You’ve got to forgive me for jumping on and off Team Kweli (well, you don’t have to forgive me. It is what it is.) I respect the guy for being an absolutely ill emcee, although the inconsistent quality of his recorded work can be incredibly frustrating. With hip-hop, it seems that artists live and die by the quality of their production. And not to say that you have to have big-name production to make a great record, either.

So, Kweli’s Gutter Rainbows comes out next week, and I’ve gotta admit that I’m on the fence. I was pretty disappointed by last year’s Reflection Eternal effort, and this single and video for “I’m On One” isn’t really hitting me the way I’d like it to. The beat is okay but not fantastic. Lyrically, Kweli sounds dope, but it’s a little less meaty in terms of content than a lot of his previous material. The video is definitely on the low-budget tip (I guess you’ve gotta do what you’ve gotta do when you don’t have that major label money anymore, huh?). Can’t say it’s worth watching more than once.

Of course, you’re always welcome to let us know what you think in the comments.