The artist wanted to "align" himself with the message of the protest.
Talib Kweli is no stranger to political causes, so it's no surprise the rapper/activist has joined forces with the protestors of Occupy Wall Street. "There's no other place in New York City to be," Kweli tells MTV. "People are taking their destiny in their own hands. This is one of the most American, if not the most American, things that I've ever seen."
"When I see things like Occupy Wall Street, I just try to align myself with things that make sense," he added. "Shame on me if I know something and don't spread it, you know? If I know, it becomes my responsibility to spread the information."
Another thing Kweli is spreading? The word about his new track "Distractions," an indictment of American complacency, which he performed a cappella in front of hundreds of gathered protesters. It begs the question, was this a spontaneous performance inspired by the spirit of the protest, or a well-timed plug?
Given Kweli's history of activism and the sincerity of his remarks, he probably deserves the benefit of the doubt.
"People are out here from all walks of life, all colors, all classes, people that have jobs, don't have jobs," said Res, Kweli's collaborator. "People just want to get the word out and say, 'Look, we're sick of this, we need a change, and what you guys are doing in the White House is not hitting it.'"
"They want to know what the end game is?" Kweli asked. "This is the end game."
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