Credit: Alamy

Talib Kweli’s legacy is undoubtedly as a lyricist and conscious artist who pushed the boundaries with his music. The Brooklyn emcee has been a hip-hop mainstay since the 1990s, and although he never managed to achieve vast commercial success, the ‘Get By’ rapper has always been present in the culture.

Despite his low-key nature, early in his career, Kweli worked with some of the best in the game, including Just Blaze and Pharrell Williams. However, he collaborated extensively with Kanye West, who produced hits such as Kweli’s 2002 single ‘Get By’ and ‘I Try’ featuring Mary J Blige.

Although he never gained any commercial clout, Kweli is still respected as a lyricist. Many New Yorkers, including Nas, know that the Eardrum creator is formidable and better than many who managed to dominate the charts after him.

The rapper’s career began in the late 1990s as one half of the duo Black Star with Mos Def. Signing to Rawkus Records in 1997, Kweli, in collaboration with Def, released his Hip Hop for Respect EP to speak out against police brutality in 2000.

Kweli’s failure to break into the mainstream may be due to songs such as ‘Get By’ and ‘Black Girl Pain,’ which address real-world problems and struggles within the African-American community. Some may try to label him a controversial, conscious rapper. However, much of his music is grounded in a dire reality.

Akin to artists such as Common and Black Thought, Talib Kweli has used his lyrics as a vehicle for social change and is unapologetically black in his approach to music. With strong Afro-centric messages and anti-establishment rhetoric, the New York native is undoubtedly one of the most lyrically gifted rappers.

Kweli has always leaned towards soulful hip hop. Beyond soul, Kweli has been known to incorporate elements of gospel into his music while exploring themes around spirituality, which labels can’t produce on an industrial scale, unlike some of the mafioso rap of the early-2000s.

That said, in 2013, Kweli took to the social media site Tumblr to share his thoughts on lyricism in hip-hop and some of the best rap verses in history. He named some well-known legends and some lesser-known gems.

The ‘Love Language’ rhymer named 25 tracks that he believes show the best lyricism in hip-hop. He named one track by the lyricist R.A. the Rugged Man, who had an extremely short career that ended with a shelved album. Another shocking addition to the list was Jean Grae, a South African lyricist who has been recognised by potent artists such as Black Thought of the Roots and even Jay-Z.

In the intro of his post, Kweli defined a great verse, writing, “For me, a great verse is one I could hold up as an example of how truly poetic hip hop is. Jay Electronica, creator of many incredible verses, once told me that Shakespeare got nothing on the best MCs!”

Tracks with the best rap verses according to Talib Kweli:

• Eric B & Rakim – ‘Follow The Leader’
• Wu-Tang Clan – ‘Triumph’
• Jay-Z – ‘Renegade’
• Nas – ‘Life’s A Bitch’
• Outkast – ‘Return Of The Gangsta’
• Organized Konfusion – ‘Prisoners Of War’
• Nas – ‘NY State Of Mind’
• Mobb Deep – ‘Shook Ones Pt II’
• The Roots – ‘Act Too: Love Of My Life’
• Public Enemy – ‘Steel In The Hour Of Chaos’
• Wu-Tang Clan – ‘Winter Warz’
• Big L – ‘Ebonics’
• Black Star – ‘Thieves In The Night’
• RA The Rugged Man – ‘Uncommon Valor’
• Boogie Down Productions – ‘Why Is That’
• Jay-Z – ‘What More Can I Say’
• Ice Cube – ‘A Bird In The Hand’
• Nas – ‘Rewind’
• Jean Grae – ‘#8’
• Big Pun – ‘Dream Shatterer’
• A Tribe Called Quest – ‘Scenario’
• Jay-Z – ‘Regrets’
• Biggie Smalls – ‘Notorious Thugs’
• Common – ‘Communism’
• Wu-Tang Clan – ‘Impossible’