Name: Revolutions Per Minute by Reflection Eternal, Talib Kweli, Hi-tek
Brand: Reflection Eternal
SKU: 093624974109
Price: 9.9 USD
Availability: OnlineOnly
Rating: 4 (119 reviews)

ALBUM

Reuniting a decade after their debut, Train of Thought, Talib Kweli and Hi-Tek return with another collaboration under their Reflection Eternal moniker. Despite the gap between albums, Kweli and Hi-Tek still have the same chemistry that’s followed them from project to project. Hi-Tek’s soul-infused beats create the perfect laid-back atmosphere for Kweli’s casual verbal acrobatics, crafting beats that bring the listener into the group's chilled-out space with their minimal aesthetic. Rather than getting too lost in the crates, Hi-Tek keeps things relatively minimal, letting the beats do the heavy lifting while the samples create the proper headspace for Kweli and friends to explore. “In the Red” shows off this kind of exploratory production, where Hi-Tek’s less-is-more beat cruises along while Kweli raps about the fall of his musical heroes, saying “Shame how our heroes is broke/We call them stars/It’s because when they falling to Earth/They falling hard.” Like their last album together, Revolutions Per Minute also has some hard-hitting guest spots. Most surprising of these is “Strangers (Paranoid),” which features former UGK member Bun B stopping by to drop some verses on the topic of government bailouts. The biggest treat for Black Star fans will be the star-packed “Just Begun,” featuring Jay Electronica, J. Cole, and Kweli’s former Black Star partner, Mos Def. The track really captures that Native Tongues old school meets new school feeling, reminding us what made Black Star so good while making us all scratch our heads as we wonder why Jay Electronica isn’t more famous. Revolutions Per Minute is an album that’s been a long time coming, and Kweli and Hi-Tek prove once again that there’s more to rap than club bangers, delivering another dose of socially and politically conscious music that’s more about opening people’s eyes to what’s happening in the world than telling them how to feel about it. ~ Gregory Heaney

1. RPM's

by Reflection Eternal, Talib Kweli, Hi-tek

Primary Artist: Hi-tek
Talib Kweli; Main Performer
Bass: Daniel Seef; Performer
Guitar: Daniel Seef; Performer
Composer: T. Cottrell
J. Mills-cockell
D. Seef; Composer
Executive Producer: Hi-tek
Talib Kweli; Production
Mixing: Hi-tek; Production
Producer: Cory Smyth
Sha Money Xi
Daniel Seef; Production
Recording: Sam Kalandjian; Production

2. City Playgrounds

by Reflection Eternal, Talib Kweli, Hi-tek

Composer: T. Greene
T. Cottrell; Composer
Primary Artist: Hi-tek
Talib Kweli; Main Performer
Assistant Engineer: Sam Kalandjian; Production
Executive Producer: Talib Kweli
Hi-tek; Production
Mixing: Steve Baughman; Production
Producer: Sha Money Xl
Cory Smyth; Production
Recording: Young Guru
Dave Dar; Production

3. Back Again (feat. RES)

by Reflection Eternal, Talib Kweli, Hi-tek

Featured Artist: Res; Main Performer
Primary Artist: Hi-tek
Talib Kweli; Main Performer
Composer: T. Greene
T. Cottrell
S. Ballard; Composer
Assistant Engineer: Sam Kalandjian; Production
Executive Producer: Talib Kweli
Hi-tek; Production
Mixing: Neal Pogue; Production
Producer: Cory Smyth
Sha Money Xl; Production
Recording: Dave Dar; Production
Skit: Affion Crockett; Production
Additional Mixer: Steve Baughman; Other

4. Strangers (Paranoid) [feat. Bun B]

by Reflection Eternal, Talib Kweli, Hi-tek

Featured Artist: Bun B; Main Performer
Primary Artist: Hi-tek
Talib Kweli; Main Performer
Composer: B. Conti
T. Greene
T. Cottrell
B. Freeman; Composer
Executive Producer: Talib Kweli
Hi-tek; Production
Mixing: Steve Baughman; Production
Mixing Assistant: Sam Kalandjian; Production
Producer: Cory Smyth
Sha Money Xl; Production
Recording: Dave Dar
Hi-tek; Production
Skit: Hi-tek; Production

5. In This World

by Reflection Eternal, Talib Kweli, Hi-tek

Guitar: Chris Morgan
Michael Severson; Performer
Primary Artist: Hi-tek
Talib Kweli; Main Performer
Composer: S. Carter
T. Greene
K. Briggs
B. Lipscomb
T.cottrell; Composer
Mixing: Steve Baughman; Production
Mixing Assistant: Sam Kalandjian; Production
Producer: Hi-tek; Production
Recording: Hi-tek
Dave Dar; Production
Additional Keyboards: Daniel Jones; Other
Extra Bass: Eric Coomes; Other

6. Got Work

by Reflection Eternal, Talib Kweli, Hi-tek

Composer: T. Greene
T. Cottrell; Composer
Primary Artist: Hi-tek
Talib Kweli; Main Performer
Assistant Engineer: Sam Kalandjian; Production
Executive Producer: Talib Kweli
Hi-tek; Production
Mixing: Steve Baughman; Production
Producer: Sha Money Xl
Cory Smyth; Production
Recording: Hi-tek
Dave Dar; Production

7. Midnight Hour (feat. Estelle)

by Reflection Eternal, Talib Kweli, Hi-tek

Bass: Erick "jesus" Coomes; Performer
Featured Artist: Estelle; Main Performer
Primary Artist: Hi-tek
Talib Kweli; Main Performer
Arranger: T. Greene
Estelle
Young Guru; Composer
Composer: T. Greene
T. Cottrell
L. Dixon
Estelle Swaray
W. Denson; Composer
Assistant Engineer: Sam Kalandjian; Production
Executive Producer: Hi-tek
Talib Kweli; Production
Mixing: Steve Baughman; Production
Producer: Sha Money Xl
Cory Smyth; Production
Recording: Young Guru
Dave Dar
Hi-tek; Production
Additional Keyboards: Daniel Jones; Other

8. Lifting Off

by Reflection Eternal, Talib Kweli, Hi-tek

Primary Artist: Hi-tek
Talib Kweli; Main Performer
Assistant Engineer: Sam Kalandjian; Production
Composer: T. Cottrell
T. Greene; Composer
Executive Producer: Talib Kweli
Hi-tek; Production
Mixing: Steve Baughman; Production
Producer: Sha Money Xl
Cory Smyth; Production
Recording: Hi-tek
Jack Rayner; Production
Additional Vocals: Tekzilla; Other

9. In the Red

by Reflection Eternal, Talib Kweli, Hi-tek

Guitar: Erick "jesus" Coomes; Performer
Primary Artist: Hi-tek
Talib Kweli; Main Performer
Composer: T. Cottrell
T. Greene; Composer
Assistant Engineer: Sam Kalandjian; Production
Executive Producer: Talib Kweli
Hi-tek; Production
Mixing: Steve Baughman; Production
Producer: Sha Money Xl
Cory Smyth; Production
Recording: Dave Dar
Hi-tek; Production
Additional Scratching: Dj Hi-tek; Other

10. Black Gold Intro

by Reflection Eternal, Talib Kweli, Hi-tek

Composer: T. Greene
T. Cottrell
J. Shelton
M. Commander; Composer
Primary Artist: Hi-tek
Talib Kweli; Main Performer
Producer: Hi-tek; Production

11. Ballad of the Black Gold

by Reflection Eternal, Talib Kweli, Hi-tek

Primary Artist: Hi-tek
Talib Kweli; Main Performer
Tenor Saxophone: Zach Lucas; Performer
Composer: T. Cottrell
M. Commander
J. Shelton
T. Greene; Composer
Assistant Engineer: Sam Kalandjian
Chris Soper; Production
Executive Producer: Hi-tek
Talib Kweli; Production
Mixing: Steve Baughman; Production
Producer: Sha Money Xl
Cory Smyth; Production
Recording: Hi-tek
Pat "pat'em Down" Viala; Production
Skit: Affion Crockett; Production
Additional Vocals: Imani Uzuri
Tekzilla; Other

12. Just Begun (feat. Jay Electronica, J. Cole & Mos Def)

by Reflection Eternal, Talib Kweli, Hi-tek

Featured Artist: Mos Def
J. Cole
Jay Electronica; Main Performer
Primary Artist: Hi-tek
Talib Kweli; Main Performer
Composer: P. Williams
T. Greene
T. Elpadaro
T. Cottrell
R. Nichols
D. Smith
J. Cole; Composer
Assistant Engineer: Chris Soper; Production
Mixing: Pat "pat'em Down" Viala; Production
Mixing Assistant: Sam Kalandjian; Production
Producer: Hi-tek; Production
Recording: Ski Beats
Young Guru
Eddie Krakaur; Production
Additional Keyboards: Ethan Gouldbourne; Other
Additional Mixer: Steve Baughman; Other

13. Long Hot Summer

by Reflection Eternal, Talib Kweli, Hi-tek

Primary Artist: Hi-tek
Talib Kweli; Main Performer
Assistant Engineer: Sam Kalandjian; Production
Composer: B. Lipscomb
T. Greene
T. Cottrell; Composer
Executive Producer: Talib Kweli
Hi-tek; Production
Mixing: Steve Baughman; Production
Producer: Sha Money Xl
Cory Smyth; Production
Recording: Hi-tek
Dave Dar; Production
Additional Vocals: Belinda Lipscomb; Other

14. Get Loose (feat. Chester French)

by Reflection Eternal, Talib Kweli, Hi-tek

Featured Artist: Chester French; Main Performer
Primary Artist: Hi-tek
Talib Kweli; Main Performer
Composer: A. Wallach
T. Cottrell
T. Greene
M. Drummey
D.a. Wallach; Composer
Assistant Engineer: Kevin Sokolniki
Sam Kalandjian; Production
Executive Producer: Talib Kweli
Hi-tek; Production
Mixing: Steve Baughman; Production
Producer: Sha Money Xl
Cory Smyth; Production
Recording: Hi-tek
Austin Briggs
Dave Dar; Production
Additional Keyboards: Daniel Jones; Other