Phantom_rydaz

Lupe Fiasco - The Cool

Chicago MC further distills his own signature sound.

by Spence D.

January 10, 2008 - For his second go-around Chicago based MC Lupe Fiasco switches a few things up, but leaves a few others familiar. For starters the prominent name of Jay-Z is absent from the Executive Producers credits (Chill, Fiasco, and Darrale Jones are still on board in this capacity). Also, don't expect to see Kanye's name listed any where amongst the production credits for the album's 19 tracks.

Additionally, in terms of album art, the vibe is much eerier than on Fiasco's Food & Liquor debut. While the art on that album presented twisted ghetto verite (kids assembling guns in elementary school, for example), here the imagery is ripped out of some alternate universe Edgar Allan Poe fever dream.




Things start off with "Baba Says Cool For Thought" wherein Iesha Jaco delivers a pointed social commentary about what is (and isn't) cool. This leads into a symphonic surge on "Free Chilly", a track that is consumed with swooning vocals that owe more to darkly lit Quiet Storm theatrics than hip-hop. The orchestral nuances continue to ripple through "Go Go Gadget Flow," as violins go head-to-head with rapid fire drum machine beats in a rhythmic melee. Fiasco conforms his flow to the breakneck roll, delivering lickety-split lyrics that require astute ears to snag what he's saying. In many ways it feels as if he's paying tribute (or perhaps challenging) resident speed limit destroyer (and fellow Chi-Town denizen) Twista. Who knows?

A darker ambiance is unveiled on "The Coolest," which begins with stripped down piano. But the somber tone is quickly displaced by soulful female background vocals and Fiasco's laid back, yet affirmative delivery. In many ways his flow on this track is at odds with the creamy beat, as he often sounds out of breath and stresses odd syllables, creating for a somewhat erratic vibe. The chorus, a sing-song refrain of "The coolest nigga, what?" is easily the best (and most infectious) element of the track.

Long-time compadre Matthew Santo (who dotted several tracks on Food & Liquor) reemerges on "Superstar," crooning with a brisk tenor that sounds like a cross between Adam Levine, James Blunt, and Chris Martin, thus lending the track a decidedly modern pop crossover appeal. Fiasco's flow is immaculate over the track, and resonates confidently throughout the verses. But it's the chorus that ultimately sours the vibe (the track definitely would have benefited from a chunkier, funkier groove, that's for sure).

"Paris, Tokyo" continues the laid back vibe, going for a more of a quasi-jazz vibe that owes a slight debt to vintage ATCQ and De La. Again Fiasco's flow seems a bit at odds with the groove, as he tries to stuff more words into each meter than is necessary. In short he overpowers the beat rather than working within its mellow confines. Meanwhile gangsta godfather Snoop Dogg along with Pooh Bear pop up on "Hi-Definition," a bugged out futuro R&B number that has Fiasco sounding an awful lot like West, in terms of cadence. Again the track has major crossover appeal, generating massive ear candy that will resonate with those who like borderline easy listening grooves.

Fiasco flips things a tad on "Gold Watch," which utilizes a stuttering start/stop groove of vocal snippets, snares, and jump grooves. Lyrically Fiasco drops wicked about the different sides of the coin, from the fashion nerd who lives for videogames to the profiling thug wearing a ghetto broad on his arm. Everything about the track, from the simplistically turgid beat to Lupe's steady flow is stellar.

The high point continues on "Hip-Hop Saved My Life," where Fiasco continues to explore his own singular style. A rotating piano fill, ambient texturing, and Old School rhythm rumble create a deceptively simple groove over which Fiasco waxes poetic about coming up in the rhyme game. Piano continues to dominate the mix on "Intruder Alert," which sounds more like a Coldplay track that Chris Martin abandoned and Fiasco picked up. It presents a strange sonic dichotomy that is slick, vapid, and detached. After the back-to-back score of "Gold Watch" and "Hip-Hop Saved My Life" this feels like a step in the wrong direction.

"Streets On Fire" continues to move further and further from the gritty nucleus of rap and into a more electro angle as Fiasco actually croons rather than raps at the onset, sounding a lot like some of the old Bristol era trip-hop/nu soul experimentations of Nellie Hooper from the early '90s. After a few bars Fiasco does deliver on the rapping front, with a forceful delivery that belies the fast-paced nature of the beat. While the music feels static and unemotional (it's got a slight industrialized detachment to it), Fiasco rides the rhythm with passion and verve, again revealing a hunger and drive and quick tongued nimbleness. Like several of the earlier tracks on the album the beat and his flow seem constantly to be at odds and force the listener off guard.

The subject of guns from the ghetto to the school yards to the numerous political revolutions around the world is the focus of "Little Weapon." Just as with "Gold Watch" the beat is stripped down and emphatic and really allows Fiasco to shine vocally. The only fallout comes with the Nikki Jean's slicked out R&B swoon on the chorus. Again, this is an ongoing problem with many of Fiasco's tracks: the main beat is on point but the chorus severely tweaks the mood.

Acoustic guitars lay the looped bed for "Gotta Eat," which is like a bugged out indie-folk jaunt infused with symphonic overload on the chorus. The basic, stripped down beat is key for showcasing Fiasco's flow, albeit the strings that surge in on the chorus, while providing contrast, seem a bit much. Fiasco's charisma and microphone finesse overrides any production slights, though. Electro pulse ripples throughout "Dumb It Down," which feels like Fiasco doing a slo-mo variation on the West Coast Hyphy movement. Again the simplistic production allows Lupe to truly shine vocally and comment on how rappers these days eschew any intricate wordplay in favor of keeping things "dumbed down" and remember that "smart is not cool."

A strange, rippling strain of keyboards, guitars, and scathing electro schism (provided by UNKLE) allow for Fiasco to draw upon the once bugged out atmospherics of Divine Styler circa Spiral Walls Containing Autumns of Light. The track certainly won't resonate with the heads, but could easily crossover to Modern Rock radio thanks to its dark melancholy. Interestingly enough, the strongest element of this track is the chorus as Fiasco's rapping sounds peculiarly like a Linkin Park riffage. "The Die" begins with heavy metal guitar before being jacked up by quick rim clicks, synth drifts, and crazy ethereal mish-mash. The track is cluttered and on full-tilt overload, but for some reason it works brilliantly. Thanks to Gemstone, who delivers a nice, quick verbal flurry amidst the aural confusion.

The final three tracks include the dark, almost Stygian (definitely the one track that is musically in sync with the macabre album art) "Put You On Game," which has Fiasco revealing his evil alter ego to forceful effect. It's a lumbering and sobering insight into the continued plights of the inner city. While it treads familiar thematic terrain, Fiasco's finesse elevates it above the rest. "Fighters" returns of a Modern Rock vibe with Matthew Santo and a skirling guitar loop. It's another joint where Fiasco's verse is strong but the chorus is kind of wonky. Meanwhile "Go Baby" ends things on an upbeat mild club groove that's like a Chicago version of go-go club shake and stir. It has a strange '60s vibe that makes it come off like the kind of rap tune that Austin Powers would get shagadelic to.

While not as consistent in tone as Food & Liquor, on many levels The Cool shows Fiasco improving on his game both lyrically and in terms of delivery. It is a classic transition album, in many ways showing him still fighting to emerge from the legacies of his fellow Windy City MCs--West, Common, and even to some extent Twista-- not only in terms of production styling, but also occasional delivery drifts. Fiasco just needs to dial in on his own signature style, which he does here from time to time with wonderful results. When he nails that inner voice and rides it with panache and circumstance, he truly is in touch with his inner cool. To this end his progression is clear and true and as long as he continues down this path he may even eclipse his forbearers.

Download Worthy:
1. "Go Go Gadget Flow"
2. "Gold Watch"
3. "Hip-Hop Saved My Life"
4. "Little Weapon"
5. "Gotta Eat"
6. "Dumb It Down"
7. "The Die"
8. "Put You On Game"

IGN's Ratings for Lupe Fiasco's The Cool
out of 10 click here for ratings guide
8.3 OVERALL

Source:

GMNRecordsCT3

8.3? Nice... I'd say 7...

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myspace.com/bummydavis - soundclick.com/gmnproductions

"The name on my car insurance is YOUR FUKIN FAULT!!"

hiphop4lyfe4ever

tha cipher
he tried and did ok
PAPOOSE IZ tha truth

clivo69

more like a 2 at best

R1pTheJacka

^lmao wow, you clearly have a great taste in good music^

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video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5547481422995115331&hl=en

^The greatest video ive seen in my life^

Bareda

Minimum this deserves is a 9. IGN needs to stick to reviewing games.

Now everyone wants to be a critic.

Brolic

Im not even a fan of Lupe, Ive listened to this one time and I could already give it at least an 8/10. Ill give a full review after a few more listens..

Lethal spit poetry

pink ass rap
i hate this new generation of rappers

freezy50

i think this one's fully deserved. man i hope paris, tokyo gets a video, just a great song!

$swe_swe$

plz can some one tell me wat imafo and propz is

vinyl

lmfao- laughing my f*cking ass off

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Phantom_rydaz

looooooooooool ^^^ man were u been fool ?

LuBrick Asain

thats your fault for not thinking out of the hip-hop box.

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freezy50

propped for this!

deank

gold watch as number 2? wtf? thats one of worst on album

knyfe

i hated him till i listen to this album he went in i give it a 9 too n he selling alot

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When Eminem dies then Lil Wayne can be called the best alive. Eminem's flow, delievery, creativity and multi-rhyming skills exceeds every other rapper out today.

just kryss

Right. That's probably Young Jocs biggest fan.

Kiddjiss

cosign on that... the cool is the best rap album of 07 no doubt... "The Die" goes hard with that other dude on that.. they kill it like twista does on a track.. but ma fav is "little weapons"... shits deep specialy that part @ the beginning with that dude rhyming acapella... and they talking about he's off when it comes to the hook... cmon man shits crazy... big up to lupe... cant wait for L-U-P-END

kingoftheghetto87

propzzzzzzzzzzzzz!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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sof sil fa lil sucka