I was wondering what album to talk about first in this new blog that i have just started working on and i realized that i must discuss an album that has been released recently that i have enjoyed. I have to admit this year hasn't been the best year for rap albums. Nicki Minaj's Pink Friday sequel was very disappointing, Meek Mill's "Dreams & Nightmares" wasn't that good as well as Tyga's Careless World, and some anticipated albums like Rick Ross's "God Forgives, I Don't" and the G.O.O.D. Music compilation "Cruel Summer" were only mediocre. There were however great rap albums such as Ab-Soul's "Control System", Nas's "Life Is Good", and Kendrick Lamar's modern classic "good kid, m.A.A.d city" but the disappointments seemed to outweigh the better efforts.
To me however, the most anticipated album was the sequel to the 2006 classic "Food & Liquor" by the acclaimed Chicago rapper Lupe Fiasco. Now, i don't believe that was a good enough introduction to one of the most promising and most lyrical rappers out there. Ever since his debut, Lupe Fiasco has placed his mark on Hip-Hop as one of the best lyricists in the game. "Food & Liquor" was a groundbreaking album that not only won the hearts of critics but fans alike. What made it so special was that it wasn't him rapping about the usual topics we are exposed to now such as money, girls, and drugs but he was discussing touching subjects such as fatherless childhoods (He Say She Say), the stamps placed on religion and Islam (American Terrorist), becoming addicted to the television and how it corrupts the mind (The Instrumental), and many others. His storytelling abilities were so masterful you could easily picture his stories and be able to live the tragedies he's talking about. For example, in the song "The Cool", Lupe Fiasco talks about the life of a gangster resurrected from his grave and encountering the society he grew up in after his death. Even when placed in a song with the legendary A-list rapper Jay-Z, Lupe Fiasco was able to hold his own and even out-rap him (my opinion).
By the time his sophomore album "The Cool" came out in 2007, people became thirsty for more of his genius, and Lupe delivered another classic.The production was mainly handled by long time collaborator Soundtrakk giving the album a very raw sound. While the single "Superstar" was a Billboard commercial hit, he was able to not sell out by placing hard hitting songs on the album such as "The Coolest", "Hip-Hop Saved My Life", "Little Weapon", and one of my all time favorites: "Dumb It Down". He shows more of his storytelling side of rapping and his growth as a rapper is obviously developed. "The Cool" helped bring Lupe to a more wide-spread audience but also maintaining his lyrical skill.
Unfortunately, when Lupe dropped his third album "Lasers", critics and fans were divided and confused on how such a genius rapper could sell-out. They claimed that the production was more pop oriented, and that his lyrics were dumbed down to become more appealing to an even wider audience. While Lupe claimed that the record label forced him to release the album the way we have it now, people still criticized the album anyway. Now personally, even though the album wasn't as strong as his previous efforts, i believe he was still able to put out some really great songs (All Black Everything for example) and still keep the same message flowing.
So here we are. Food & Liquor II: The Great American Rap Album. I tried not to make myself over-hyped for this album in fear of being disappointed. But ever since the singles "Around My Way" and "Bitch Bad" dropped earlier this year, i couldn't wait for the album to drop. So on September 25th, i went out and bought the CD and finally listened to the highly anticipated album...
