Hip-hop artist and conscious rap trailblazer Talib Kweli talks to Salon's D. Watkins about his new book, "Vibrate Higher: A Rap Story," in which he documents hip-hop history of the late 1990s and 2000s through his personal stories coming up as an artist. His collaborators, including Mos Def, Common, Kanye West, Pharrell Williams and Kendrick Lamar, also play a major role in his writing because as Kweli puts it, "I don't just tell my story in this book. I tell these people's stories as well because they make up who I am."

On "Salon Talks," Kweli also opened up about some of the misconceptions in hip-hop, including the idea that gangsta rap is any less of an art form than conscious rap and advice for his friend Kanye West who supported Donald Trump. "Kanye's opinions and public statements have caused a lot of harm to a lot of Black people, to a lot of marginalized people. That can't be ignored," Kweli said. He continued, "I don't agree with everything Kanye says or does, but I was very clear with what I said in the book. I'm never going to stop being Kanye's friend or brother."