Ten years after their initial collaboration as Reflection Eternal, Talib Kweli and Hi-Tek have once again joined forces to produce some fun and accessible hip hop that will also make you think.

It takes a little bit for the album to get going, with an intro/skit that doesn’t quite come together, and a couple of songs that are decent but don’t really go anywhere. At this point, I’m just a little nervous that this ten-year reunion is going through the motions. Fortunately, though, “Strangers (Paranoid)” comes on, with its syncopated beat and horn fanfare and Kweli spittin’ some quick political rhymes that lead to more promising music.

We go through another little lull of mediocre songs, but then get a fun girl group-inspired song featuring Estelle in “Midnight Hour.” It’s a little heteronormative, but it’s also a fun track that’s sure to get people on the dance floor. Another skit slows the album down, but its followed up by one of the more interesting songs on the album, “Lifting Off,” which is critical toward marijuana use.

The album hits a high point when we get to “Ballad of the Black Gold,” which has the great combination of good beat, solid hook, and great lyrics about our dependence on oil. We ride high with “Just Begun” on a laidback beat with a jazzy trumpet line and guest spots from Jay Electronica, J. Cole, and Mos Def.

From this point, it’s pretty solid; a good combination of emcee and producer making hip hop for hip hop lovers - hard beats and smart lyrics. So while I would like this album to lose a couple weak tracks for tightening, I’m never going to turn down an album where Talib Kweli is given a chance to do his thing on the mic, and Hi-Tek is good at letting him shine.