Talented 10th is the third studio album by American Christian hip hop artist Sho Baraka, released through his own label, Lions & Liars Music, on January 15, 2013. It is the first solo release by Sho Baraka since he left Reach Records in 2011. The album title and concept was based on the 1903 essay of the same name by W. E. B. Du Bois. Talented 10th is "not just a picture of Christian salvation but also focuses on education, relationships and social change - all filtered through a biblical worldview." However, Talented 10th was controversial with some in the Christian scene due to the appearance of strong language on the song "Chapter 9 - Jim Crow".

According to Sho Baraka, the album title and concept was based on the essay Talented Tenth by W. E. B. Du Bois. He explained that within the past year he had been challenged by the African-American professor and theologian Anthony Bradley to move away from Christian literature and theology and read more sociology. In an interview with Wade-O Radio, he explained:

I've always loved W.E.B. Du Bois and Frederick Douglass, and I started reading books about them and the struggle of slavery, post-slavery and the African American plight. Then I stumbled upon Du Bois' Talented 10th, the book he wrote, and it spoke exactly to where I am. Where you have a group of people who are struggling, who are in pain, whether it be economic, physical or spiritual, but you have people around who have answers, resources, gifts, talents who can help those individuals.
And so the whole concept of the album is, based on the book, is kind of like people who have time, talent and treasure using those gifts to the benefit of other folks. Not just teaching men to be carpenters, but teaching carpenters to be men.

— Sho Baraka, Wade-O Radio

In another interview on the Wade-O Radio Show, Sho Baraka explained that his motivation for the album was frustration not just with Christian music but with Christendom and the issues that are ignored and not addressed. He said that in addition to the essay Talented Tenth, he was inspired by the anthology Preaching With Sacred Fire: An Anthology of African American Sermons, 1750 to the Present by Martha Simmons and Frank A. Thomas. Sho Baraka expressed his frustration that because of their fascination with Martin Luther, John Calvin, and Charles Spurgeon, many artists and pastors do not talk about black Christian leaders such as Absalom Jones and Lemuel Haynes. From Talented Tenth and Preaching With Sacred Fire, Sho Baraka delved into books such as The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander, Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison, and The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien, along with various works by authors such as Phyllis Wheatley, Frederick Douglass, August Wilson, and C. S. Lewis.

Talented 10th met with controversy in Christian media due to the use of strong language on the album. The song "Chapter 9 - Jim Crow", which deals with racism, received particular attention for Sho Baraka's use of the word nigga in the chorus "I guess I'm stuck here on Nigga Island" and the line "that lady you call hoe that's my lover / that woman you call bitch that's my mother." Sho Baraka expressed that he was aware that his use of the words would be controversial, stating that the song was originally titled "Nigga Island", but he changed the title to "Jim Crow" as he realized that many people might be uncomfortable mentioning the song with its original title. He also released the physical version of the album as a "clean" version, where he uses the word colored instead of nigga. In an interview with Rapzilla, Sho Baraka explained that in the song, he is rebuking the use of the terms nigga, hoe, and bitch, not endorsing them.

J.F. Arnold of The Christian Manifesto stated that "I'm hesitant with the use of this sort of language in a public platform, primarily for the witness we are to have to the world. But I'm not willing to condemn Sho for this decision: it's one I haven't made, and one I probably wouldn't make, but one I can understand." Michael Weaver of Jesus Freak Hideout was committedly more negative, explaining that "perhaps the most offensive part of the entire song isn't the ugly words Sho uses, but the fact that he states that black men are used only to be exploited by white men and to help them reach their goals. Sho paints with a very broad and hurtful brush. Perhaps it should be hurtful to some, but it should not be all-encompassing."

The song "Chapter 7 - Denzel", where guest feature Suzy Rock drops the line "cause she don't think she sexy cause she's showin' her ass / ask me no questions I tell you know lies", was also viewed as potentially offensive. Calvin Moore and J. F. Arnold of The Christian Manifesto noted that despite the use of strong language in "Chapter 9 - Jim Crow", the song "Chapter 8 – Madoff" is perhaps the most incendiary track, as according to them the song's stance on economic policy and the abuse of wealth may offend fiscal conservatives and Republicans.