Talib Kweli Greene (born October 3, 1975), better known as Talib Kweli, is an African-American emcee from Brooklyn, New York. His first name in Arabic means \"student\" or \"seeker\"; his middle name in Swahili means \"truth\". Kweli first gained recognition through Black Star, a collaboration with fellow MC Mos Def. Background information Birth name Talib Kweli Greene Born October 3, 1975 (1975-10-03) (age 34) Origin Brooklyn, New York City, New York, U.S. Genres Alternative hip hop Conscious hip hop Occupations Rapper, Singer Years active 1997–present Labels Rawkus Records Geffen Blacksmith Records / Warner Bros. Records (2005-Present) Associated acts Black Star, Reflection Eternal, DJ Hi-Tek, Res, Mos Def, Idle Warship, Kanye West, MF DOOM, Rakim, Immortal Technique, Jean Grae, Common, UGK, Smif-n-Wessun