Talib Kweli to release sixth album and tour

Talib Kweli, the Brooklyn wordsmith, returns with his eagerly awaited sixth album EARDRUM, in stores on August 21st, 2007 on Kweli’s own label, Blacksmith Music and Warner Bros. Records. With this career defining new album, Kweli mixes hard hitting beats with inventive rhymes that serve to not only entertain, but also to educate. Hailed by USA Today as “Hip-Hops most inventive lyricist” the MC’s penchant for being a lyrical mastermind is reflected in his album title, aptly called EARDRUM.
Talib explains, “The image of the ear and of the drum are powerful enough by themselves, but when you put them together, it’s an instrument that’s in your body that helps you hear. They’re also two very simple, yet powerful words.”
From start to finish EARDRUM delivers career-defining work from Kweli that showcases his advanced lyricism and knack for picking beats that resonate long after the song ends. EARDRUM shows Kweli’s versatility ranging from his new single, “Hot Thing” produced by will.i.am to the alluring strings of “Soon the New Day” featuring the sultry vocals of Grammy Award winning jazz artist, Norah Jones to the brassy horns of “Country Cousins” which feature the underground kings of the south, UGK. Other guests on the album include: Justin Timberlake, Kanye West, KRS-ONE, Blacksmith artist Jean Grae and Musiq Soulchild.
EARDRUM boasts innovative production work by such vanguard artists as Kanye West, who worked on Kweli's 2002's gold-certified Quality and 2004's The Beautiful Struggle; Black-Eyed Peas founder will.i.am; and Black Star producer Hi-Tek, who also collaborated with Kweli on the gold-certified 2000 album Reflection Eternal.
Additional production highlights include New York rapper Kwame and multi-instrumentalist/producer Madlib, whose previous collaboration delivered the free digital –only EP, Liberation (2007).
The talented wordsmith is preparing to hit the road for the Rock the Bells Festival and his own summer tour. As one of the most toured Hip-Hop artists (at least 250 dates a year) fans can expect to hear Kweli perform new tracks from EARDRUM including “Listen” and “More or Less” as well as classics from past albums.

TALIB KWELI SUMMER TOUR/ROCK THE BELLS DATESDates Subject to Change
7/26 MANSFIELD, MA TWEETER CENTER
7/27 BALTIMORE, MD SONAR
7/28 NEW YORK, NY RANDALL’S ISLAND (Rock the Bells )
7/29 NEW YORK, NY RANDALL’S ISLAND (Rock the Bells)
7/31 WINSTON-SALEM, NC ZIGGY’S
8/1 CHARLOTTE, NC NEIGHBOR THEATER
8/2 ATLANTA, GA HI-FI BUYS AMPHITHEATER
8/4 MIAMI, FL BAYFRONT PARK AMPHITHEATER
8/6 NEW ORLEANS, LA HOUSE OF BLUES
8/7 DALLAS, TX SMIRNOFF MUSIC CENTER
8/8 AUSTIN,TX EMO’S
8/10 TEMPE, AZ THE BRICKHOUSE
8/11 SAN BERNARDINO, CA HYUNDAI PAVILION (Rock the Bells)
8/12 SAN DIEGO, CA COORS AMPHITHEATER (Rock The Bells)
8/13 SANTA CRUZ, CA TBA
8/15 SEATTLE, WA SHOWBOX
8/18 SAN FRANCISCO, CA MCCOVEY COVER
8/19 SACRAMENTO, CA SLEEP TRAIN AMPHITHEATER
8/21 SALT LAKE CITY, UT USANA AMPHITHEATER
8/22 DENVER, CO RED ROCKS AMPHITHEATER
8/23 LAWRENCE, KS TBA
8/25 MINNEAPOLIS, MN METRODOME
8/26 CHICAGO, IL CHARTER ONE PAVILION
8/27 MADISON, WI TBA
8/28 CLEVELAND, OH HOUSE OF BLUES
8/29 DETROIT, MI DTE ENERGY MUSIC THEATER