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When discussing a musical masterpiece it’s hard to name anything this side of the millennium that comes even close to what perfection should sound like. And in hip-hop – now a self-destructing genre, it’s even harder to pick out the best of a predominately bad bunch.
Think back to what it felt like to hear De La Soul’s ‘3 Feet High And Rising’ for the first time, or Main Source’s ‘Breaking Atoms’. Igniting an individual flare with an in depth passion for creativity, both proved that hip-hop music was a way to communicate with the youth while at the same time exploring musical boundaries on a whole new level. The nineties saw the Wu-Tang drop a classic, as well as Nas and The Notorious B.I.G. There’s also the small matter of the two flawless LP’s that 2Pac put together – ‘Me Against The World’ and ‘All Eyez On Me’. Whatever happened to those days? It seems more common in this day and age for an artist to be more concerned with satisfying the ringtone buyer public than the real hip-hop fans. With acts like The Shop Boyz, D4L and Hurricane Chris spoiling this game with a hit single followed by a weak album, we are forced to ask the question… Where have all the real emcee’s gone?
With ‘Lupe Fiasco’s The Cool’ comes an emcee that has more skill in his little finger than half of today’s poorly recruited industry. Lupe Fiasco is hip-hop. Complete with switch-up flow, ability to rock any attire, and the power to reach both commercial and underground listeners with an equal amount of conviction, there’s no questioning his credibility as a modern day hip-hop hero.
Having already released a near perfect album in the form of 2006’s ‘Food & Liquor’, overcoming the sophomore jinx for any artist is tough but for hip-hop’s own anime character it’s like a walk in the park.
Opening with some food for thought, or cool for thought as the title suggests, the subject on which the album is based upon is spread in many different directions throughout the album’s introduction. Standing nineteen tracks strong, ‘Lupe Fiasco’s The Cool’ strips down the bullshit and lyrically hammers listeners with education, information and anti-glorification.
‘Superstar’ plays like the perfect single, thanks in part to the laid back vocal talents of Matthew Santos – who on this particular track sounds like a cross between Chris Martin and John Legend, and of course Lupe’s lyrical reality check. The feeling felt after just a single listen leaves an inspirational fire burning deep within the soul. With proof in the musical pudding, ‘Superstar’ indicates that dreams may not be too far from reach but may prove not to be as glamorous as originally believed.
Although each track featured is a standout there are a few in particular that shine brighter than Paul Wall’s grill. ‘Paris, Tokyo’ combines the production influences of A Tribe Called Quest and the lyrical spirit of De La Soul resulting in a jazzed up version of ‘Around The World In 80 Days’, while ‘Little Weapon’ discusses the power of weapons in the field but with a twist. The little weapon is in fact a child of war. Produced by Patrick Stump of Fall Out Boy and featuring Bishop G and Nikki Jean, the track opens your mind to a whole new world through the use of music.
After much deliberation and hours of listening pleasure it’s obvious which cut stands out as the overall winner of the finest moment award… ‘Gold Watch’. Describing himself in intricate detail with the use of personal interests and influences, Lupe mentions his passion for the Arcade classic ‘Street Fighter II’, Japanese animation and leather Gucci belts. Dropping lines like, “I am American mentally with Japanese tendencies, Persian sensibilities so stay out the vicinity,” over the fierce and funky Chris Paultrie and Derrick Braxton production shows Lupe Fiasco has perfection on lock down.
‘Lupe Fiasco’s The Cool’ takes you on a journey through real-life situations with a hip-hop taste. It’s fresh, flawless and funny. What more could you possibly need?
