Talib And Diamond D Release Self-Titled ‘Gotham’
There’s power in numbers…Two is better than one… The list of clichés about collaboration goes on, and so does the list of accolades accumulated by Talib over the last two decades. Lyrical mastermind, Talib Kweli has earned a polished report creating socially conscious and politically aggressive tracks. Having collaborated with greats like RZA, Kanye West, Kendrick Lamar, John Legend, and the list goes on… While a powerhouse on his own, the king decided to collaborate once again.
Talib Kweli and Diamond D are ‘Gotham’
Kweli’s versatility has made him one of the greatest. Some of his most notable collaborations include Yasiin Bey (Black Star), Hi-Tek (Reflection Eternal), Madlib (Liberation), 9th Wonder (Indie 500) and Styles P (The Seven). Nonetheless Talib is a force alone or on a team. With a ten track grail of ear candy, Talib adds to his list of collaborative efforts with the announcement of “Talib and Diamond D are Gotham.“
“One of the first well-known producers to ever show me love in this music business was the legend Diamond D. I was raised on his music, from his solo work to the incredible contributions he’s made on the albums of others like Big L, Yasiin Bey, A Tribe Called Quest, Fat Joe, Fugees and many others. As a Bronx native, his sound represents the best, most original hip-hop in the world. New York City. My city, in the DC Universe, Gotham, is located somewhere in New Jersey. But in real life, the Gotham from the Batman comics is 100% based in New York City. “
– Talib Kweli
New York City was nicknamed Gotham before Batman was created, and this Gotham project is dedicated to Old New York. This documentation is necessary, especially in these pandemic lockdown times. The great cities of the world will never be the same after what we are currently experiencing. It’s the duty of those who actually lived it to tell these stories. New York will never not be great, but the New York we are talking about in Gotham is not for everybody. If it’s for you, then you are down by law.”
– Talib Kwelii
A testament to old New York
Responsible for formulating the musical backdrop of ‘Gotham’ is none other than Diamond D. For what is both a street and socially conscious album, the Grammy award-winning icon formulated a crisp underlay for Talib’s vocals. He’s created timeless music for his D.I.T.C. crew, Fugees, Busta Rhymes, Snoop Dogg, Xzibit, Raekwon, Rapsody, Pharoahe Monch, Fat Joe, and his own certifiable classic debut, Stunts, Blunts & Hip-Hop
“Talib was in LA for a while working and I sent him about ten-tracks in total. When I saw him in LA a few weeks later, he had already recorded about eight demos. He told me that when he heard the tracks, sonically, they took him back to NYC and that organic mind space really inspired him to write and record. That’s the catalyst which induced the formation of Gotham. I look forward to hearing what the fan’s favorite tracks are from the project.”
– Diamond D
Talib Kweli & Diamond D Are Gotham features collaborations with Busta Rhymes, Skyzoo, John Forte, NIKO IS and Nire’ Alldai. In honor of the projects release, he gifted a visual for the track “Attention Span.”