Talib Kweli

One of rap's nimblest lyricists, Talib Kweli spits lavish, twisting interior rhymes that have earned him more props than commercial success. (Both Jay-Z and 50 Cent have given props, but Kweli has never gone so much as gold.) Kweli's partner in the short-lived Black Star, Mos Def, has turned charisma to Hollywood bank, but Kweli's canny musical forays have failed to break out of the backpacker ghetto. His groovy con-rap style recalls Tribe Called Quest, and he turns up the heat with his latest, Ear Drum. It boasts a Norah Jones track ("Soon the Day") as well as productions by Kanye West and will.i.am of Black Eyed Peas.