Columnist Spencer Patterson: Focused Kweli preaches hip-hop quality

Spencer Patterson

Friday, June 4, 2004 | 9:16 a.m.

Spencer Patterson covers music for the Sun. His music notes column appears Fridays. Reach him at spencer@lasvegassun.com or (702) 259-2309.

Most articles about Talib Kweli describe the rapper's music as a socially conscious alternative to mainstream hip-hop.

The 28-year-old Brooklyn, N.Y., native isn't too fond of that generalization.

"I think the mainstream media sees it that way, but I don't think the hip-hop community sees it that way," Kweli said in a phone interview from his Los Angeles hotel room on Tuesday.

"I think the hip-hop community likes me because I'm dope (cool). If I wasn't dope, they would not care whether I was socially conscious or gangsta or whatever."

Listening to the serious themes on Kweli's superb 2002 CD, "Quality," it's easy to assume he disdains the popular hip-hop hits that dominate radio and music television.

Not so, Kweli insists.

"I love the state of hip-hop," Kweli said. "I think it's great right now."

When asked which current hip-hop releases he's been spinning, Kweli doesn't hesitate.

"I like Dead Prez's new album, I like Cee-Lo's new album, I like Usher's new album, Ghostface, the N.E.R.D album," he rattles off, demonstrating that his tastes run the gamut of today's rap music.

Kweli's own new disc, "Beautiful Struggle," is tentatively slated to hit shelves later this summer.

For a preview of some of the new material, check out his show Saturday night at the House of Blues at Mandalay Bay. Doors open at 7 p.m., with tickets to the all-ages show priced at $20 in advance and $25 the day of the event.

Opening Kweli's show will be MF Doom. The London rapper, a former member of New York City crew K.M.D., performs with an iron mask over his face (thus "MF" for "metal face").

"It's a little wild," Kweli assesses with a chuckle.

Along with the new cuts, Kweli is likely to perform tracks from "Quality" and his two highly regarded collaborations, 1998's "Black Star" (with rapper Mos Def) and 2000's "Reflection Eternal" (with DJ Hi-Tek).

Those two discs established Kweli as a top-notch MC, and his 2000 solo debut solidified that reputation. Now, with "Beautiful Struggle," he says he's ready to take another giant step.

"With the last album, I set out to prove that I could do my own album," Kweli said. "With this album, I try to just let the music take a step forward and let the music lead where I want to go, instead of trying to prove something."

While Kweli has remained a visible player on the hip-hop scene, his "Black Star" partner has yet to follow up 1999's critically acclaimed "Black on Both Sides."

Mos Def has been busy pursuing other interests, acting in such movies as "Monster's Ball" and the new HBO film "Something the Lord Made," and helping launch a rock project known as the Black Jack Johnson.

But Kweli said Mos Def's rhyming days are far from over.

"Whenever I see Mos he's in the studio making music," Kweli said. "It's kind of a shame the world doesn't always get to hear it, but it's never a situation where Mos is not making music. He's just trying to find the right situation to bring it out."

Kweli, who studied acting for a time at New York University, said he's not eager to join Mos Def in that arena. At the moment, the father of two is preparing to deliver "Beautiful Struggle," a disc with a title close to his own heart.

" 'Beautiful Struggle' is something that we live," Kweli said. "You can't appreciate struggle unless you see the beauty in the world and vice-versa. My career has been a struggle, definitely, but it's been beautiful and I've had a great time and great experiences."

Quick hits

A look at a few of the shows scheduled to hit Southern Nevada in the next week:

Mandalay Bay's annual summer Beach concert series kicks off, appropriately, with the Beach Boys at 9 tonight. Among the group's current lineup: longtime members Mike Love and Bruce Johnston. Tickets are $40.

At 9 p.m. Saturday, the B-52's land on the Mandalay Bay Beach. Tickets are $37.50 in advance and $40 on Saturday.

Veteran rap trio De La Soul plays Green Valley Ranch's Whiskey Beach at 9 tonight.

The New York group is celebrating the 2004 release of two archival discs: "Live at Tramps, NYC, 1996" and "De La Mix Tape: Remixes, Rarities & Classics." Tickets to the 21-and-over show are $27.50.

Barry Manilow brings his "One Night Live" show to the Mandalay Bay Events Center at 8 p.m. Saturday. Manilow has described the sold-out concert as a thank-you to his longtime fans.

In April, Manilow released "2NightsLive!," a two-disc set featuring live renditions of such hits as "Copacabana (At the Copa)," "I Write the Songs" and "Mandy."

Emo-punk outfits Dashboard Confessional and Thrice team for the "Honda Civic Tour," which stops at the Orleans Arena at 7:30 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $24.15.

Led by singer-songwriter Chris Carrabba, Dashboard Confessional -- the tour's headliner -- released third album, "A Mark, A Mission, A Brand, A Scar," to strong reviews last year.

Approximately 400 lucky fans will get to see the Beastie Boys perform Wednesday at the Huntridge Theatre as part of MTV2's "$2Bill" concert series.

The line forms at 7 a.m. outside the venue. Wristbands will be handed out at 9 a.m., with the right to purchase $2 tickets to the event awarded on a random basis.

On sale

Hoobastank plays the House of Blues on July 16 with opening act Phantom Planet. Tickets are $15 and go on sale at 11 a.m. Saturday at the House of Blues box office, at TicketMaster outlets, by phone at 474-4000 and at www.ticketmaster.com.

Galactic stops at the House of Blues on Aug. 24. Tickets are $20-$30 and go on sale at 11 a.m. Saturday through the House of Blues box office and TicketMaster.

Tickets are on sale now for LeAnn Rimes' July 3 performance at the floating stage at Lake Las Vegas Resort. Tickets are $40-$100 and are available through TicketMaster.