The Cool

After the impressive debut album Food & Liquor, Lupe Fiasco returns 15 months later with another album titled The Cool. At first glance, the title suggests that the rapper has turned into some ego-maniac like Kanye West and is stuck on himself or something. But the title appears to be a stab at what exactly is considered cool by different people. Listeners will find a hodgepodge of both conscious rap and regular storytelling on The Cool, a formula that seems to be working for Lupe. "Go Go Gadget Flow" is a rather interesting track with it's rapid-fire lyrics much like his Chicagoan counterparts Twista and Crucial Conflict. "The Coolest" is probably his most metaphoric track with Lupe speaking about things that some people consider to be 'cool.' "Superstar" with Lupe's newly-signed 1st and 15th (FNF) artist Matthew Santos shines the light on what it takes to be the center of attention and the price you pay to have that status. "Paris, Tokyo" is just a fun tale told by Lupe in the same vein as a Pharcyde or A Tribe Called Quest. A surprise appearance by the new school funkster Snoop Dogg on "Hi-Definition" actually sounds convincing on a song that basically tells about Lupe's new found celebrity status and the world paying attention to him because of it. "Gold Watch" is a very abstract yet entertaining tale, while "Hip Hop Saved My Life" featuring Nikki Jean discloses the desire of a rapper wanting to make it big, the reasons behind their aspirations, and the ups and downs of the struggle that it takes to obtain it. "Intruder Alert" featuring Sarah Green and Matthew Santos is a enlightening story about three instances of when someone can be an intruder: A man who claims he can be trusted, the presence of 'demons' even when they have been invited in, and a refugee seeking a better life in the land of the 'free'. Matthew Santos appears for a third time on the "Streets On Fire," another abstract tale where he addresses HIV/AIDS, the perception of the disease's existence, and the destruction it's causing right now that will ultimately affect future generations to come. "Little Weapon" is a good conceptual song that will take you a while to figure out, while "Gotta Eat" is a song where Lupe describes a hamburger of all things. "Dumb It Down" is an album highlight purely for it's stark rebuttal of people who say Lupe's music is too abstract and that his brand of hip-hop is too smart for the average listener of hip-hop music. "Hello/Goodbye" features the electronic ensemble UNKLE, "The Die" features FNF signee Gemstones, and "Put You On Game" is Lupe flying solo for a final abstract offering. He closes with Matthew Santos' fourth feature on "Fighters" and Gemstones returning for the Gnarls Barkley-sounding "Go Baby." Lupe Fiasco might very well lose some listeners with The Cool, but I think that any rapper that elevates his consciousness and creativity to this level is bound to lose a few.

The cd is so under rated. A friend of mine was like you have to hear this song "Dumb it Down!"I was like "cool."He let me borrow the cd and I loved every song! It was sooooooooooooo worth it! Enjoy!

Lupe Fiasco's debut "Food and Liquor" was different from most of the hip hop releases in 2006, case in point, the Grammy nominated I robot sampling "Daydreamin'" (with Jill Scott) which is up for best Urban/alternative performance. His sophomore set "The cool" is more of the same; fitting samples, eclectic sounds, and cerebral lyrics far from the bling bling variety. With a general sound that is mid to down tempo, this album requires concentration to appreciate all its intricacies.

Opening is the brief intro "Baba says cool for thought" which checks Katrina Columbine, racism, drug peddling, among other ills. Next up is the synth string filled "Free Chilly" which is so beautiful and all to brief. "The coolest" has a gentle piano intro leading into choir like harmonies and a gentle midtempo beat, and lyrics about inner conflicts.

"Superstar" is a wry take on celebrity, set to the sounds of fans screaming and cameras clicking. Featuring Matthew Santos, it's a brooding, mid-tempo number, already a UK #4 hit (and racing up the Billboard hot 100). Matthew returns with his soulful vocals on the gentle and sparse "Fighters". "Paris, Tokyo" is a chilled jazz inflected number which should make Steve Jobs smile with its iPhone reference. "Hi-definition" features Pooh Bear and Snoop Dogg and is more upbeat.

"Intruder alert" (with Sarah green) is a lovely piano ballad, and while still sounding sombre with epic strings, "Streets on fire" is an upbeat song; a look at life on the streets. With a gentle marching beat, and featuring Bishop G & Nikki Jean is "Little weapon".

Other standouts are "Gotta eat", the sparse pulsing "Dumb it down" (with GemStones & Graham Burris), the experimental "Hello/Goodbye" (with Unkle, and with subtle rock guitars), the electric guitar laced "The die" which features GemStones, as does the bouncy "Go baby" which has a pop feel (Lupe sounds like Kanye on this) and which closes the CD in an upbeat way.

The album made #14 in the US and #7 in the UK. Here's hoping it's the breakthrough Lupe so richly deserves. Much like how Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder were releasing music far ahead of their soul peers in the seventies, Lupe, along with Common and Kanye West is making hip hop music which is far ahead of their peers.

Lupe Fiasco is probably the only rapper since Tupac and Biggie, who has managed with relative ease to get me keen on hearing exactly what it is he's got to say. With his choice of subject matter, the complexity of his flow and his regular use of words with more than two syllables, Lupe seemed fully aware of the fact that his audience would limited but he didn't seem to care about that, which just made me respect him even more. He came across as different to all the others and while 2006's Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor was not my overall best buy of the year - that accolade belongs to Amy Winehouse and her Back to Black - it was definitely up there. I was really looking to this sophomore effort, especially after seeing the video to "Superstar".

So what's the good news? Well, right from the intro, "Baba Says Cool For Thought", Lupe throws down some very challenging and thought provoking statements. War, disease, celebrity, family and the dire state of 21st century hip-hop are all covered, among other subjects. Many of the tunes hit home; "Go Go Gadget Flow", "Superstar" featuring Matthew Santos, "Paris, Tokyo" (my overall favourite track), "Gold Watch", "Hip-Hop Saved My Life" featuring Nikki Jean, "Intruder Alert" featuring Sarah Green, "Streets On Fire", "Hello/Goodbye (Uncool)" featuring Unkle and "Fighters" featuring Matthew Santos, I think are all brilliant. "Hi-Definition" is interesting but it's Pooh Bear that makes it so for me. Just as with Jay-Z on "Pressure" (on "Food & Liquor"), Snoop Dogg brings nothing to the table and adds no value to the proceedings, which says a lot if you ask me.

I'm also hearing very impressive production, especially from Soundtrakk and Chris Paultrie & Derrick Braxton. There's some really good music on here and my four stars are more then deserved on that basis alone.

The bad news? For me it's Lupe's gratuitous use of the N-word (or maybe it just sounds gratuitous coming from him?): It comes up on "The Coolest" (and put me right off what would have otherwise been a really fun tune), "Gold Watch", "Gotta Eat", "Dumb It Down" featuring Gemstones & Graham Burris, "The Die" featuring Gemstones and "Put You On Game" - and were the gunshots at the beginning of and throughout that song REALLY necessary? I've heard and read many defences of his use of the word - context, irony and all that - and I respect all views but as far as I'm personally concerned, despite the love shown for it by many in hip-hop & other forms of popular African American culture (and by the many knuckleheads world-wide who seem live their lives imitating rather than innovating), the word has lost none of its ugliness and venom. I will always hate it.

In my view, Lupe might want to make up his mind whether he wants to maintain his reputation as an 'intelligent' rapper or if he just wants to be 'gangsta' like the rest of them. It has its (many) momnents but on the whole, I am not as excited or inspired by this album as I was by his debut. His next album will be called "L.U.P.End" and it will apparently be his last - though we've all heard that one before. All I can say in conclusion is that if I had heard this announcement before hearing this album, I would've been pretty dismayed. As it stands now, AFTER hearing this album, my overall attitude to his supposedly threatened retirement is like, yeah, whatever dude. Shame, really. I had such high hopes.

i actually listen to the whole album without skipping a song except for one song, but other then that lupe brings something different, rather then the same old non creative albums that came out last year. I enjoyed it even tho i'm a 50 cent fan.