Decoded: Talib Kweli Breaks Down "Get By" and "Turnt Up"

Life + Times sits down with legendary Brooklyn emcee Talib Kweli to break down the lyrics for “Turnt Up,” one of the singles from his forthcoming Prisoner of Consciousness LP. A frequent complaint about hip-hop music is that the lyrics are hard to follow, and when rhymes are as complex as Kweli’s, the risk of misinterpretation heightens. In these installments of Decoded, Kweli breaks down his artist’s intention behind the rhymes, openly admitting that the song was a means of ‘conscious braggadocio.’ The other episode covers “Get By,” one of Kweli’s most popular and affecting pieces, and finally sheds light on what inspired the rapper to create such a profound track. Enjoy both videos below.