Rapper Talib Kweli was born into an academic family in Brooklyn, New York. His mother is a professor at Medgar Evars College, and his father is an administrator at Adelphi University. He also has a brother who is a professor of Constitutional studies at Columbia Law School; this brother likewise acted as a clerk for John Paul Stevens, a Supreme Court associate justice. Given his family’s academic prowess, it may surprise many that he did not follow suit and become a professor or teacher himself. However, he has enjoyed a platform that lets him speak to his fans and to audiences throughout the world through his music and activism.
Kweli began his musical career in New York City’s underground rap scene in 1995. He collaborated with groups like Mood and DJ Hi-Tek. With DJ Hi-Tek, he formed the group Reflection Eternal and went on to release a single called “Fortified Love” in 1997. The single did well; however, he returned to New York City shortly afterward and reconnected with local hip hop stars to focus on his music there. He helped form a group called Black Star and released an album in the late 1990s. His former group mate and friend Hi-Tek produced that album for him and Black Star fellow member Yasiin Bey.
In 2000, he and Hi-Tek recorded an album for Electric Lady Studios. The album was called “Train of Thought” and released under their group name of Reflection Eternal. The album enjoyed critical success and sold relatively well, although it did not hit the number one spot on Billboard charts. Nonetheless, most reviewers enjoyed listening to it and recommended it to hip hop fans for its driving beat and reflective lyrics. In achieving this level of success, Kweli went on to build a net worth that currently is estimated to be around $4 million.
How Much Is Talib Kweli Worth Now?
The Talib Kweli net worth of $4 million stands firm today, but could possibly grow significantly higher with the release of his newest album, expected sometime in 2015 or 2016. In fact, he announced in 2014 that he was working on a new album that has yet to be named. This newest creation will follow five other albums, including “Quality,” which was his official debut album as a solo artist. After he released “Quality,” he went on to make four more records, such as “The Beautiful Struggle” in 2004, “Liberation” in 2006, “Eardrum” in 2007, and “Gutter Rainbows” in 2011.
Along with making music and performing, Kweli also uses his fame to advocate for causes that are important to him. He is a former member of the Five Percent movement, an activist organization that believes that non-whites, particularly Asiatic blacks, are the parents of all other races and the founders of civilization. He no longer formally belongs to this organization, yet utilizes many of its beliefs in his songs and activism. He particularly finds activism and protesting to be rewarding, once stating that if he could make money by protesting, he would give up rapping and performing altogether.
When he is not involved in political activism, Kweli adds to his net worth by heading up his own independent record label called Javotti Media. He has signed acts like Res and Cory Mo to his label, in fact. He bases this endeavor in Brooklyn and expects to release new music from his signed artists soon. Along with heading up his independent label, he is also a father to two children, a son and a daughter. He also recently got married to his girlfriend, DJ Eque.