Losers or Lasers…?
March 22nd 2011 02:16
Are you a Laser or a Loser? Would you rather be that person who does nothing or the infra-red beam of light which creates and stimulates its environment? For anyone else to ask these questions in their cover art it would be pretentious, contrived and even a little douchey.
Lupe Fiasco, however, can ask them till the cows come home and then some.
In his third studio album, Fiasco’s focus is on the manipulation of the poor and disadvantaged youths by the media and the government; the mass revolt which will eventually take place and the need to sort it all out before we destroy the social fabric of humanity.
Sound a little too heavy for you? Well, sadly, it’s not. And so, it’s with a heavy heart that I write the following:
It sounds a little fluffy. It’s very pop. And it most definitely does not have that certain je ne sais quoi which his earlier work had.
In his first attempts at superstardom, Fiasco offered us Food & Liquor and The Cool. Both albums were breaths of fresh air from the stale world of mainstream hip hop. His remixes and lyrical content were intense and cut throat in what they wanted you to hear. The producers had clued on to what would sell, but kept him authentic in his delivery and self-righteousness. Thus, allowing his legions of fans to identify with his ability to understand about their plights in life. The rhymes were dense and the beats were solid.
Lasers, is good, but just not that good. It sounds a bit like Kanye at times and a little bit average at others. In comparison, the production quality of the first two albums was head and shoulders above this one. Listening to those albums was an active process. A process which entertained and provoked original thoughts and arguments about what it was that he was saying. The gentrification of peoples and the effects of drugs at large in society had a refreshing perspective placed on them. Lasers tries to recapture this provocation, but doesn’t quite get there. Although his delivery is still stellar and the music itself is rather good, it just isn’t what one expects from such a talented musician after a hiatus. That’s not to say that there aren’t tracks on the album which tackle the big issues. The consistency is there – he raps about how the American Government treats its citizens, other countries and minorities at large; or whether the kids who grew up poor are now adults who perpetuate the cycle of violence and jail time. The disenchantment that Fiasco feels about the President; the treatment of Muslims around the world; and the false nature of the global media empires, is apparent and delivered without 808’s or gimmicks (mostly).
There are a lot of featured artists accompanying Fiasco on his tracks this time around. It isn’t a hinderance entirely, songs such as Words I Never Said features the beautiful vocals of Skylar Grey; Out of My Head features Trey Songz; and Never Forget You features the soulful stylings of John Legend. Stellar accompaniments from these three featured artists give the album some form and body which recaptures your attention and doesn’t make you want to throw it out of your car whilst driving (yes I still listen to “CD’s” through a “stereo”).
The most outstanding track on the album, both in production and lyrical content has to be All Black Everything. This track is exactly what one expects from Fiasco and his team of producers and writers. It twists your mind and makes you pay attention to what is being spouted behind the spatially paced, heavy beats. It questions the ‘what if’s’ of life and society and does so with intelligence and fervor. It makes you want to listen to it more than once so that you can grasp each lyric and figure out why it resonates the way it does. This song is the Don Juan to my otherwise inept love affair with Lasers. Having said this however, The Show Goes On , is by far the best choice for a first release single. Yes it’s pop heavy, yes it’s rap savvy. The best part about it all is that it’s the Day Dreaming of this album – a song which everyone can sing along to during the chorus and every now and then you might pick up on a lyric which means something to someone.
Lupe Fiasco is by far one of the more intelligent rappers, not to mention talented ones, around. In my very humble opinion, he could have done better. I am not entirely sure how or why I feel this way. But Lasers was like receiving a wooden horse for your birthday instead of a real Pony. I mean, in principle it will still “giddy up”, but you know in your heart of hearts that it’ll never gallop. Perhaps it is better to have loved and lost that to never have loved at all – perhaps we should just be grateful that at least he made another record.
I love you Lupe – you’ll always be the coolest nigga, what.
Lupe Fiasco, however, can ask them till the cows come home and then some.
In his third studio album, Fiasco’s focus is on the manipulation of the poor and disadvantaged youths by the media and the government; the mass revolt which will eventually take place and the need to sort it all out before we destroy the social fabric of humanity.
Sound a little too heavy for you? Well, sadly, it’s not. And so, it’s with a heavy heart that I write the following:
It sounds a little fluffy. It’s very pop. And it most definitely does not have that certain je ne sais quoi which his earlier work had.
In his first attempts at superstardom, Fiasco offered us Food & Liquor and The Cool. Both albums were breaths of fresh air from the stale world of mainstream hip hop. His remixes and lyrical content were intense and cut throat in what they wanted you to hear. The producers had clued on to what would sell, but kept him authentic in his delivery and self-righteousness. Thus, allowing his legions of fans to identify with his ability to understand about their plights in life. The rhymes were dense and the beats were solid.
Lasers, is good, but just not that good. It sounds a bit like Kanye at times and a little bit average at others. In comparison, the production quality of the first two albums was head and shoulders above this one. Listening to those albums was an active process. A process which entertained and provoked original thoughts and arguments about what it was that he was saying. The gentrification of peoples and the effects of drugs at large in society had a refreshing perspective placed on them. Lasers tries to recapture this provocation, but doesn’t quite get there. Although his delivery is still stellar and the music itself is rather good, it just isn’t what one expects from such a talented musician after a hiatus. That’s not to say that there aren’t tracks on the album which tackle the big issues. The consistency is there – he raps about how the American Government treats its citizens, other countries and minorities at large; or whether the kids who grew up poor are now adults who perpetuate the cycle of violence and jail time. The disenchantment that Fiasco feels about the President; the treatment of Muslims around the world; and the false nature of the global media empires, is apparent and delivered without 808’s or gimmicks (mostly).
There are a lot of featured artists accompanying Fiasco on his tracks this time around. It isn’t a hinderance entirely, songs such as Words I Never Said features the beautiful vocals of Skylar Grey; Out of My Head features Trey Songz; and Never Forget You features the soulful stylings of John Legend. Stellar accompaniments from these three featured artists give the album some form and body which recaptures your attention and doesn’t make you want to throw it out of your car whilst driving (yes I still listen to “CD’s” through a “stereo”).
The most outstanding track on the album, both in production and lyrical content has to be All Black Everything. This track is exactly what one expects from Fiasco and his team of producers and writers. It twists your mind and makes you pay attention to what is being spouted behind the spatially paced, heavy beats. It questions the ‘what if’s’ of life and society and does so with intelligence and fervor. It makes you want to listen to it more than once so that you can grasp each lyric and figure out why it resonates the way it does. This song is the Don Juan to my otherwise inept love affair with Lasers. Having said this however, The Show Goes On , is by far the best choice for a first release single. Yes it’s pop heavy, yes it’s rap savvy. The best part about it all is that it’s the Day Dreaming of this album – a song which everyone can sing along to during the chorus and every now and then you might pick up on a lyric which means something to someone.
Lupe Fiasco is by far one of the more intelligent rappers, not to mention talented ones, around. In my very humble opinion, he could have done better. I am not entirely sure how or why I feel this way. But Lasers was like receiving a wooden horse for your birthday instead of a real Pony. I mean, in principle it will still “giddy up”, but you know in your heart of hearts that it’ll never gallop. Perhaps it is better to have loved and lost that to never have loved at all – perhaps we should just be grateful that at least he made another record.
I love you Lupe – you’ll always be the coolest nigga, what.
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