Lupe’s latest flows well, mostly dorks out

By Jon Juliano
Collegian Staff
October 11, 2006

Lupe Fiasco is the latest rapper out of Chicago so Common, Kanye West and Twista need to move out of the way and make room. Lace up your Nike SP Dunks, grab your skateboard and listen to Lupe’s new album, Food & Liquor, while you kick, push and coast your way across the asphalt.

Food & Liquor is different from other hip-hop records, and at first I couldn’t tell why. I now realize it’s so good because the emcee is honest, and himself no matter what.

Lupe’s somewhat nerdy personality really shines through on every track. He is not trying to be fake at all. I can think of only one other rap song about skateboarding, but for some reason “Kick Push,” the first single off the album, is getting a lot of air play and is bringing Lupe’s album out of the Windy City and across the United States.

Lupe’s album is different because he himself is different. In an interview with allhiphop.com, he told the interviewer that at first he hated hip-hop and was embarrassed when his dad would blast N.W.A. in his car.

The first song on the new album, “Real” says it all. When making this album, Lupe was trying to appeal to his friends, his fans and, yes, even his mom. I have a feeling that sometimes mothers of rappers have problems with the content in their sons’ songs, but this album is one that Mrs. Fiasco can brag to her friends about, as well as an album that girls can dance to and guys can feel.

Once the goal of the album has been clearly stated in the first song, the next song is ready for Lupe to show his ability and personality. Lupe’s flow on “Just Might Be Ok” is incredible, the chorus is catchy and he makes a Grateful Dead reference, which is a small way for him to start letting personality show through the beat.

On the song “Hurts Me Soul,” Lupe reiterates how, when he started liking music with profanity, he would sing along while omitting things like the “b-word.” He once even boycotted Jay-Z because in one song Jigga said, “I don’t pray to God, I pray to Gotti,” which made a young Muslim Lupe uncomfortable.

The entire album has this type of honesty over big production beats linked with catchy choruses. His lyrics aren’t incredible; there are no lines that are amazing, but that make him seem cool in a square way. Lupe’s lines make me want to go skating with him on the FDR and then go to South Street to look at comic books.

My favorite song on the album features Jill Scott and is mesmerizing. “Daydreamin’” has a classic soul sound to it as Lupe talks about what’s wrong with portraying a certain image while being famous and having a son who looks up to you.

Other great songs are “The Instrumental,” featuring Chester Bennington of Linkin Park, “American Terrorist,” “He Say She Say” and “Kick Push II.”

Sincerity is what makes the album incredible and unique. Lupe has come full circle in his hip-hop life: from talking about boycotting Jay-Z when he was a kid, to having him on the very next song. Jay-Z also executive produced Lupe’s whole album.

The title of the album Food & Liquor made me wonder if it was going to be the typical “mainstream-no-substance-music.” But after one listen, I cannot play Food & Liquor to the end without playing every song over and over again.

biagio1@lasalle.edu