Editing Reflection Eternal

{{short description|American hip hop duo}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox musical artist <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Musicians -->
| name                = Reflection Eternal
| image               =
| caption             = Reflection Eternal
| image_size          = 200
| background          = group_or_band
| alias               = 
| origin              = [[Brooklyn]], [[New York City]], U.S.<br />[[Cincinnati]], [[Ohio]], U.S.
| instrument          = 
| genre               = [[Hip hop music|Hip hop]]
| occupation          = 
| years_active        = 1997–present
| label               = [[Rawkus Records|Rawkus]]<br>[[Blacksmith Records|Blacksmith]]
| website             = 
| current_members     = [[Talib Kweli]]<br />[[Hi-Tek]]
| past_members        = 
}}

'''Reflection Eternal''' is an American [[hip hop music|hip hop]] duo composed of [[emcee]] [[Talib Kweli]] and [[Hip hop producer|producer]] [[Hi-Tek]]. They released their first album, ''[[Train of Thought (Reflection Eternal album)|Train of Thought]]'', in 2000. They have since released a mixtape, ''The RE: Union'', in late December 2009, and their second album ''[[Revolutions Per Minute (Reflection Eternal album)|Revolutions Per Minute]]'' was released May 18, 2010.

==History==
The duo of [[Talib Kweli]] and [[Hi-Tek]] met in Tek's native [[Cincinnati]], following the release of the [[Hi-Tek]]/[[Mood (hip hop crew)|Mood]] collaboration "Hustle on the Side". Kweli and Hi-Tek made their first official collaboration in 1997 on Mood's debut album, ''Doom'', on the track "Industry Lies". That same year, the two formed as Reflection Eternal, and signed to upstart [[underground hip hop]] label [[Rawkus Records]]. The tracks from their debut single, "Fortified Live" b/w "2000 Seasons", were included on the Rawkus Records compilation ''[[Soundbombing]]'' in October 1997. In 1998, Kweli and his high school friend, fellow Rawkus Records artist [[Mos Def]], formed the duo [[Black Star (hip hop group)|Black Star]], and released their first album, ''[[Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star|Black Star]]'', to rave reviews. Hi-Tek provided production for a number of songs on the album, including the singles "Definition" and "Respiration". The album put the three at the forefront of an underground hip hop scene that appeared at the time to be flagging against the influence of the "Jiggy" era of hip-hop, and was followed by a number of acclaimed collaborations and albums. Kweli and Hi-Tek reconnected in 2000 for the release of their debut album, ''[[Train of Thought (Reflection Eternal album)|Train of Thought]]''. Though highly acclaimed, the release did not receive a significant amount of commercial attention, despite the success of the rap hits "[[Move Somethin' (Reflection Eternal song)|Move Somethin']]" and "[[The Blast (song)|The Blast]]".

Following the ''Train of Thought'' album, the duo split for solo projects, beginning with Hi-Tek's ''[[Hi-Teknology]]'', released in 2001, on which Kweli appeared. The album didn't receive as much attention or as many sales as ''Train of Thought'', though the single "Round & Round" became a crossover hit in 2002. Kweli released his first solo album, ''[[Quality (Talib Kweli album)|Quality]]'', in late 2002. In a 2002 interview he also stated that another Reflection Eternal and Black Star album would be released.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mvremix.com/urban/interviews/kweli.shtml|title=MVRemix Urban Interviews Talib Kweli - US and Canadian Underground Hip Hop and Soul - exclusive interviews, reviews, articles|publisher=|accessdate=9 March 2015}}</ref> Hi-Tek was not involved with the project's production, instead featuring beats from artists like [[Kanye West]], [[DJ Scratch]], [[DJ Quik]], [[Ayatollah (record producer)|Ayatollah]] and [[J Dilla]]. The Kanye West-produced single "Get By" became Kweli's biggest success, charting on the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]] in 2003. Kweli's second solo album, 2004's ''[[The Beautiful Struggle]]'', saw the duo working together once again, with three tracks produced by Hi-Tek. Kweli released his next album, ''[[Ear Drum (album)|Ear Drum]]'', in 2007, featuring production from Tek; Hi-Tek released the follow-up to his debut, ''[[Hi-Teknology 2: The Chip]]'', in 2006 and his third album, ''[[Hi-Teknology 3: The Underground]]'', in 2007, both on [[Babygrande Records]] and both featuring appearances by Kweli.

The duo announced that another Reflection Eternal album was in the works in 2008.  They named their second album ''Revolutions Per Minute''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.musicclub.com/2009/04/mos-def-talib-kweli-reunite-as-black-star-for-upcoming-concerts/|title=musicclub.com: The Leading Club Music Site on the Net|publisher=|accessdate=9 March 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1570745/20070927/kweli_talib.jhtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080218080758/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1570745/20070927/kweli_talib.jhtml|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 18, 2008|title=Talib Kweli Playing It By Ear; Says New Reflection Eternal LP Is In Motion|work=MTV News|accessdate=9 March 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hiphopgame.com/index2.php3?page=hitek|title=Exclusive Hip Hop News, Audio, Lyrics, Videos, Honeys, Wear, Sneakers, Download Mixtapes|publisher=|accessdate=9 March 2015|archive-date=12 April 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090412231117/http://www.hiphopgame.com/index2.php3?page=hitek|url-status=dead}}</ref> 
They played a live reunion gig in Toronto, Ontario, Canada on September 20, 2009.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://themanifesto.ca/festival/|title=8th Annual Manifesto Festival of Community & Culture|work=MANIFESTO|accessdate=9 March 2015}}</ref> In the same year Bootsy Collins collaborated with [[Talib Kweli]] and [[Hi-Tek]] on the track "Internet Connection".<ref>Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/Rla0zZyWTjY Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20111106073741/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rla0zZyWTjY&gl=US&hl=en Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rla0zZyWTjY|title=Reflection Eternal - Internet Connection 2009 NEW!!!|date=25 February 2009|work=YouTube|accessdate=9 March 2015}}{{cbignore}}</ref> also a track  [http://www.welivethis.com/newsfeed/2009/06/23/reflection-eternal-talib-kweli-hitek-official-video/ "Back Again"] has been released along with video.  They also collaborated with [[J. Cole]], [[Mos Def]], and [[Jay Electronica]] on the track "[[Just Begun]]".<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.thatsthatish.com/2010/01/reflection-eternal-just-begun-feat-jay.html|title = Reflection Eternal - "Just Begun" feat. Jay Electronica, J. Cole, & Mos Def}}</ref> These three songs were released in a mixtape on January 1, 2010, called ''The Re:Union'' which received positive fanbase feedback. Their second album ''Revolutions Per Minute'' was released on May 18, 2010, with similar praise as their debut album. It spawned 3 singles: "In This World", "Strangers (Paranoid)" featuring former [[UGK]] member [[Bun B]], and ''Midnight Hour'' featuring Atlantic recording artist [[Estelle (musician)|Estelle]].

==Discography==

===Studio albums===
{| class="wikitable"
!Album information
|-
|'''''[[Train of Thought (Reflection Eternal album)|Train of Thought]]''''' 
*Released: October 17, 2000
*Billboard 200 chart position: #17
*R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #5
*Singles: "Some Kind of Wonderful", "Move Somethin'"/"Good Mourning", "The Blast"/"Down For The Count"
|-
|'''''[[Revolutions per Minute (Reflection Eternal album)|Revolutions per Minute]]''''' 
*Released: May 18, 2010
*Billboard 200 chart position: #18
*R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #5
*Singles: "Back Again", "Just Begun", "In This World", "Strangers (Paranoid)", "Midnight Hour"
|}

===Singles===
{| class="wikitable"
!rowspan="2"|Year
!rowspan="2"|Song
!colspan="3"|Chart positions
!rowspan="2"|Album
|-
!width="40"|<small>[[Billboard Hot 100|U.S. Hot 100]]</small>
!width="40"|<small>[[Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks|U.S. R&B]]</small>
!width="40"|<small>[[Hot Rap Tracks|U.S. Rap]]</small>
|-
|2000
|"Move Somethin'"
|align="center"|&mdash;
|align="center"|32
|align="center"|1
|rowspan="2"|''Train of Thought''
|-
|2001
|"[[The Blast (song)|The Blast]]"<br><small>(featuring [[Vinia Mojica]])</small>
|align="center"|&mdash;
|align="center"|48
|align="center"|2
|-
|2009
|"Back Again"<br><small>(featuring [[Res (singer)|Res]])</small>
|align="center"|&mdash;
|align="center"|&mdash;
|align="center"|&mdash;
|rowspan="5"|''Revolutions per Minute''
|-
|rowspan="4"|2010
|"[[Just Begun]]"<br><small>(featuring [[Jay Electronica]], [[J. Cole]] and [[Mos Def]])</small>
|align="center"|&mdash;
|align="center"|&mdash;
|align="center"|&mdash;
|-
|"In This World"
|align="center"|&mdash;
|align="center"|&mdash;
|align="center"|&mdash;
|-
|"Strangers (Paranoid)"<br><small>(featuring [[Bun B]])</small>
|align="center"|&mdash;
|align="center"|&mdash;
|align="center"|&mdash;
|-
|"Midnight Hour"<br><small>(featuring [[Estelle (musician)|Estelle]])</small>
|align="center"|&mdash;
|align="center"|&mdash;
|align="center"|&mdash;
|-
|}

===Appearances as Reflection Eternal===
*"Fortified Live"; "2000 Seasons" (appear on the ''[[Soundbombing]]'' compilation, 1997)
*"The Manifesto" (appears on ''[[Lyricist Lounge, Volume One]]'' compilation, 1998)
*"Let Me See (Remix)" (from the [[Morcheeba]] "Let Me See" single, 1998)
*"Chaos"; "On Mission" (appear on the ''[[Soundbombing 2]]'' compilation, 1999)
*"Sharp Shooters" (from the ''[[Lyricist Lounge 2]]'' compilation, 2000)
*"The Express" (from "The Express" single, 2000)
*"Train of Thought"; "Down for the Count (Solo Version)" (from "The Blast" single, 2000)
*"The Human Element" (from the ''Unbound Project, Volume 1'' compilation, 2000)
*"Bridge to 'Bama (Remix)" (from the [[Soulive]] album ''Next'', 2002)

===Other Collaborations===
*"Industry Lies" (from the [[Mood (hip hop crew)|Mood]] album ''[[Doom (Mood album)|Doom]]'', 1997)
*6 Songs from the [[Mos Def]] & Talib Kweli ''[[Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star|Black Star]]'' album, 1998
*"Halfway" (from the [[Brixx]] album ''Everything Happens for a Reason'', 1999
*"Transmorgify" & "Empty Pages" (from the compilation ''Mission Control Presents'', 2000; both songs by Mood)
*"Get Back, Pt. 2"; "Theme from Hi-Tek" from the Hi-Tek album ''[[Hi-Teknology]]'', 2001
*"Back Up Offa Me"; "Work It Out"; "Beautiful Struggle" from the Talib Kweli album ''[[The Beautiful Struggle]]'', 2004
*"Testify" from the [[Styles P]] album [[Time Is Money (Styles P album)|''Time Is Money'']], 2006
*"Can We Go Back"; "Let It Go"; "Time Is Now" from the Hi-Tek album ''[[Hi-Teknology 2: The Chip]], 2006
*"More or Less"; "The Perfect Beat" from the Talib Kweli album ''[[Eardrum (album)|Eardrum]]'', 2007
*"Time" from the Hi-Tek album ''[[Hi-Teknology 3]]'', 2007
*"Every Ghetto" from the Talib Kweli & 9th Wonder mixtape ''Indie 500,'' 2015

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Talib Kweli}}
{{Hi-Tek}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:American hip-hop duos]]
[[Category:African-American musical duos]]
[[Category:Musical groups established in 1997]]