Lyrical prodigy
Talib Kweli and extraordinary underground hip-hop producer
DJ Hi-Tek comprise
Reflection Eternal.
Kweli -- who's name literally means "seeker of truth" -- also owns a small bookstore in Brooklyn and is more than just an average MC, being also a key to the
Mos Def collaborational LP Black Star. He first met
Hi-Tek in 1994 while visiting Cincinnati, and appeared on a track from
Hi-Tek's group
Mood. After
Reflection Eternal's inception in 1997, the pair were signed to indie powerhouse Rawkus Records, where they released their first single "Fortified Live" b/w the indie sensation "2000 Seasons." The best way to describe
Talib Kweli is as an erudite wordsmith prodigy; he incorporates political issues, complex metaphors, vivid imagery, a braggadocio rhyme style, and an overall charisma into his precise lyrical presentation. Although
Reflection Eternal is an "underground" hip hop group in principal, the relevance of
Kweli's lyrics and the resonance of
Hi-Tek's production propelled them to the forefront of quality hip-hop.
Reflection Eternal was also featured on
Mos Def's album
Black on Both Sides, as well as the antiestablishment opus album entitled The Unbound Project. The duo's debut LP,
Train of Thought, was released in October of 2000. In 2010 the duo reunited to release another collaboration,
Revolutions Per Minute, under the
Reflection Eternal moniker. ~ Nick Pfeiffer