Search - Lupe Fiasco :: Lupe Fiasco's the Cool (Clean)

He's Cool (4 and 1/2 stars)

Nuisance | Miami | 02/01/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Lupe Fiasco is not a complex person that needs to be studied. You either get him or you dont. He's a gifted rapper who not only goes left but he also drops some insight while he goes left. This album is mainly centered around "The Cool", a guy who gets shot and is reincarnated. Streets On Fire introduces The Streets, an evil seductress who is dangerous as she is appealing. Put You On Game is introduces another character called The Game and on the track he lets you know how he gets down. The album starts off with Baba Says Cool For Thought, an insightful poem by Iesha Jacob. Then it goes to a tribute to a locked up friend called Free Chilly. Go Go Gadget Flow is the first real track on the album as Lupe pays homage to Chicago over a beat that sounds vaguely familiar to Jay-z's Hey Papi(the beat to Streets On Fire sounds somewhat like NWA's Straight Outta Compton when the beat kicks in). Superstar is a great first single as Lupe talks about all that a superstar has to go through while Matthew Santos provides a good chorus. Matthew Santos would later show up on the fiery Fighters. You can count The Coolest, Streets On Fire and Put You On Game as highlights also. Paris,Tokyo is Lupe telling that significant other of all the places he would take her. Gold Watch and Dumb It Down are hip hop gems by themselves. Dumb It Down is Lupe flexing his lyrical skills while the hood and the corporate guy are telling him to dumb his lyrics down. Intruder Alert(feat Sarah Green) is a vivid stories of a rape victim and an immigrant over nice production. Hip Hop Saved My Life(feat Nikki Jean)is an interesting story of a local MC who is finally getting the recognition he deserves after a while of struggling. Little Weapon(feat Bishop G and Nikki Jean) is a creative track that describes misunderstood kids with guns as "Little Weapons". There are two songs I didnt feel. Hi-Definition feat Snoop Doog and Pooh Bear has a suspect beat as well as a suspect verse from Snoop(Lupe's verse were good though) and Gotta Eat is kind of boring. On a good note the album ends with the irresistably catchy Go Baby(feat Gemstones). More notable tracks: The Die(feat Gemstones) and Hello/Goodbye(feat Unkle). Bottom Line: The Cool is easily one of 2007's best releases from a talented Mc who has been showing you promise since his brilliant debut, Food And Liquor. The production was a little bit darker on this release as well theme to this album. The production for tracks like The Coolest, Streets On Fire, Hello/Goodbye sound like they could easily be scores for a movie or something. Lyrically Lupe is still sharp as he keeps your attention with his superb lyrics and his insight on the mic. The only way you can dislike this album is if you're a pop rap supporter or a top 500 or 1000 reviewer(wierdoes in the truest sense...dont get mad when you know its true). Standouts: THE COOLEST, SUPERSTAR, GOLD WATCH, HIP HOP SAVED MY LIFE, INTRUDER ALERT, STREETS ON FIRE, LITTLE WEAPON, DUMB IT DOWN, HELLO/GOODBYE and FIGHTERS."