us to the African origins of music.
Biggie was a feeling - raw emotional portrayals of not being satisfied with your lot in life. If 2pac and Nas were speaking directly to us, Biggie was speaking for us, and what he had to say was often no pretty.
As long as you remain kind and compassionate at all times, who you worship or what rituals you do or don't participate in don't matter. Abraham Lincoln said many great things, but one of the greatest was: When I do good, I feel good. When I do bad, I feel bad. That's my religion.
Raising black children, female and male, in the mouth of a racist, sexist, suicidal dragon is perilous and chancy If they cannot love and resist at the same time, they will probably not survive. -Audre Lorde
The search for knowledge is life; once we stop seeking knowledge, we die.
The phrase Black-on-Black crime is racist coding; it seeks to blame the oppressed for their own oppression and to perpetuate the idea that Black people are more violent w/o examining or taking responsibility for the causes of the pathologies you fin in neighborhoods packed with systematically oppressed people.
I believe that hip hop is a vehicle for the liberation of my people. I believe that the seed of BLM is there in Dr. King's writing and, for my generation, that it's there in the rise of hip hop.
The electoral college, set up by wealthy slave owners to ensure that states with the most land had more votes, along with the incredible amounts of money that candidates need to run, all but make certain that those who benefit from white supremacy are the only ones who can ascend to power.
November 19, 2025
This book started out strong with stories of Talib’s road to hip hop artistry and discussions of the genre (my favorite topic), but lost me at his discussion of Twitter and politics. At one point, he says that most people can’t handle being on Twitter too much, (as in spending a lot of time reading and responding to tweets), but that he’s not a normal person. Instead, he considers himself extraordinary, and therefore has a talent for being online often… HE can handle it. 😂 He then goes on to discuss his opinions of Trump and Obama, which is where he really lost me. Although I understand the connection between hip hop and politics, I’m just not interested in lengthy commentary on politics. He included a cute story about his grandma meeting Obama, which is what I look for in a memoir, but the lengthy discussion of his political opinions gave me the impression that Talib considers himself wiser than he really is.
I felt like Talib’s writing was heavy on the name dropping, leading me to believe he values himself based on his interactions with other, more prominent artists. With that being said, though, my favorite part of this book was Talib’s praise for Kanye West, saying that Kanye made the best hip hop he’d ever heard, because, well…SAME (and to me, Kanye’s politics don’t negate his immense influence on hip hop). “Get By” is Talib’s best known song, so instead of pondering if Talib put Kanye on, I would venture to say the opposite is true. Although I love the Reflection Eternal album, I still, to this day, think of Talib as an underground artist, whereas Kanye is a bonafide celebrity (even before marrying into a reality TV family). Now, I love hip hop and I’m a fan of Talib’s music, but when he recently had a show in my city, I was surprised that we had enough hip hop heads to support such a concert, and it was no surprise when the show was “postponed”. Point being, I don’t think Talib Kweli is a household name, so there was a bit of a discrepancy between the way I see him and the way he sees himself. This made for an awkward read.
I felt like Talib’s writing was heavy on the name dropping, leading me to believe he values himself based on his interactions with other, more prominent artists. With that being said, though, my favorite part of this book was Talib’s praise for Kanye West, saying that Kanye made the best hip hop he’d ever heard, because, well…SAME (and to me, Kanye’s politics don’t negate his immense influence on hip hop). “Get By” is Talib’s best known song, so instead of pondering if Talib put Kanye on, I would venture to say the opposite is true. Although I love the Reflection Eternal album, I still, to this day, think of Talib as an underground artist, whereas Kanye is a bonafide celebrity (even before marrying into a reality TV family). Now, I love hip hop and I’m a fan of Talib’s music, but when he recently had a show in my city, I was surprised that we had enough hip hop heads to support such a concert, and it was no surprise when the show was “postponed”. Point being, I don’t think Talib Kweli is a household name, so there was a bit of a discrepancy between the way I see him and the way he sees himself. This made for an awkward read.
June 25, 2023
I read this as a long-time Talib Kweli fan from the late '90s onwards. That fan interest was the only reason I finished the book, as otherwise it's a pretty dry series of chapters focusing on a play-by-play of events and who he worked with. I was hoping to hear more about how he built and modified his style over time, how he felt about certain events in his life, etc - basically, I was looking for more introspection and I didn't get it.
For example, he describes his first marriage with Darcel and the two kids, but he doesn't seem to really reflect on the perpetual philandering that he admits to during that marriage (or a subsequent marriage with DJ Eque). It's her fault when she sticks him with the kids later, and also her fault when she takes them back over his objections after a year.
Similarly, there's a chapter on his maternal grandmother near the very end of the book - and I already knew a little of this from one of his songs where he talks about her raising 3 daughters ("Mi abuela raised three daughters all by herself with no help. I think about her struggle and I find the strength in myself" from Get By) - and he does talk about how big an influence she was. But at the same time, he waited until Chapter 33 of a 34 chapter book to talk about her while leaving her out of the entire autobiography until then.
I definitely learned a bit about Kweli from this; but I feel like he left a lot on the table.
For example, he describes his first marriage with Darcel and the two kids, but he doesn't seem to really reflect on the perpetual philandering that he admits to during that marriage (or a subsequent marriage with DJ Eque). It's her fault when she sticks him with the kids later, and also her fault when she takes them back over his objections after a year.
Similarly, there's a chapter on his maternal grandmother near the very end of the book - and I already knew a little of this from one of his songs where he talks about her raising 3 daughters ("Mi abuela raised three daughters all by herself with no help. I think about her struggle and I find the strength in myself" from Get By) - and he does talk about how big an influence she was. But at the same time, he waited until Chapter 33 of a 34 chapter book to talk about her while leaving her out of the entire autobiography until then.
I definitely learned a bit about Kweli from this; but I feel like he left a lot on the table.
August 10, 2023
Talib Kweli is an industry legend. He is an accomplished artist and one of the most lyrically skilled MCs to have come out of Brooklyn. Talib has worked with the best of the best. To name a few: Mos Def, De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, J-Dilla, Kanye West, Jay-Z, Common, Beastie Boys, Kendrick Lamar, J-Cole, Etc. This is a short list.
The first 2/3 of Vibrate Higher is hip hop history gold. Talib takes the reader deep into industry history. It is amazing how many rappers and producers he rubs shoulders with. This is a must read for the hip hop fan.
The last 1/3 of this book is political commentary. To be honest I could have done without it. I would of much preferred a smoother conclusion and deeper dive into his later years making music. I understand Talib is using his platform and that this has been his calling in his later years. I agree with some points he makes but also find that I disagree with some as well. The book has an abrupt ending and never really rounds out his music career.
Overall, I very much enjoyed reading about Talib’s career. I was a casual fan of his and it was fun listening to his albums on Spotify simultaneously. My favorite tracks of his are Blast, Re: Definition (Black Star), Respiration (Black Star), Guerrilla Monsoon Rap, In The Mood, and of course Get By.
Talib, if you ever read this…PLEASE. PLEASE. PLEASE. Give us another Black Star album.
The first 2/3 of Vibrate Higher is hip hop history gold. Talib takes the reader deep into industry history. It is amazing how many rappers and producers he rubs shoulders with. This is a must read for the hip hop fan.
The last 1/3 of this book is political commentary. To be honest I could have done without it. I would of much preferred a smoother conclusion and deeper dive into his later years making music. I understand Talib is using his platform and that this has been his calling in his later years. I agree with some points he makes but also find that I disagree with some as well. The book has an abrupt ending and never really rounds out his music career.
Overall, I very much enjoyed reading about Talib’s career. I was a casual fan of his and it was fun listening to his albums on Spotify simultaneously. My favorite tracks of his are Blast, Re: Definition (Black Star), Respiration (Black Star), Guerrilla Monsoon Rap, In The Mood, and of course Get By.
Talib, if you ever read this…PLEASE. PLEASE. PLEASE. Give us another Black Star album.
February 1, 2023
What started as an autobiography about a rapper I know only from a handful of songs, turned into a deep dive into rap history, complicated relationships, and experiences with social justice. I’ve always heard the term “your favorite rapper’s favorite rapper”, but I’ve never seen it applied in full effect for someone until now. He writes with immense respect for everyone he’s met (even if they’ve had a falling out), and waxes poetic about every artist mentioned, whether he’s worked with them or not. Not really knowing about Kweli’s full discography other than a few big songs, I was taken aback by his musical connections for the past 3 decades. I found his chapter about Kanye West my favorite, as he writes about their working and personal relationship and how it’s changed over the past few years. I also found fascinating the impact Kweli has had on social justice. I know he’s active on Twitter, but this opened my eyes to just how much he’s done for the community, whether it be his instrumental role in popularizing the #blacklivesmatter movement, protesting in Ferguson, MO, and helping fund protests all across the country. I highly recommend this book for anyone with an interest not only in Kweli, but rap and social justice as a whole.
January 12, 2022
Talib Kweli is one of my favorite MCs, not only for his stellar music, but also for his relentless commitment to social issues and social activism, and his role as a gatekeeper and historian of Hip Hop culture. As a dedicated listener to Kweli's podcast "People's Party," I'd had the pleasure of hearing him share stories from his life and upbringing, and in Vibrate Higher, he takes the time to go into the events of his life, his artistry and the creation of his work, his influences, and his political beliefs and experiences in wonderful detail. Vibrate Higher is a relentlessly honest book, and Kweli is not above taking himself to task at times and recognizing his own faults, and this truly strengthens his perspective. This is an essential book for anyone who wants to examine to times we live in and how we got here, for creators who want to see how one of the most innovative of our modern poets goes about his craft, and for people who see the struggle of our times and are grasping to know what to do. Talib Kweli speaks the truth, and in this book, he shares it with a true storyteller's generosity.
February 28, 2024
This was a great book for whoever wants to learn more about the inside activities from back in the day "when hiphop started". It's got hundreds of gems when it comes to details about how everyone was making moves before there were even labels to f%^* with hiphop.
On the other hand, I realised that Talib is unaware of his own faults still, when telling the story about his life, which I hadn't encountered in a book yet.
The last third of the book is something completely different than the first 2 parts. I split it into 3 because I find the 1st part to be more like a story, the 2nd part to be more like a dictionary, enlisting a lot of names, tracks, albums, etc, while the 3rd part was him explaining his political views and activities, which is not necessarly a bad thing, but it was unexpected after reading so much about the hiphop side of things.
I also expected this to be more about the idea of "vibrating higher", to only find that in a couple of sentences throughout the book and literally in the last passage. Meanwhile, most of the book talks a lot about low vibration ideas (even if he did get involved in many respectable charitable activities).
On the other hand, I realised that Talib is unaware of his own faults still, when telling the story about his life, which I hadn't encountered in a book yet.
The last third of the book is something completely different than the first 2 parts. I split it into 3 because I find the 1st part to be more like a story, the 2nd part to be more like a dictionary, enlisting a lot of names, tracks, albums, etc, while the 3rd part was him explaining his political views and activities, which is not necessarly a bad thing, but it was unexpected after reading so much about the hiphop side of things.
I also expected this to be more about the idea of "vibrating higher", to only find that in a couple of sentences throughout the book and literally in the last passage. Meanwhile, most of the book talks a lot about low vibration ideas (even if he did get involved in many respectable charitable activities).
May 30, 2024
I discovered Talib Kweli's music through the wonders of internet radio around 2004. He actually talks about that in this book, how rap and hip hop went from something that could only be heard on a few street corners in New York to a worldwide music phenomenon that can be heard anywhere on earth at any time- all within just a few decades. The stories he told of his own rise to fame were very interesting and I loved hearing the background behind some of the songs that I've loved for so many years. There was a point where the focus of the book shifted to activism. Unlike most stars who talk about things from afar, Kweli has actually had boots on the ground. He's a bit too dismissive of violence and destruction in my opinion (in his own words, hurt people hurt people so how can hurting others ever be the answer?), but I respect that he's actually gone places and tried to help and better understand. We could all stand to do more of that. Also, I listened to the audiobook, which he narrated himself and he did a phenomenal job.
April 20, 2026
Written by one of the best emcees in the game, talib kweli.
It’s a decent enough read. he goes through his entire life and career, and growing up in the golden age of east coast hip hop.
And once again, it’s primarily a memoir, but he writes it to also sound like a self help book. (“The power of positive thinking” kind of stuff).
He’s also a self professed super nerd; and a political activist, with some decent stories about the different movements he’s participated in and helped be a voice for. While at the same time, acknowledging that (at times) he’s no different than the average ‘showboating’ rap star. What with teenage delinquency, and female struggles, and the like.
And he’s another rhymesayer that became follower of the five percent nation, and goes into some depth about all of that.
Side note; he’s also got a pretty sweet podcast/interview show, that’s worth a listen.
I wouldn’t say this is something everyone should read. But if you’re a fan of hip hop, it’s worth it to go through it once. I’ll give it 3/5 mics 🎤🎤🎤
It’s a decent enough read. he goes through his entire life and career, and growing up in the golden age of east coast hip hop.
And once again, it’s primarily a memoir, but he writes it to also sound like a self help book. (“The power of positive thinking” kind of stuff).
He’s also a self professed super nerd; and a political activist, with some decent stories about the different movements he’s participated in and helped be a voice for. While at the same time, acknowledging that (at times) he’s no different than the average ‘showboating’ rap star. What with teenage delinquency, and female struggles, and the like.
And he’s another rhymesayer that became follower of the five percent nation, and goes into some depth about all of that.
Side note; he’s also got a pretty sweet podcast/interview show, that’s worth a listen.
I wouldn’t say this is something everyone should read. But if you’re a fan of hip hop, it’s worth it to go through it once. I’ll give it 3/5 mics 🎤🎤🎤
October 7, 2026
Vibrate Higher není typickou rapovou autobiografií o cestě „z chudoby k milionům“. Talib Kweli k vyprávění přistupuje jako sečtělý intelektuál a nerd, pro kterého je hip-hop uměleckým jazykem, poezií a nástrojem ke společenské osvětě.
Nejcennější částí knihy je autentický pohled do zákulisí nezávislé scény (Rawkus Records, duo Black Star s Mos Defem) a zrod kultovních skladeb. Příběhy o začátcích Kanyeho Westa, nahrávání s legendárním J Dillou či Madlibem a úvahy nad slavným uznáním od Jay-Zho. Má i osobní stránku v kapitole věnované jeho babičce a její neuvěřitelné návštěvě Bílého domu u Baracka Obamy.
V druhé polovině kniha výrazně mění tempo a posouvá se od hudby k přímému politickému aktivismu, bojům na Twitteru a rozboru amerických společenských reálií. Tato část je náročnější na kontext a od čistě hudebního tématu se dost odklání.
Inspirativní čtení pro každého, kdo oceňuje lyrickou hloubku, uměleckou nezávislost a chce nahlédnout pod pokličku hiphopové kultury. Jen jsem z toho měl trochu pocit, že je trochu frustrován, že nemá větší "fejm".
Nejcennější částí knihy je autentický pohled do zákulisí nezávislé scény (Rawkus Records, duo Black Star s Mos Defem) a zrod kultovních skladeb. Příběhy o začátcích Kanyeho Westa, nahrávání s legendárním J Dillou či Madlibem a úvahy nad slavným uznáním od Jay-Zho. Má i osobní stránku v kapitole věnované jeho babičce a její neuvěřitelné návštěvě Bílého domu u Baracka Obamy.
V druhé polovině kniha výrazně mění tempo a posouvá se od hudby k přímému politickému aktivismu, bojům na Twitteru a rozboru amerických společenských reálií. Tato část je náročnější na kontext a od čistě hudebního tématu se dost odklání.
Inspirativní čtení pro každého, kdo oceňuje lyrickou hloubku, uměleckou nezávislost a chce nahlédnout pod pokličku hiphopové kultury. Jen jsem z toho měl trochu pocit, že je trochu frustrován, že nemá větší "fejm".
June 3, 2022
I enjoyed listening to Talib Kweli‘s memoir. I especially enjoyed the first and last thirds of the book. I feel like it was good to hear his memoir in his own voice and also I feel like I got to know Talib Kweli. Who he is as a person, flaws and all. To me, that signifies a successful memoir. I appreciated his honesty, his perspectives on things, his vision, his boldness and confidence. I don’t think that the writing was excellent, which I hesitate to say since he’s such a gifted lyricist. But I can acknowledge that writing rhymes is a different skill than writing a memoir. Still, the organization of the book was really sensible which made for a cohesive story and Kweli is quite intelligent so I would say, it was an enjoyable read and I’d recommend it to anyone who is a fan of Talib Kweli or conscious hip-hop in general. You will learn a lot, think a lot, and enjoy the walk down memory lane.
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