Login
Login

Gutter Rainbows

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}

{{Infobox album

| name = Gutter Rainbows

| type = studio

| artist = Talib Kweli

| cover = 20110120-GUTTER.jpg

| released = {{Start date|2011|1|25}}

| recorded = 2010

| studio =

| genre = Hip-hop

| length = {{Duration|m=49|s=3}}

| label = {{hlist|Javotti Media|3D}}

| producer = {{hlist|6th Sense|88-Keys|E. Jones|Khrysis|Marco Polo|Maurice Brown|M-Phazes|Nick Speed|Oh No|Shuko|Ski Beatz|Symbolyc One}}

| prev_title = Revolutions per Minute

| prev_year = 2010

| next_title = Habits of the Heart

| next_year = 2011

| misc = {{Singles

| name = Gutter Rainbows

| type = studio

| single1 = Cold Rain

| single1date = November 30, 2010

}}

}}

Gutter Rainbows is the fourth solo studio album by American rapper Talib Kweli. Originally intended to be released in only digital format, it was announced that Duck Down Music would step in to see the album got a CD release,{{Cite web |last=Ryce |first=Jeff |date=December 24, 2010 |title=Talib Kweli To Release "Gutter Rainbows" On January 25, 2011 |url=https://hiphopdx.com/news/id.12784/title.talib-kweli-to-release-gutter-rainbows-on-january-25-2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121002071136/http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/news/id.12784/title.talib-kweli-to-release-gutter-rainbows-on-january-25-2011 |archive-date=October 2, 2012 |access-date=December 27, 2024 |website=HipHopDX |language=en}} including an import edition and a special edition with extras.{{Cite web |last=Rodriguez |first=Jayson |date=February 3, 2011 |title=Talib Kweli Talks Gutter Rainbows: 'The Music Industry Doesn't Exist' - Music, Celebrity, Artist News {{!}} MTV |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110205145809/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1657237/talib-kweli-gutter-rainbows.jhtml |access-date=February 5, 2011 |website=MTV |via=Wayback Machine}} The album was released on January 25, 2011, through Javotti Media and 3D.

The album was produced by Symbolyc One, 6th Sense, 88-Keys, E. Jones, Khrysis, Marco Polo, Maurice Brown, M-Phazes, Nick Speed, Oh No, Shuko, Ski Beatz, and Caleb McCampbell. It features guest appearances from Blaqthoven, Chace Infinite, Jean Grae, Kendra Ross, Nigel Hall, Outasight, and Sean Price.

In the United States, the album debuted at number 29 on the Billboard 200, number 7 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, number 5 on the Top Rap Albums and number 4 on the Independent Albums charts with 13,900 copies sold in its first week.{{Cite web |last= |date=February 2, 2011 |title=Nicki Minaj Surpasses Kanye in Overall Sales - XXL |url=https://www.xxlmag.com/nicki-minaj-surpasses-kanye-west-in-overall-sales-on-charts/ |access-date=December 27, 2024 |website=XXL |language=en}} The album fell 73 spots in its second week selling nearly 20,000 units in two weeks combined.{{Cite web |last=Jacobs |first=Allen |date=February 9, 2011 |title=Hip Hop Album Sales: The Week Ending 2/6/2011 |url=https://hiphopdx.com/news/id.14001/title.hip-hop-album-sales-the-week-ending-262011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130818032448/http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/news/id.14001/title.hip-hop-album-sales-the-week-ending-2-6-2011 |archive-date=August 18, 2013 |access-date=December 27, 2024 |website=HipHopDX |language=en}}

Critical reception

{{Music ratings

| ADM = 6.6/10{{Cite web |title=Gutter Rainbows by Talib Kweli reviews {{!}} Any Decent Music |url=http://anydecentmusic.com/review/2582/Talib-Kweli-Gutter-Rainbows.aspx |access-date=December 27, 2024 |website=AnyDecentMusic?}}

| MC = 71/100{{Cite web |title=Critic Reviews for Gutter Rainbows - Metacritic |url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/gutter-rainbows/talib-kweli/critic-reviews |access-date=December 27, 2024 |website=Metacritic |language=en}}

| rev1 = Beats Per Minute

| rev1score = 81/100%{{Cite web |last=McMullen |first=Chase |date=January 26, 2011 |title=Album Review: Talib Kweli – Gutter Rainbows |url=https://beatsperminute.com/album-review-talib-kweli-gutter-rainbows/ |access-date=December 27, 2024 |website=Beats Per Minute |language=en-US}}

| rev2 = Cokemachineglow

| rev2score = 58/100%{{Cite web |last=McGowan |first=Colin |date=February 5, 2011 |title=Talib Kweli: Gutter Rainbows (Javotti/3D; 2011) {{!}} Records Reviews @ Cokemachineglow.com |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120513101824/http://www.cokemachineglow.com/record_review/5979/talibkweli-gutterrainbows-2011 |access-date=May 13, 2012 |website=Cokemachineglow |via=Wayback Machine}}

| rev3 = Consequence of Sound

| rev3score = C+{{Cite web |last=Young |first=Alex |date=February 28, 2011 |title=Album Review: Talib Kweli - Gutter Rainbows |url=https://consequence.net/2011/02/album-review-talib-kweli-gutter-rainbows/ |access-date=December 27, 2024 |website=Consequence Of Sound |language=en-US}}

| rev4 = HipHopDX

| rev4score = 3/5{{Cite web |last=Cooper |first=Roman |last2=Kuperstein |first2=Slava |date=January 24, 2011 |title=Talib Kweli - Gutter Rainbows |url=https://hiphopdx.com/reviews/id.1609/title.talib-kweli-gutter-rainbows |access-date=December 27, 2024 |website=HipHopDX |language=en}}

| rev5 = Los Angeles Times

| rev5score = {{Rating|2.5|4}}{{Cite web |last=Weiss |first=Jeff |date=January 24, 2011 |title=Album review: Talib Kweli's 'Gutter Rainbows' |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/blogs/pop-hiss/story/2011-01-24/album-review-talib-kwelis-gutter-rainbows |access-date=December 27, 2024 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}

| rev6 = Pitchfork

| rev6score = 7.4/10{{Cite web |last=Patrin |first=Nate |date=January 26, 2011 |title=Talib Kweli: Gutter Rainbows |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/15007-gutter-rainbows/ |access-date=December 27, 2024 |website=Pitchfork |language=en-US}}

| rev7 = PopMatters

| rev7score = {{Rating|6|10}}{{Cite web |last=Amidon |first=David |date=February 1, 2011 |title=Talib Kweli: Gutter Rainbows, PopMatters |url=https://www.popmatters.com/136171-talib-kweli-gutter-rainbows-2496086335.html |access-date=December 27, 2024 |website=PopMatters |language=en-US}}

| rev8 = Rolling Stone

| rev8score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{Cite web |last=Rosen |first=Jody |author-link=Jody Rosen |date=February 3, 2011 |title=Gutter Rainbows |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/gutter-rainbows-118279/ |access-date=December 27, 2024 |website=Rolling Stone |language=en-US}}

| rev9 = Spin

| rev9score = {{Rating|7|10|full=TMT full.svg|half=TMT half.svg|empty=TMT empty.svg|rating=mark}}{{Cite magazine |last=Reeves |first=Mosi |date=January 25, 2011 |title=Talib Kweli, 'Gutter Rainbows' (Javotti Media/3D) |url=https://www.spin.com/2011/01/talib-kweli-gutter-rainbows-javotti-media3d/ |access-date=December 27, 2024 |magazine=Spin |publisher=SPIN Media LLC |page=80 |language=en-US |publication-date=March 2011 |volume=27 |issue=2 |issn=0886-3032}}

| rev10 = Tiny Mix Tapes

| rev10score = {{Rating|2|5|full=TMT full.svg|half=TMT half.svg|empty=TMT empty.svg|rating=mark}}{{Cite web |last=Morris |first=David |title=Music Review: Talib Kweli - Gutter Rainbows |url=https://www.tinymixtapes.com/music-review/Talib-Kweli-Gutter-Rainbows |access-date=December 27, 2024 |website=Tiny Mix Tapes |language=en}}

}}

Gutter Rainbows was met with generally favourable reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 71 based on twenty-one reviews. The aggregator AnyDecentMusic? has the critical consensus of the album at a 6.6 out of 10, based on twelve reviews.

Chase McMullen of Beats Per Minute praised the album, stating it "may well be the best thing Kweli has done since Quality". Nate Patrin of Pitchfork resumed: "in short, it's familiar without feeling rote". Alex Young of Consequence wrote: "in that right, Gutter Rainbows is the ultimate success. However, in terms of accessibility, he's done better work, and this release will probably just go down as a good, but not a great Talib Kweli album". Mosi Reeves of Spin found "the production (from Ski Beatz, 88-Keys, others) adds florid, melodramatic choruses to jazzy boom-bap tracks, blunting the impact of Kweli's dogged street intellectualism". Jeff Weiss of Los Angeles Times wrote: "accordingly, Gutter Rainbows too often feels like an unfulfilled promise--an excess of concrete and not enough vibrancy".

In mixed reviews, Slava "Roman Cooper" Kuperstein of HipHopDX stated: "Gutter Rainbows is a fairly easy spin, and can go into the listener's steady rotation in a pinch. That being said, this feels a bit like a subdued version of Eardrum". David Amidon of PopMatters noted that "despite limp production, Kweli is often a great presence here, and fans certainly won't be disappointed". Jody Rosen of Rolling Stone concluded: "Gutter Rainbows is unabashed conscious-rap classicism, with a luscious, string-swamped soul sound and rhymes that tout the MC's left-of-center cred". Cokemachineglow's Colin McGowan wrote: "there's a lot of rappity-rap clichés at work here: overwrought punchlines, vague disses, bitching about the industry. Kweli spends a good chunk of the album acting like a drunk, unemployed superhero, stumbling into supermarkets to aid old ladies whose purses are fully in their possession". David Morris of Tiny Mix Tapes stated: "Kweli still has an ear for beats, and despite some particular low points here, his lyrics were always overshadowed by his flow, which is as sharp as ever".

Track listing

{{Track listing

| all_writing =

| extra_column = Producer(s)

| title1 = After the Rain

| writer1 = {{hlist|Talib Kweli Greene|Charles Njapa|Tsidi Ibrahim}}

| length1 = 1:27

| extra1 = 88-Keys

| title2 = Gutter Rainbows

| writer2 = {{hlist|Greene|Mark Landon|Robert Mandell}}

| extra2 = M-Phazes

| length2 = 4:10

| title3 = So Low

| writer3 = {{hlist|Greene|Christoph Bauss|M. Wright}}

| extra3 = Shuko

| length3 = 3:14

| title4 = Palookas

| note4 = featuring Sean Price

| writer4 = {{hlist|Greene|Sean Price|Marco Bruno}}

| extra4 = Marco Polo

| length4 = 3:57

| title5 = Mr. International

| note5 = featuring Nigel Hall

| writer5 = {{hlist|Greene|Nigel Hall|Larry Griffin}}

| extra5 = {{hlist|S1|Caleb ({{abbr|co.|co-producer}})}}

| length5 = 3:36

| title6 = I'm on One

| writer6 = {{hlist|Greene|Christopher Tyson}}

| extra6 = Khrysis

| length6 = 3:55

| title7 = Wait for You

| note7 = featuring Kendra Ross

| writer7 = {{hlist|Greene|Kendra Ross|Griffin}}

| extra7 = {{hlist|S1|Caleb ({{abbr|co.|co-producer}})}}

| length7 = 3:45

| title8 = Ain't Waiting

| note8 = featuring Outasight

| writer8 = {{hlist|Greene|Richard Andrew|Michael Kawesch}}

| extra8 = 6th Sense

| length8 = 3:57

| title9 = Cold Rain

| writer9 = {{hlist|Greene|David Willis}}

| extra9 = Ski Beatz

| length9 = 2:36

| title10 = Friends & Family

| writer10 = {{hlist|Greene|Eric Jones}}

| extra10 = E. Jones

| length10 = 3:57

| title11 = Tater Tot

| writer11 = {{hlist|Greene|Nicholas Speed}}

| extra11 = Nick Speed

| length11 = 2:56

| title12 = How You Love Me

| note12 = featuring Blaq Toven

| writer12 = {{hlist|Greene|Anthony Ransom}}

| extra12 =

| length12 = 4:04

| title13 = Uh Oh

| note13 = featuring Jean Grae

| writer13 = {{hlist|Greene|Ibrahim|Michael Jackson}}

| extra13 = Oh No

| length13 = 4:15

| title14 = Self Savior

| note14 = featuring Chace Infinite

| writer14 = {{hlist|Greene|Maurice Brown}}

| extra14 = Maurice Brown

| length14 = 3:14

| total_length = 49:03

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = iTunes deluxe edition bonus tracks

| all_writing =

| extra_column = Producer(s)

| title15 = How You Love Me (Live from BK Bowl)

| writer15 = {{hlist|Greene|Ransom}}

| extra15 = Blaqthoven

| note15 = featuring Blaq Toven

| length15 = 3:46

| title16 = Go Now

| writer16 = {{hlist|Greene|Ibrahim|Patrick Mathore}}

| extra16 = DJ Ty'neg

| note16 = featuring Iron Solomon and Jean Grae

| length16 = 4:37

| total_length =

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Amazon bonus track

| all_writing =

| extra_column = Producer(s)

| title15 = GMB (Grown Man Business)

| writer15 = {{hlist|Greene|Jones}}

| extra15 = E. Jones

| note15 =

| length15 = 5:06

| total_length =

}}

Personnel

{{div col}}

  • Talib Kweli Greene — vocals, executive producer
  • Tony Williams — vocals (track 1)
  • Charles "88-Keys" Njapa — additional vocals & producer (track 1)
  • Tsidi "Jean Grae" Ibrahim — additional vocals (track 1), vocals (track 13)
  • Kendra Ross — additional vocals (track 3), vocals (track 7)
  • Shareese "Res" Ballard — additional vocals (track 3)
  • Sean Price — vocals (track 4)
  • Nigel Hall — vocals & additional keyboards (track 5), piano (track 9)
  • Richard "Outasight" Andrew — vocals (track 8)
  • Anthony "Blaqthoven" Ransom — vocals (track 12)
  • Aaron "Chace Infinite" Johnson — vocals (track 14)
  • Winston "Wentz" Nelson — Rhodes electric piano & flute (track 1)
  • Michael Loren LaValle — guitar & bass (track 1)
  • Michael Geldreich — piano (track 3)
  • Eric Krasno — guitar (track 3)
  • Adam Deitch — drums (track 3)
  • Caleb McCampbell — additional keyboards (track 5), co-producer (tracks: 5, 7)
  • Jarriel Carter — horns & horns arranger (track 7)
  • Harrison Young — piano (track 9)
  • John Cave — guitar (track 9)
  • Brady Watt — bass (track 9)
  • Daru Jones — drums (track 9)
  • Brian Cockerham — bass (track 10)
  • Masayuki Hirano — keyboards (track 11)
  • Jon Dixon — synthesizer (track 11)
  • Chad — guitar (track 11)
  • Louis Cato — bass (track 11)
  • Borahm Lee — keyboards (track 13)
  • Mark "M-Phazes" Landon — producer (track 2)
  • Christoph "Shuko" Bauss — producer (track 3)
  • Marco "Marco Polo" Bruno — producer (track 4)
  • Larry "Symbolyc One" Griffin, Jr. — producer (tracks: 5, 7), horns arranger & mixing (track 7)
  • Christopher "Khrysis" Tyson — producer (track 6)
  • Michael "6th Sense" Kawesch — producer (track 8)
  • David "Ski Beatz" Willis — producer (track 9)
  • Eric Jones — producer (track 10)
  • Nick Speed — producer & programming (track 11)
  • Michael "Oh No" Jackson — producer (track 13)
  • Maurice Brown — producer (track 14)
  • Alby Cohen — recording (tracks: 1, 5, 8, 9, 11, 13, 14)
  • Frederico "C Sik" Lopez — recording (tracks: 2, 12), mixing (track 12)
  • Eddie Krakaur — recording (tracks: 3–8, 10, 11)
  • Maurizio "Irko" Sera — mixing (track 1)
  • Steve Baughman — mixing (tracks: 2, 5, 6, 8, 10)
  • Mike Gibney — mixing (tracks: 3, 4, 13, 14)
  • Cid D Kid — mixing (tracks: 9, 11)
  • Chris Koltay — engineering (track 11)
  • Mike Wyatt — engineering (track 11)
  • Kevin Calloway — session coordinator (track 11)
  • Kenyatta "Buckshot" Blake — associate executive producer
  • Drew "Dru-Ha" Friedman — associate executive producer
  • DeChazier Stokes-Johnson — artwork
  • Reuben Levi — additional artwork
  • Noah Friedman — project coordinator

{{div col end}}

Charts

class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" style="text-align:center"
scope="col"| Chart (2011)

! scope="col"| Peak
position

{{album chart|Switzerland|86|artist=Talib Kweli|album=Gutter Rainbows|rowheader=true|access-date=December 27, 2024}}
{{album chart|UKR&B|35|date=20110206|rowheader=true|access-date=December 27, 2024}}
{{album chart|UKIndependent|32|date=20110206|rowheader=true|access-date=December 27, 2024}}
{{album chart|Billboard200|29|artist=Talib Kweli|rowheader=true|access-date=December 27, 2024}}
{{album chart|BillboardRandBHipHop|7|artist=Talib Kweli|rowheader=true|access-date=December 27, 2024}}
{{album chart|BillboardRap|5|artist=Talib Kweli|rowheader=true|access-date=December 27, 2024}}
{{album chart|BillboardIndependent|4|artist=Talib Kweli|rowheader=true|access-date=December 27, 2024}}

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

  • {{Discogs master|311282|Gutter Rainbows|type=album}}

{{Talib Kweli}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:2011 albums

Category:Talib Kweli albums

Category:Duck Down Music albums

Category:Albums produced by 88-Keys

Category:Albums produced by Khrysis

Category:Albums produced by M-Phazes

Category:Albums produced by Ski Beatz

Category:Albums produced by Marco Polo

Category:Albums produced by Nick Speed

Category:Albums produced by Symbolyc One

Category:Albums produced by Oh No (musician)