If you've been paying attention to the underground hip-hop scene in recent years, then you have probably heard of Lupe Fiasco. A young Chicago MC who started with a small radio show and now has his own record company, Fiasco has long been on the verge of enormous mainstream success.
Now, with his album "Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor," released on September 18, he may very well have it.
And for good reason, too. Many people (myself included) heard him on Kanye West's track "Touch the Sky" but didn't recognize his name. His smooth but frenetic flow made for some of the best verses on all of "Late Registration," and his mixtapes show a similar stylistic inclination. "Food & Liquor" provides an outlet for his immense talent with words and rhythm that are, finally, accessible to the mainstream hip-hop listener.
But Fiasco hasn't changed what he does so well. This album is one of the finest full-length, debut efforts from any hip-hop artist ever, period. Virtually every song contains strong beats, good sampling and Fiasco's trademark flow. Reminiscent of Jay-Z in his lyrical and poetic quality, and of Nas in his penchant for storytelling, Fiasco escapes sounding too much like either one of them. He has a strong appreciation for rapid-fire half-rhymes and alliteration that gives his flow its frenetic quality.
The strongest track is undoubtedly "I Gotcha," co-produced by Pharrell Williams. Pharrell's infectious piano sample and strong beat nicely complement the easygoing verse that Lupe presents on what is essentially one giant self-call of a song, which is okay considering that most of what he's saying is true. Also impressive is "Kick Push," a skateboarder's anthem with swelling horns and a steady beat.
This song, and many others on the album, gives Fiasco the opportunity to eschew the stereotypical image of hip-hop culture that pervades the popular view of the genre. Fiasco isn't afraid to glorify the geek that hides inside hip-hop culture, and on the track "Daydreaming," he viciously satirizes the drinking and drug use that's a component of many current hip-hop stars' modus operandi.
He isn't afraid to tackle issues outside the scope of hip-hop, either. Take, for example, the track "American Terrorist." In terms of subject matter, this may be the heaviest song on the album. He speaks about religious fundamentalism, domestic terrorism and the negative effects of globalization.
Unfortunately, several tracks including "American Terrorist" lack the strong production quality that the premier songs on "Food & Liquor" retain. Unlike "I Gotcha," which has Pharrell's immense production talents, and even "Touch the Sky," which was a stellar track largely due to Just Blaze's keen ear for creative sampling, too many tracks on "Food & Liquor" are either disjointed or victims of overkill in terms of the beats that they use. The sampling, for the most part, is good, but it fails to capture the imagination, and many of the songs sound too much like each other.
But the weaknesses of the album are hardly noticeable when compared to its strengths. Every song on this album is meaningful in some way, and the funkiness that is inescapable on the majority of the tracks makes you want to jump up and dance around. Fiasco's flow, on the other hand, makes you wish you could understand how one man can rhyme in so many inventive ways.
Without a doubt, this is one of the best rap albums of the year, and clearly an achievement for this young Chi-town rapper who's finally getting the attention he deserves.
