''You Can Only Remain Apathetic For So Long...''
6:00AM ET February 1st, 2011
Contributor : Stephen Willis
A Rocky Williform Company

Talib Kweli has long been one of the more thoughtful emcees in hip hop. The Brooklyn native recently discussed hip hop's place in politics, in the Obama era and beyond. For Kweli, there is a growing political awareness among hip hop fans--both young and older.

"Hip-hop has potential to have a role [in politics] because hip-hop is a great way to spread information," Kweli said in an interview. "The Obama campaign used hip-hop very effectively. That's the first time in politics that was seen. Cats like Corey Booker -- and Kevin Powell -- now are starting to really figure out how to utilize hip-hop and the hip-hop mentality going into politics. And I think doing that makes them come across as genuine."

"Look what happened to [former Detroit mayor Kwame Kilpatrick], who called himself the 'Hip-Hop Mayor,'" Kweli continued. "If you wear it on your sleeve it's not genuine. These guys call themselves coming up in the hip-hop generation, so they relate to us a little bit more. And quite possibly, I'm feeling like that because I'm older. Maybe it's because I don't relate to the younger cats who are coming up under me. I feel like the responsibility is there when you have [Green Party representative] Rosa Clemente running for Vice President."

"You can only remain apathetic for so long, or you're quitting."