Lupe's "Lasers"
By 2007, Lupe Fiasco had laid the foundation for a long and flourishing rap career. His 2006 hit album "Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor" was tremendously successful, and his only slightly less impressive 2007 release "The Cool" left fans wanting more.
After Atlantic Records delayed Lupe's newest release "Lasers," I had hoped that it would live up to the immense buzz and anticipation that surrounded it. Sadly, I was disappointed by Lupe's latest work, especially since he proved himself on "Food & Liquor" to be one of the most creative and talented artists in the industry.
Nonetheless, I would deceive my readers if I called Lupe's newest album anything but a disappointment. The album suffers largely because the production quality simply does not mesh with Lupe's distinctive style.
One of Lupe's greatest musical traits is his ability to infuse his songs with a meaningful message without sacrificing freshness or originality. But while Lupe maintains a strong level of lyricism in "Lasers," some of his repetitive, clichéd choruses lead to an album that feels more corny than inventive.
The track "Words I Never Said" is a powerful lyrical commentary on the American culture, critiquing everything from televised news to crooked banks to the war on terror. Lupe continues his critique of American habits as he raps, "pills with million side effects, take 'em when the pain's felt / wash them down with diet soda, killing off your brain cells."
Or, in "All Black Everything," Lupe creates a utopian vision where slavery never happened and he raps of an alternative world where "Malcolm Little dies as an old man / Martin Luther King read the eulogy for him / Followed by Bill O'Reilly who read the Quran."
But, as compelling as Lupe's lyrical messages are, none of the tracks reach the level of freshness, uniqueness or lyrical genius of "Kick, Push," "Gotcha," "Daydreamin" or any other number of tracks from "Food & Liquor."
Besides "Show Goes On," "Till I Get There" and maybe "Words I Never Said," the rest of the album sounds a lot like today's pop-infused hip-hop beats that make their way onto party playlists because of their autotuned, synth-filled, clichéd choruses. The songs "Coming Up" and "Out of My Head" (featuring Trey Songz) are perfect examples of this.
After anticipating Lupe's "Lasers" for so long, it pains me to criticize it so harshly, but it deserves the negativity. Aside from a few key tracks, I will have to bury the rest of "Lasers" and keep my hopes up for Lupe's next release.
Donald Glover: Renaissance Man
Donald Glover has concocted a rap persona that satisfies me where Lupe has failed. Rapping under the alias Childish Gambino, Glover has produced albums since 2008 but has attracted serious attention as an up-and-coming artist in only the last year or so.
Donald Glover originally made his public debut as an actor and writer for the Internet sketch comedy group called Derrick Comedy. Though Derrick Comedy received modest acclaim—gaining popularity for several famous videos on YouTube—Glover has since moved far beyond those humble beginnings.
Perhaps best described as a modern Renaissance man, Glover has also gained huge success as an independent comedian, a writer for the show 30 Rock, a star on the show Community, and, most recently, a flourishing rap artist.
This latest success as a rap artist is due largely to Glover's two most recent EPs, "Culdesac" and "EP," which display the high level of lyricism and inventiveness that he is capable of.
In these two releases, listeners can detect a more genuine sense of vulnerability and personality than in his previous albums, which makes for far more enjoyable tracks.
"Culdesac" is a wonderful example of Glover's artistic range; he uses his terrific singing voice on songs like "Got this Money" to slow down an otherwise excitingly upbeat EP. Listeners feel that Glover is providing a realistic portrayal of his life—a life filled with comedy and lightheartedness, but also with struggles and stress.
Equally worthy is Glover's "EP," which is a five-track album that may represent some of Glover's most talented lyricism. "Freaks and Geeks," in which Glover rather crudely, but humorously, raps about his encounters with the fairer sex and his struggles in being taken seriously as a rap artist, stands out as an immediate highlight in this regard.
For listeners unfamiliar with Glover, I would highly recommend listening to his "EP" first, which provides the most recent, and perhaps best portrayal of Glover's emerging rap talents.
I only hope that Glover remains in the hip-hop industry long enough to allow for his talents to flourish before he moves onto an entirely new pursuit.