TOP 100 ALBUMS EVAR: #90
Lupe Fiasco: Food & Liquor (2006) <1st & 15th>
Genre: Hip Hop
Nationality: USA (Chicago, IL)
Lupe Fiasco was a breath of fresh air in hip hop when he hit the scene in 2006. With the Kanye West/Jay-Z approach to hip hop, Food & Liquor is full of soulful samples and lyrical wit. His intelligent wordplay combined with his knack for storytelling makes his debut more than just a normal hip hop record. Food & Liquor is a journey through Lupe Fiasco’s mind, a collection of his honest thoughts expressed through rhymes and beats. The detail and the earnestness behind Lupe’s voice feels utterly genuine, devoid of the usual bravado of the modern emcee. It instantly recalls the thoughtful and forward thinking nature of A Tribe Called Quest, in that the songs ascend to much more than just rapping about guns and fame and women. He reflects on his life through imagery of skateboarding (“Kick, Push”), alienation (“Hurt Me Soul”), race issues (“American Terrorist”), and even includes stories of dead gangsters rising from the grave (“The Cool”). It’s a mish mash of emotions that feels real. Lupe didn’t want to make an album of glorification. He instead wanted to make something that represented himself. This is his album. This is Lupe Fiasco. Key Tracks: “Kick, Push,” “Sunshine,” “Daydreamin’” For Fans Of: Kanye West, A Tribe Called Quest, Jay-Z
