Train of Thought (Reflection Eternal album)

Infobox Album
Name = Train of Thought
Type = Album
Artist = Reflection Eternal (Talib Kweli & Hi-Tek)


Released = October 17, 2000 (U.S.)
Recorded = 1999-2000
Genre = Alternative Hip-Hop
Length = 65:73
Label = Rawkus/UMVD
Producer = Hi-Tek
Reviews =
*Allmusic Rating|4.5|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:r69ds33qa3zg link]
*HipHopDX.com Rating|4.5|5 [http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/reviews/id.30/title.reflection-eternal-train-of-thought 7 Nov 00]
*Obnoxious Listeners Rating|5|5 [http://www.obnoxiouslisteners.com/album/train-of-thought-reflection-eternal/ link]
*Pitchfork (7.9/10) [http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/19162/Talib_Kweli_and_HiTek_Reflection_Eternal link]
*The Source Rating|4|5 [http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=3642537&BAB=E link]
Last album =
This album = "Train of Thought"
(2000)
Next album =
Misc = Extra chronology 2
Artist = Talib Kweli
Type = Album
Last album = "Black Star"
(1998)
This album = "Train of Thought"
(2000)
Next album = "Quality"
(2002) Extra chronology 2
Artist = Hi-Tek
Type = Album
Last album =
This album = "Train of Thought"
(2000)
Next album = "Hi-Teknology"
(2001)

"Train of Thought" is the first and only album by Reflection Eternal, a hip hop duo composed of rapper Talib Kweli & DJ Hi-Tek. It was released on October 17, 2000 (see 2000 in music) by Rawkus Records. Due to a series of underground hits in the late 1990s, both Kweli and Hi-Tek were hyped in the hip hop music media, and "Train of Thought" was a critical success, though sales were slim. Kweli's reflections on modern African-American culture, including criticisms of commercialism and violence like "these cats drink champagne/To toast death and pain/Like slaves on the ship talkin' 'bout who got the flyest chains". This Album Is Certified Gold By The RIAA.

A PopMatters review describes Kweli as "a hyper-articulate MC with a revolutionary's mind and a sensitive poet's heart, but he's also a world-class battle MC, able to rip other MCs' rhymes apart in a quick second". [http://www.popmatters.com/music/reviews/k/kwelitalib-reflection.shtml] "Rolling Stone" gave the album 3.5 stars and called it "the rare socially aware hip-hop record that can get fists pumping in a rowdy nightclub" [http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/cd/review.asp?aid=14508] . With former partner Mos Def's critical smash "Black on Both Sides" to be compared to, "Reflection Eternal" earned some criticism for a perceived shallowness in the social and political content of some of the lyrics, for example the PitchFork review stated: "Kweli uses the rhythm as a foundation, building rambling, baroque rhyme structures on top of them, exhibiting his cock-eyed 'skills'. This kind of braggadocio doesn't weaken the effort in the same way his moralizing self-canonization does, if only because he can often back those claims up". [http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/19162/Talib_Kweli_and_HiTek_Reflection_Eternal] .

Track listing

ingles chart positions

Personnel

*Rick James - Producer
*Hi-Tek - Producer, Engineer, Executive Producer, Mixing
*Weldon Irvine - Keyboards, Producer
*Tracie - Vocals (bckgr)
*Owen Brown - Fiddle
*De La Soul - Performer
*Derrick Gardner - Trumpet
*Troy Hightower - Engineer, Mixing
*Kool G Rap - Performer
*Guy Snider - Engineer
*Teodross Avery - Saxophone
*Ken Ifill - Mixing
*Vinia Mojica - Vocals
*Les Nubians - Performer
*Xzibit - Performer
*Steve Souder - Mixing
*Chris Athens - Mastering
*Mos Def - Performer
*Talib Kweli - Vocals, Producer, Executive Producer
*Monique Walker - Vocals (bckgr)
*Carlisle Young - Mixing
*Rah Digga - Performer
*Asi - Design, Layout Design
*Rikki Stein - Liner Notes
*Bassi Kolo Percussion Group - Percussion
*Big Del - Vocals (bckgr)
*Crossfader Chris - Cutting Engineer
*Dave Dar - Engineer, Mixing
*Darcel - Vocals (bckgr)
*Donte - Vocals (bckgr)
*Katushia - Vocals (bckgr)
*Jerome Lagarrigue - Illustrations, Cover Illustration
*Little Tone - Vocals (bckgr)
*Neb Luv - Vocals (bckgr)
*Nonye - Vocals
*Tiye Phoenix - Vocals, Vocals (bckgr)
*Kendra Ross - Vocals, Vocals (bckgr)
*Imani Uzuri - Vocals (bckgr), Vocal Arrangement
*Tiyi Willingham - Vocals (bckgr)
*Willo - Design, Layout Design