The Cool

wow. i wasn't expecting it to be this good, his first cd was sick, but this one....man...i'm speechless...

Lupe Fiasco's "The Cool" is definitely a classic due to the fact that his lyrical content is vintage hip-hop material. It is so refreshing to hear something other than the same thing in our music such as drugs, sex, and violence. Like Common, Lupe delivers more of a poetic flow with a message behind what he's saying. Most artists these days rely on super hot beats from top notch producers to sale records but Lupe let's his lyrics do the selling for him. A true student of hip-hop, he truly upped his ranking as one of the hottest rappers in the game. If you want true hip-hop (pure lyrics) then do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of "The Cool." It is worth every cent, trust me.

As a tremendous fan of his debut release, "Food & Liquor," I did not truly believe that any subsequent offering would in any way compare to such a monumental opus, which balanced superior intellect and aesthetic appeal (not surprising given the yin-yang evocation of balance in the title alone). How sadly mistaken I was, for "The Cool" does not merely maintain the level of quality that had been previously shown, but far surpasses it. This was the first album I purchased upon returning home from my deployment in Iraq and, hands down, it is one of the greatest musical masterpieces I have ever procured.

Perhaps one of the greatest appeals of this release, at least in my opinion, is the construct in which it is introduced: the tripartite manifestation comprising The Game, The Cool, and The Streets. While some may disagree with this assessment and, given Lupe's identification within the Islamic faith, I have no idea if such an unholy emulation was his intent, but I see this three-tiered incarnation to be profoundly and antithetically comparable to the Christian Trinity. Thus, I see The Game serving in the role of The Father, the source of power and reforming those who seek that which he provides; The Cool serving in the role of The Son, the resurrected entity who serves as the identification to those who seek reformation; and The Streets serving in the role of The Holy Spirit, which permeates all aspects of life, serving as a conduit to achieve The Cool, thereby reaching The Game. And, of course, the character of Michael Young History, which represents the struggle and reconciliation within each and every one of us, regarding the paths that lay before us and the choices we make.

Given what the hip-hop industry generally promotes as the overarching ideal, Lupe's decimation of this concept as illusory and destructive is both prophetically hopeful and yet apocalyptically cynical. And, while "Food & Liquor" introduced us to this dichotomic view, "The Cool" paints a full picture with sublime summation. The song, Streets on Fire, culminates in the clearest illustration of said picture with overwhelming passion [Note: After hearing this song for the first time, I put it on repeat for well over an hour; I sat there in a daze at what he was saying, the power of his words affected me that much].

This album, like his previous, espouses what in my mind rap is supposed to be: poetry. Thus, if you are looking for something that promotes the afore-discussed ideal generally and talentlessly promoted within the rap industry (typically comprising drugs, murder, and misogyny), then look elsewhere; Lupe is no apologist for such myopic filth. However, regardless of whether or not you are an aficionado of rap music, if you are looking for someone that promotes intelligence on a higher plane of artistic expression, something that captivates the mind and empassions the soul, then you are sure to appreciate "The Cool."

This album is a must have!!! "Go Go Gadget Flow", "Hip Hop Saved My Life", "Superstar", "Paris, Tokyo"... those are my favourites.. but which ones aren't.... they're all great!!!

In a world where every hip hop artist is trying to be the same it feels good to have a guy who is here to just be himself. Lupe is one of the best artists in hip hop today. I first started to get into him after "Kick Push" and his first effort (Food and Liquor) was very solid, The Cool is simply amazing. Its one of those albums I find myself just letting play through completely without skipping any tracks (something that is VERY rare in todays watered down, repetitive, annoying hip hop scene). Some of my favorite tracks are Hip Hop Saved My Life, The Die, Dumb It Down, Little Weapon, Go Go Gadget Flow, Hello/Goodbye, Streets on Fire

Bottom line if you're a fan of hip hop and are looking for change then pick this up, you wont regret it. If you're expecting him to be rapping about what 95% of the other rap acts speak on then this might not be the album for you.