Lupe Fiasco – Lasers (Atlantic)
It’s hard to write a review of an album when even the artist himself says he doesn’t like it. After months of battling with Atlantic over the release date and content, Lupe Fiasco delivered an album that has received with a broad range of reactions. Growing up as a dedicated Lupe fan since his debut (bootleg and studio) album, Lupe Fiasco’s Food and Liquor, I find Lasers to be a blessing and a curse in relation to his overall catalog of work. On one hand, Lasers delivers a positive, knowledgeable message consistent with his first two releases. On the other hand, Lupe himself admitted that the album to be over-directed by Atlantic, who required him to use beats, production, and guest artists in the hopes of producing a “hit.” However, in 2008, he said, “I don’t know how to make a hit record….but I have to intentionally make very good albums.”
Lupe Fiasco – Lasers (Atlantic)
It’s hard to write a review of an album when even the artist himself says he doesn’t like it. After months of battling with Atlantic over the release date and content, Lupe Fiasco delivered an album that has received with a broad range of reactions. Growing up as a dedicated Lupe fan since his debut (bootleg and studio) album, Lupe Fiasco’s Food and Liquor, I find Lasers to be a blessing and a curse in relation to his overall catalog of work. On one hand, Lasers delivers a positive, knowledgeable message consistent with his first two releases. On the other hand, Lupe himself admitted that the album to be over-directed by Atlantic, who required him to use beats, production, and guest artists in the hopes of producing a “hit.” However, in 2008, he said, “I don’t know how to make a hit record….but I have to intentionally make very good albums.”
This album could possibly be the crossover album hip-hop has been waiting for. Since hip-hop is one of the closest musical forms to spoken word, Lupe has always used thought provoking lyrics to explain his deep perceptions on issues from politics to social issues to historical interpretations of the present. Lasers most certainly does not compromise on lyricism, with strong lyrical pieces such as “Letting Go” and “All Black Everything.” Even with the forced production on some songs, it feels less and less like a guilty pleasure listening to typical industry beats, as Lupe flipped almost every track thrown at him, holding no reserves on artistry. “Words I Never Said,” the album’s biggest hit, featuring female guest flavor of the week Skylar Grey, clearly has the vibe and hook of a break-up love song we’ve all heard a hundred times. Yet it retains a refreshing energy and message about truly voicing an opinion. “State Run Radio” is somewhat of an ironic piece, with a catchy radio-friendly tone as it relays a message about the unhealthy influence of regular radio listenership.
Overall, Lasers gives hope for hip-hop. Think of Lupe as our savior, in an attempt to reach out to a mainstream audience while retaining the blessing of the true fans. Despite Atlantic’s attempt at suffocating and stifling Lupe’s approach, the mainstream success of this album says that lyricism can coexist with catchy production. The real hope, though, comes from how many people actually hear what he is saying. Like I stated earlier, Hip-hop is one of the closest things we have to spoken word. Fans and artists agree that there is some responsibility for the words conveyed. Lupe Fiasco’s Lasers is a refreshing pause of pop-like production that comes with hopes that the real message behind it all will shine through to his newfound audience.
