Happy Birthday To Black Thought & Talib Kweli

Something must have been in the water. Today marks the birthday of two of the game’s most celebrated lyricists, Black Thought and Talib Kweli. The legendary Roots frontman turns forty-eight, while the Black Star veteran rides triumphantly into forty-four.

Two elder statesmen, with respectable discographies beneath their respective belts. For Thought, his pedigree as a writer needs no introduction. Between his work with The Roots and the impeccable ten-minute Funkmaster Flex freestyle, many still consider him to boast the nicest pen-game in hip-hop; a frequent visitor of the “favorite rapper’s favorite rapper” club, and for good reason.

John Sciulli/Getty Images, Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images 

Though Talib’s musical output has slowed of late, the frequent slayer of Nazis remains a force to be reckoned with – both behind the mic and on Twitter. Lest we forget about some of his own stellar work, including the solo album Quality, the Hi-Tek collaboration Reflection Eternal, and the Mos Def partnership effort Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star. In fact, Thought and Kweli actually collaborated on the lyrical onslaught “Guerrilla Monsoon Rap,” essentially listening for any self-styled bar aficionado (it’s produced by Kanye West, at that).

Happy birthday to a pair of lyricists extraordinaire!