Lupe Fiasco's The Cool : Lupe Fiasco : Review : Rolling Stone

Fifty years ago, Miles Davis announced the “birth of the cool.” Lupe Fiasco anchors his new album in the declaration, “I present the death of tha cool” — showing all the artistic ambition and cold-eyed moralism that makes him such a fascinating hip-hop figure. This skateboarding Muslim from Chicago won fans right off with his 2005 debut Food and Liquor, even if it turned out he was pro the former, con the latter. The Cool goes for softer, jazzier R&B hooks, yet the lyrics are even tougher in their street-level attack on hip-hop materialism. In “Hello Goodbye,” Lupe condemns rap for “The faith/That being a slave is so great”; “Little Weapons” (produced by Fall Out Boy’s Patrick Stump — no, really) links young hip-hop fans and video gamers to Third World child soldiers. The bleak raps clash with the smoothed-out vibe of the music, maybe more than they’re even supposed to, and some of the tracks fall short. But there’s no denying the theme song “Let Me Put You on Game.” Lupe speaks in the voice of the ultimate con man — a drug dealer, a slave trader, a politician and a rapper — who leads you on a tour of his evil empire from America to Africa, “through the back alleys and black markets/The Oval Offices, crackhouses and apartments.” It’s a scary sound.

ROB SHEFFIELD

(Posted: Jan 24, 2008)

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Give us your review of Lupe Fiasco's The Cool

Review 1 of 6

5of 5 Stars

This album is real rap its that simple lupe brings back the definition of what is real music and more importantly he doesnt bite rhymes lupe is doing his thing and its working

Jul 12, 2008 17:27:36

Review 2 of 6

Not Rated

Definitely one of the better albums produced this year. As previously said this is what rap should be about. Common, Lupe, Talib Kweli and others are really preparing the way for the reemergance of real rap music...this is it!

Jan 29, 2008 10:45:01

Review 3 of 6

3of 5 Stars

mediocre at best....im not sayin that lupe cant flow...because he definitley can...and the songs do grow on you...especially in the middle part of the album...but i cant help but say it...this guy should not produce his own album....i feel like most of the beats sound incomplete...give this guy a timbaland beat...or a dre beat and he would sound so much better i feel like

Jan 12, 2008 09:47:16

Review 4 of 6

5of 5 Stars

This is what rap should be about... How people should not succumb to the pressure to conform. No two songs sound similiar which is amazing for a hip/hop lp. Lupe is one of the top five rappers in the last five years hands down. Just buy this cd, then buy another for the hell of it, anything to keep Lupe around awhile...

Jan 3, 2008 00:33:10

Review 5 of 6

3of 5 Stars

this is a great album the cool is an awsome song and so is superstar

Dec 28, 2007 07:19:38

Review 6 of 6

5of 5 Stars

This album is incredible. It grows deeper and richer with each listen. It gave me the similar thrill of listening to OutKast or Kanye West for the first time. It musically diverse and lyrically complex. A masterpiece.

Dec 22, 2007 14:55:56

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