We're back! I know it was a long hiatus from blogging, and I apologize for leaving you all without sweet, sweet music reading for a week. Alas, vacation called, and I couldn't pass it up. Regardless of all that, follower Ashley asked that I look into some Lupe Fiasco a while back. Now, I've heard some of his tuneage here and there over the years, and never really thought twice to look into more of it. Not because I didn't like it, just because nothing ever grabbed me by the ear and made me look into more. Lupe (aka Wasalu Muhammad Jaco) was born in Chicago, Illinois back in 1982. He initially got into the hip hop genre because of his dislike for all the vulgarity in the material. Being about the same age as Lupe, I can understand his disconnection. I never minded the language, but by the time I was old enough to really listen, pretty much all of it was incredibly vulgar. He started recording music in his father's basement, and started blending styles. The rawness of Ice Cube, the lyricism of Jay-Z and Nas. He then gained some notoriety be remixing some Kanye tracks...namely 'Jesus Walks' into 'Muhammad Walks' which was big in Muslim circles and then making 'Diamonds Are Forever' into 'Conflict Diamonds', which got the attention of Yeezy himself. Kanye then asked Lupe to be on his 'Late Registration' album. He talks about the title being from Chicago where you don't have bodegas or stores, you have a bunch of shops called Food & Liquor. Which is fairly common in the midwest. I like this album, don't love it, don't hate it. I certainly see the potential in the kid based on this record, I just think it wasn't all quite together yet. Sometimes blending styles and trying to make something totally new takes time for the listener to fully concept. This is a mix of rap, R&B, soul, pop, mood - a little smack of everything. I'll go around one more time with this, but I'll be anxious to get to the follow ups.
TRACK LISTING:
1. Intro
2. Real
3. Just Might Be OK
4. Kick, Push
5. I Gotcha
6. The Instrumental
7. He Say She Say
8. Sunshine
9. Daydreamin'
10. The Cool
11. Hurt Me Soul
12. Pressure
13. American Terrorist
14. The Emporor's Soundtrack
15. Kick, Push II
16. Outro
Listen To Samples
Top 3 Tracks:
1. The Cool
2. Daydreamin
3. Pressure
FINAL RATING:
3.25 out of 5 stars
Thanks for reviewing this one B.
ReplyDeleteUrgg, I have to admit that I was apart of the illegal download crew for this album back in 2005 or so. I wish I had more patience but, it's in the past now, though I regret it.
I love this album. I think what put me on Lupe's team in a way was "Kick Push". Not just the song itself, but the video. For the first time, through MY EYES, I saw a black female skater and that just blew my mind. I know I've read some of your comments where your not on skating like that. However, for me to see that made me think,"Yeah, its not all males". I knew that there were female skaters. I'd seen them a time or two, just not many black females. Though she was one in that video, I still got mad hype :) :) :)
Whoo!! Thank you for listing "Daydreamin'" in your top 3. That track contains so much imagery it's ridiculous. I could truly go on about this one but, I'll do that in my head
I hope you get into his other two albums when you get the time.
THANK YA B.
I think Kick, Push is one of those tracks that if you're not used to the style, it seems like it doesn't fit anywhere. I think that's probably Lupe's "signature" sound, but I need to become more versed in his stuff first to say that with certainty.
ReplyDeleteI don't hate on skating, I just don't do it. I had friends that skated back in the day, but no one who was serious into it. I have respect for the athletes that do it and make a career with it.
Daydreamin' was hot. Obviously one of the better songs on the record in my humble opinion.