Talib Kweli Returns to Boston to Talk the Business of Hip Hop

Photo via Associated Press

Fresh off of an appearance at City Hall plaza this summer for the annual Urban Music Festival, rapper Talib Kweli will return to Boston next month to talk about the business aspects of hip hop.

On October 6, Kweli, one half of the hip-hop duo that is Black Star, will be a featured guest at Berklee College of Music’s Business of Hip-Hop/Urban Music Symposium at the Berklee Performance Center. The event is in its eighth year, and is run by the school’s Music Business and Management Department.

According to event details, Kweli, a self-proclaimed activist and entrepreneur, won’t merely be focusing on the ins-and-outs of the music industry and the importance of building a personal brand. He will also put a spotlight on the art of blending business practices with “social consciousness.”

During the symposium a Berklee faculty member will interview Kweli, with much of their discussion revolving around the state of the rap world in a rapidly shifting market. Earlier in the day, students will get a chance to engage with other artists, such as Boston’s own Akrobatik, during a panel discussion that will include musical performances.

Past symposiums put on by Berklee have featured guests like The Source editor Kim Osorio, Shanti Das, and Prince Charles Alexander.

Berklee Performance Center, 136 Massachusetts Ave., Boston. Tickets are $8 in advance and $12 on the day of the show. More info at berklee.edu.