If you've been any sort of a self-respecting hip-hop fan, you couldn't help but follow the drama that was Lupe Fiasco versus Atlantic. For three years Lupe Fiasco and his fans waited for his third release, Lasers, with numerous reports of Atlantic shelving the album leading to dedicated Lupe fans (of which there are many) to protest outside of Atlantic. Drama indeed.
And all that drama ended when Atlantic finally released Lasers. There was just one problem, and that was maybe Atlantic was right. The album has been widely panned and rightly so. Aside from a few decent efforts, most of the album is incredibly frustrating. 'Out Of My Head' and 'State Run Radio' are songs I waited three years for? Even the better songs, such as 'Coming Up', leave something to be desired. Specifically with 'Coming Up', think of Tupac's 'Keep Ya Head Up' with a club-centric focus. Bummer.
But all is not lost! Since the release of this abomination of an album, Lupe has bemoaned the process of this album himself, claiming all the squabbling with Atlantic (he was told to not rap too deep on the album's single) left him less than fully invested in the project. For most hip-hop fans, this album was dead upon first listen.
And while Lupe and many of his fans may be less than satisfied with his project, there are clearly others that this album is reaching. The album has officially became Lupe's more commercially successful, blowing away his previous two efforts, both critically acclaimed. And it's fairly easy to see how this came about. Lupe has often been criticized for being inaccessible, a hip-hop intellectual of sorts. But this album is more characterized by pop beats and vapid rhymes. I guess Lupe followed his own advice.
But we all knew complex rhyming didn't sell. Atlantic knew it too. And while the fact remains that major record labels continue to mess up great hip-hop, Atlantic may have managed to expand Lupe's audience after all and turned out a successful hit of an album.
But that still leaves the rest of us asking what about that other Lupe? What about the the one that released this song or this song or this song? Or even what about the Lupe that released the rather awesome 'I'm Beaming' and 'Shining Down'? All of these songs would have been the best track on Lasers!
Oh wait, here he is.
Lupe Fiasco, Pharrell Williams, Travis Barker - If You Want To
It turns out, Lupe fans should have no fear. He's been releasing music and a pretty steady pace and is even rumored to have already finished his next album, Food and Liquor 2, which may even see a 2011 release. Just hope Atlantic doesn't get their hands on it first.
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