Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor

Very surprised by this one. Enjoyed the beats and the lyrics. Could have done without the 12 minute outro though.

Somehow this passed me by at the time, but it's good. Very much in the Kanye West mold, which is no bad thing - I might be wrong, but it seems like West helped hip-hop break out of its gun-totin' misogyny and become more tender and inward-facing. "He Say, She Say" is heartbreaking, while "Daydreamin'" takes a sharp satirical knife to hip-hop culture.

Very, very good, with lots of light and shade. Some points where it is very funny, some where it is very serious, but overall it easily matches the standard of the big singles he had out. Only track that slightly grates is Outro - basically a list of everyone he has ever met!

I listened to this album when I was first getting into hip hop and was really struck by the maximalist production, the socially conscious lyrics, and Lupe's instantly identifiable flow. For the most part, this album holds up. Some of the music and mid-2000s synth sound a bit dated now, but for the most part, I enjoy the diversity of music that Lupe incorporates. The last track really drags the album down, especially after Kick, Push II. As far as I'm concerned, the album should have ended there.

If "Lupe Fiasco's Food and Liquor" was a restaurant they would serve a well done steak with undercooked fries and old lettuce, paired with a flat beer; unsatisfactory and a total waste of money and time. This is just a total fiasco!

This was the precursor to an era of music that needs to be forgotten to time - 2010 R&B pop. You know who I'm talking about. Usher's Raymond v Raymond album. Taio Cruz with his The Rokstarr Hits Collection. Even Bruno Mars and his Doo-Wops & Hooligans album. All music that has millions upon millions of plays, but is so trashy the garbage man won't even pick it up from the side of the road. This album walked so they could run. But hey at least he made Battle Scars, that song slaps.

A fun rappy time. Kind of a Will Smith album for the new millennium (in an alternate reality where we aren't living in the Willennium, of course)... I like Lupe's rhymes and I like the perspective of someone a bit different (Chicago Muslim) than a lot of other rappers who are (vaguely) east/west coast christians.

Good beats, good lyrics, good delivery, but for some reason it all sounds boring as hell.

I honestly believe this is one of the greats. Lupes eloquent delivery mixed with some sick beats makes this a true masterpiece

Fresh and energetic and approachable, upbeat and responsible rap. "Kick, Push" and "Daydreamin'" are both great, likable and fun and different. The "food-liquor" dichotomy isn't exactly metaphysically impactful, though the religious and anti-sexism references suggest LF's heart's in the right place (as does the long list of gratitude shout-outs on the last cut [or remix or whatever]). However, creative and elevating it lacks a certain edge and urgency and feels a bit light overall, leaving one to wonder what he's done since.

4 stars, groovy and funky, good guest spots

Didn’t recognize the name of this artist at all. Was very pleased with this album. In my mind, it is one of the best I’ve ever heard of it genre in terms of quality of the music and vocals stylings, particularly with regard to the use of back up vocals/singing mixed with the rap. Lupe flexes Is using several different techniques on the album. With regards to the music, there are several songs that have a strong R&B feel with hints of jazz, which I liked quite a bit. I enjoyed the album so much. I dug it into his library a little bit and recognize a few songs. I also enjoyed variety of topics and the smartness of the lyrics.. If there had been just a touch more variety in terms of tempo, I would have probably given this a five star rating, as it is, is very, very solid. This is the kind of album. I was hoping to hear when I joined into this 1001. Journey !!!

This is an album I’ve been meaning to get around to as I’ve heard be referred to as an underrated ‘classic’. Also, since I’m a fan of Lupe’s newer releases I had high hopes for this record and for the most part they delivered. Firstly, I love how this album is presented, it’s more of an introduction to Lupe, as this is his debut album, which makes sense and is evident by the use of an intro and outro where Lupe introduces himself and also thanks everyone that helped/inspired him at the end. This means that within the album there’s not a lot of diversion in quality, there are definitely some stand out tracks, ‘Kick, Push’ definitely being one which tells of a young kid going out and skating all day, being moved from place to place as security tells him he can’t skate round here, he meets a girl who also skates on the way. It’s a perfect skating song filled with trumpets and smooth strings in the back, definitely a key moment. However, the quality of tracks doesn’t change from here, for example, ‘The Instrumental’ speaks on the rise of technology and how young kids are fixated on screens, more specifically TV, and what it tells them. The track is led by some groovy drums which really brings out Lupe’s rhyme scheme which is just fantastic. Another track is ‘Daydreamin’ where Lupe raps about his home town Chicago and also dreams about classic hip hop videos, the track is beautifully paired with a hook by Jill Scott who is also layered into the song later on into the track, a brilliant addition to the track. My favourite track, the stand out to me, is ‘He Say She Say’ which looks at the departure of a father from a family from 2 perspectives, first the mother of a child who complains to the father about how he’s not there for his son. The 2nd verse is almost a copy but from the son’s perspective which brought me to tears it’s a really honest performance from Lupe. I’d also like to mention the features on this record, for the most part they’re usually singing features which are great to add a bit of R&B/Soul to the tracks, especially on the hooks. Whereas the only rap feature is Jay-Z on ‘Pressure’ where he has a confident verse on the back end, definitely a stand out moment. I really really want to give this record 5 stars, there’s just so many quality tracks and I absolutely love the variety of content that is contained within these tracks however there’s just something missing for me, it’s a great record but it’s not perfect and with a run time of 1 hour and 12 mins I’m not sure I can justify 5 stars. Nevertheless this is an album I can say I really enjoyed and it will be something I return to.

The whole album is just a good vibing flow.

10/10 no notes needed, a trip down memory lane and just an absolutely incredible album.

I've been trying to find that Daydreamin' song glad I finally know what it is

This is not my genre, but I actually enjoyed it. Some fun beats and catchy songs.

No expectations but I quite liked it

Gonna round this one up to a 4, because it was pretty hot shit back when it was released and I used to listen to it quite a bit, apparently…because as this record went on, each song came flooding back to me, kind of like how they say you never forget how to ride a bike.

This was way more fun than I was expecting.

Just a really solid hip hop album. Some amazing songs on this album. Can't believe I've never heard of Lupe Fiasco before.

I liked this - the production is great. I don't think I'll listen to it again, though.

Alright we're just making up albums now. You can't convince me this existed before this exact moment. This album generator is a psyop - wake up sheeple. Objectively a "cool as fuck" record, but I am begging hip hop artists to shorten their albums. I will be returning to some of the songs here, like "Daydreamin'" (banger), but a big part of it is filler. Near the beginning especially - a rare phenomenon where the second half is better than the first. Also very cool of him to personally give a shoutout to every single person who has ever existed on planet Earth in that final song, very cool. Very glad I listened to the entire 12 minutes of that. Shoutouts to the western diamondback rattlesnake I ran over on the lunar eclipse of November 9th 2003 near Las Vegas strip. Rest in peace, bless his family.

so this is an album I love, but not top to bottom. Kick, Push, He Say She Say, Sunshine, Daydreamin’, American Terrorist, and Kick, Push II are all iconic to me. This album holds a special place in my heart, and I’m surprised it was on this list. Maybe there is hope for what’s to come… “My first picture was a lineup” - Jay Z, you performed at a Hillary Clinton campaign rally. Britney Spears has more street cred than you at this point. This outro seriously makes me consider dropping it to a 2. Wow. F*** you Lupe. “Shoutout Xhamster.com. That one vid I found on April 23, 2002 was amazing. I’ve searched for it for so long and still haven’t found it. Much love.”

You may know Lupe Fiasco from his guest verse on Kanye West's hit single Touch the Sky. I like that song. Despite this album's bombastic first few tracks, the album doesn't really kick in until the track Kick, Push, which has a jazzy boom-bap beat that Fiasco effortlessly floats on. His lyrics are very socially-conscious, which feels like a growing trend in the early 2000s as a reaction to the more violent hip hop of the 90s (and perhaps the violence of 9/11). I think this is mostly corny. The production is fine, it's just Fiasco's whole vibe that kills any of my interest. On top of being overly long, dated, and corny, the outro is effectively a waste of time. Few albums attempt to aim for grandiose and epic reputation, only to end up falling so short. I can only shrug.

So Lupe’s “Food & Liquor” album, has been my 3rd straight rap album in a row this week – and I’m NOT a rap guy… The other 2 were “Stankoina by Outkast, and The Jungle Brothers “Done By The Forces Of Nature”… All that to say, that I am completely “rapped” out, as for some reason each of these albums was over an hour long… Additionally, I have heard a certain derogatory term more than 500 times this week between these 3 albums… Ugh… That said, I sorta enjoyed portions of Lupe’s album here, as his style is a bit more complex musically – which works for me, and it sounds like he may have been the rap derivative that Lin-Manuel Miranda later followed to fortune and fame – except without the historical component… I found Lupe’s lyrics to be far more clever than the other 2 rap albums I’ve referenced here, and his phrasing and delivery were more enjoyable as well… Best track was the one with Jay-Z “Pressure”, and the last track “Outro” was completely unnecessary – as it is nothing more than a 12-minute musical background track, where Lupe essentially thanks everyone who has helped his musical career since middle-school… Yaaah – that was a bit much, but the album is still a solid 2 for me…

If there's one thing this project has accomplished, it's forcing me to listen to more rap and hip hop than I ever would have listened to without it. And I will say I have a bit more appreciation for the genre than I had before. I still don't really enjoy it in general, but I can at least appreciate it. BTW, today is my birthday. I was hoping for something a little more up my alley. Some great 60's or 70's classic rock type thing maybe. But that's okay, I'm just happy to be alive.

Listened Before? N Nahhhhhhhhh. Another post-y2k rapper that is so boring I can't take it. Sounds like Jay-Z wrote the whole thing which would be okay but it's not Jay-Z. I'm good. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Kick, Push

Deeply unpleasant. I'm glad that's finished. 12 minutes of shout-outs was more unbearable than sitting through the credits on a Marvel film for a 12 second bonus scene setting up the next shit film that gets cancelled anyway.

Et af de bedste hiphop album fra 00’erne, sjovt, skarpt

Other than the intro and outro that thanks over 100 people this album is great. Jay-Z feat wasn't aware of. 4.5 but rounding up.

pretty confident in saying that this is my favorite rap album i’ve ever listened to

This is an album that I've had on my "to listen" list for well over a decade, but somehow never got around to it. It's great. I should've listened to it sooner. A wonderful deconstruction of the genre with some cool production throughout.

Als je naar de rap-stijl luistert is Lupe nauwelijks vernieuwend. Het is wel een prettige stijl: rustig, flowend, zonder dat het te soft wordt. Lupe deelt blijkbaar de ergernissen aan de makkelijke schofferende, stoerdoenende, of aanstellerige teksten van zijn hiphop-collega's. Tegelijk hoeft het geen braaf bijbelwerk te zijn. Fijn. Sluit ik me bij aan. Eigenlijk geen idee waarom dit in de lijst staat. Er zijn vele anderen met vergelijkbare rap. Maar ik luister er met plezier naar. 4,5 ster.

Hot take: Lupe Fiasco > Kanye West I mean, not even now after West's continuous descent. When they were both breaking in during the mid 2000s, and comparing their debut albums, Fiasco was better. I think West's early work is really good. But "Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor" is a top notch alternative hip hop album. I wasn't really listening to hip hop much at the time though, and despite hearing and enjoying "Kick, Push," I never listened to the whole album. The whole thing is consistently amazing. I recognized "Daydreamin'," and while that stood out, there were so many tracks nearly it's equal. I now wish I had listened to more Lupe Fiasco, and am hopeful that his later career kept up these heights. I did learn in reading about his work that he worked with the Neptunes, Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo, on "I Gotcha." As far as I can tell, the Neptunes produced songs on a few 1001 albums, but none of their albums as the Neptunes or N.E.R.D. or Pharrell's solo albums made the list. That's probably to be expected, but their role as hitmaking producers over the last 2 1/2 decades deserves to be recognized. I had no idea that their big breakthrough was writing Teddy Riley's Riley's verse on Wreckx-n-Effect's 1992 hit "Rump Shaker!"

Great beats, great rhymes

"The instrumental" and hey "say she say" my favorite tracks on this album, "hurt me soul" and "kick, push" all the other songs were good but didn't stand out as much imo

Rating: 10/10

Lupe Fiasco is one of those artists that I have heard of but never actually listened to before. This album is fantastic. Eloquent lyrics that get his point across or tell a story. A rich, full sound musically. My only gripe is the outro. I get what he is doing, listing his influences, but it just drags on. I'm going to listen again before I make my mind up whether or not that drags it down to a 4 star or not.

Really really good. 9/10

Lupe Fiasco sounds like a fun name. You wouldn’t forget if one of your friends started going by such a name, would you? Apple Music says this is R&B/Soul, which is rarely to my tastes, but let’s see how this goes. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Kick Push, Hurt Me Soul First of all, as far as I can tell, this album would be much better described as hip hop rather than R&B. There isn’t much hip hop that really hooks me. I like some, but it’s only been Childish Gambino and Kendrick Lamar that have blown me away. Until today. This album is phenomenal. I love how it shows innocence of an adolescent skater transitioning into an adult with their own hardships and difficulties. The flows are great, and the samples are all so catchy. I’d never heard of Lupe Fiasco before today, but now I’d massively recommend you listen.

Unexpectedly incred

Swanky. Five stars for Kick Push, strong contender for top five hip hop songs of all time. Not a nonstop hit machine but it maintains serious energy the entire time via his outrageous writing and delivery. Been in the iTunes library for a very long time and had forgotten how good He Say She Say is. The last 10 albums are delivering.

One of my favourite hip hop albums I have been introduced to via this list. I was aware of a few of the tracks on here but never associated them with Lupe Fiasco. Even though this album is nearly 20 years old it sounds fresh and vibrant. More importantly it seems void of the stock standard fronting that comes with many hip hop acts. Tempted to take a star of as the last track dragged like a anchor but I changed my mind when I realised it was a sweet fade out for the tone of the album

Boy can rap. Nice beats too. Solid hip hop album.

While I had previously enjoyed the Lupe Fiasco I'd listened to quite a bit, I never listened to a whole album because I thought it would be too pretentious. But this was wonderful. Really fun selection of beats and his flow is immaculate as always. The Outro was obviously too much, but man this was a great album. Favorite track: American Terrorist

I really liked this album. There were a couple songs i already knew but most of it was new. This is the style of hip hop I am most familiar with and it was a fun listen.

Wow, I really liked this. Well written, thoughtful lyrics. Good shit here. Would def listen again.

Great album.

I remember when Lupe blew up but I never really gave his records a chance. Wow I was missing out on a lot. What a strong debut album. First of all, the production is crazy. Second, almost all the tracks are strong, except for the super long and obnoxious outro track. I'll give that one a pass because it was certainly a product of the times. The main highlight for me was "Kick, Push". As a skater kid growing up, this one hits home incredibly hard and might be one of my favorite tracks right now. Very impressed.

Great album, especially Kick Push. Love this era of sample heavy melodic hip hop

daydreaming has been one of my fav hip hop songs of all time for years. glad to finally listen to the whole project

Dreamy, smooth hip-hop

Holy shit! I was already sold on Lupe Fiasco with three tracks favorited before realizing this is the guy that did Daydreamin’. Love, love, love this album. The orchestration is so rich, brilliant lyrics. This is a favorite.

This is a great album, hard to dock marks from this in any way. Lula is a master of his craft, beyond that he’s made some amazing songs on this album.

1. Intricate Lyricism: Lupe Fiasco's lyricism on "Food & Liquor" is nothing short of remarkable. He showcases an exceptional command of language and a penchant for intricate wordplay. He effortlessly weaves complex metaphors and vivid storytelling into his verses. Tracks like "Kick, Push" and "American Terrorist" are prime examples of his lyrical prowess. 2. Social Commentary: The album is notable for its thought-provoking social and political commentary. Lupe addresses a wide range of topics, from the struggles of the African American community in songs like "Hurt Me Soul" to broader issues of American society and global politics in tracks like "American Terrorist." His ability to combine storytelling with deep insight sets "Food & Liquor" apart. 3. Conceptual Cohesion: The album demonstrates a strong sense of conceptual cohesion. It explores themes of duality, the struggle for identity, and the contrast between good and evil, symbolized by the references to "food" and "liquor" in the title. This thematic consistency makes for a satisfying listening experience. 4. Diverse Production: The production on "Food & Liquor" is both diverse and impressive. Producers like Kanye West, The Neptunes, and Soundtrakk contribute to the album's eclectic sound. From the jazzy and soulful beats of "Daydreamin'" to the gritty and energetic production on "I Gotcha," the instrumentals complement Lupe's lyrics effectively. 5. Unique Storytelling: Lupe Fiasco is a master storyteller, and this skill shines through in tracks like "The Cool" and "He Say She Say." He creates vivid, emotionally resonant narratives that draw the listener into the lives of the characters he portrays. 6. Memorable Tracks: "Food & Liquor" is packed with memorable tracks. "Kick, Push," an ode to skateboarding and love, is a standout single, as is "Daydreamin'" featuring Jill Scott. "The Cool" and "American Terrorist" are other tracks that leave a lasting impression. 7. Thoughtful Features: The album features collaborations with artists like Jay-Z and Jill Scott, who enhance the project's overall quality and message. 8. Impact and Legacy: "Food & Liquor" is often cited as one of the most influential rap albums of the 2000s. It introduced Lupe Fiasco as a socially conscious and intellectually stimulating rapper, inspiring a generation of artists to embrace storytelling and lyricism. 9. Criticism: While the album received widespread acclaim, some critics argued that it was too dense and intellectual for mainstream audiences. However, this complexity is also what makes it a timeless classic for fans of conscious hip-hop. In conclusion, "Food & Liquor" is a masterpiece of hip-hop artistry. Lupe Fiasco's intelligent and intricate lyricism, combined with the album's conceptual cohesion, social commentary, and diverse production, make it a landmark release in the genre. It continues to be celebrated as a vital contribution to hip-hop's legacy and is a must-listen for anyone appreciating the fusion of thought-provoking lyricism and innovative production in rap music.

It might be the socially aware nature of it, the all-star production, or Lupe's phenomenal bars, but this feels like a true all-time alternative rap record, up there with Tribe and De La (though not quite to the same heights that those acts reached with their best records). No skips, no misses, nothing that sounds anything less than great. A true 5 star record. Also a 10+ minute track crediting and thanking everyone he possibly can is a based move, actually.

Rapzao tri massa com instrumental diferenciado, groovezao

Loupé Fiasco avait tendu le baton pour se faire battre avec un nom pareil, il n'en sera rien. Un véritable régal pour les oreilles est cet album de rap à la pochette d'un mauvais goût inégalable.

The use of synths elevates the album yet also constrains the album to being a "2000s album."

Intro (3 minutes) and Outro (12 minutes!) were dumb and overlong, and everything in between was pretty phenomenal.

Fantastic album covering Lupe's youth. Loved it to bits

This album has a Real nostalgic place in my heart. I listened to it a lot back in my teenage years. Blasting it while playing Need for Speed Underground 2. There are some peak '00's poppy hip hop bangers on this album. The production is really of its time and at the same time still fresh over 15 years later. The hooks and choruses are so catchy and forever imprinted in my mind.

Pristine work of art. Not a mediocre track on the album.

An instant classic from an MC who just can’t miss. Check out his album Tetsuo & Youth for a bonafide hip hop masterpiece.

One of the best albums of the 00's

Just a towering achievement

I Love this guy! Can’t listen to Kanye? Listen to him instead :-)

Phenomenal album, classic hip hop sound but early Lupe is lyrical, tight and refreshing to listen to track after track.

Wasn't too sure what I'd think about this one going into it. However, I found myself enjoying this quite a lot, and I ended up recognising a couple of songs. It had some great instrumentation and impeccable flow, and everything came together to make a record that was a funky, groovy vibe. There's some really good storytelling and social commentary here too! Mm, just a really good 00's rap album. Favourite: Kick, Push

Lupe Fiasco - Lupe Fiasco's Food and Liquor Debut album by Lupe Fiasco. What I found interesting while listening to this album, is the different themes throughout it. We get songs about Poverty, Islam, terrorism, and racism. I found it really interesting as I didn't know he was Muslim and to listen to a hip hop album tackle these topics from that perspective was a breath of fresh air. As mentioned, Lupe is Muslim and as most would note, the title seems a bit strange for someone of his faith. He's also from Chicago and in an interview he states that Chicago does not have bodegas like in NYC. They have food and liquor stores on every corner. He states the album is a look at good (food) vs evil (liquor). I really enjoyed this album. I knew of Lupe from his guest verses on songs by other artist, and this album gives us his voice and a perspective from someone we wouldn't hear from in our daily lives. 5/5

I did not see this one coming! Awesome album beginning to end. Even the ludicrous 12 minute Outro was good. Highly produced and highly enjoyable.

As a fellow Chicago boy that was 18 when this album came out, it just spoke to me. Truly enjoyed it and brought me back to my young adult years driving around the city. Favorite songs: Kick Push, He Say She Say, Daydreamin

Holy crap this is one of the most enjoyable hip hop albums I’ve listened to! From the cinematic opening notes this album is brilliantly entertaining. The lyrics illuminate fascinating scenes and the music kept surprising me over and over again. Pressure sounded like it was backed by the most wonderful 80s television show themes ever created! How could a song bite as hard as American Terrorist and be so incredibly catchy? Left me pretty much breathless - not something that I was expecting from this genre. I’ve listened to and albums for 1086 days in a row and I am still being served up some terrific surprises! Two more albums to go - I don’t know how they’ll outdo this but then again I was thinking that about yesterday’s album…

I was a bit skeptical about a hip hop album I hadn't heard of at this point in the project, but it really won me over the more I listened. The backing tracks are absolutely fantastic, the material is interesting and relevant, and overall, that's terrific rap!

5/5. Honestly, this is definitely influenced from so many early 2000's rap albums that had already come out but this still sounds unique enough, especially since Lupe can 100% sing unlike other rap artists at the time, providing some really nice choruses. These are uplifting serious songs and I really enjoyed this one. Catchy songs and replay-ability is super high. The word play is intelligent as well and the features are so well used and beautiful as well. And the rock and big band samples and instrumentals are awesome. The only downside is the outro but I don't think it affects everything else to bring down the score. Best Song: Daydreamin', Kick Push, Hurt Me Soul

This is great! I'm going to listen again and probably look for more.

awesome hip hop album. love the story and hard times of chicago. miss rap like this.

I’d never heard of this guy before but this album was great, I really enjoyed it.

The instrumentals are really good. Some of the piano riffs are top notch. The lyrics are also really good, from what I can catch. My brain generally doesn't work fast enough for me to understand rapping. High key, this is a really good album. There hasn't really been a single dud song on the album. Even the songs that aren't among the best on the album have moments of excellence.

I was a fan of “Kick, Push” when it was released but hadn’t heard much else from Lupe. I remember liking “Superstar” which came out the next year, but I didn’t know he performed it. The thing that differentiates those songs, and many of the songs on this album, from the rest of the hip-hop around, is their musicality: nice melodies, catchy self-penned choruses, and a squad of vocalists, including Lupe. It also doesn’t have a lot of filler - songs 12 and 13, “Pressure” and especially “American Terrorist” are among my favorites. Matthew Santos voice is a great addition to the mix.

Wow. Knew absolutely nothing about LF before I began listening. This isn't what I was expecting and was pleasantly surprised. First of all, LF is not a femme. Currently working on a second listen to pickup some of the hidden gems. Has plenty of energy, it's musically diverse and captured my attention all the way through.

Fun and thoughtful, especially in the environment it came out in. Not perfect by any means, but definitely solid and respectable.

The deluxe version of this thing came out as a fifth anniversary edition, telling you all you need to know about the suspension of disbelief necessary. Lupe earns it fairly, backed up by a stupendous producing cast, covering all sorts of ground with a voice that remains unique. Plenty is immediately moving, but the vision is always broader than that, always pushing what could possibly fit on an LP. The outro is particularly bizarre formally, but always brackets the listen well.

Now this right here was an album that I think was overall pretty quality. And I was especially grateful to Lupe for thanking me personally at timestamp 11:22 in the outro. Shoutouts to you Lupe.

Pretty good album. A few really good tracks, and none that are awful.

Decent. Kick / Push is a tune

"Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor" is the debut album by American rapper Lupe Fiasco. No less than eleven people produce including Jay-Z, Prolific, Soundtrack and The Neptunes. Categorized as hop hop and conscious hip hip, lyrics deal with poverty, Islam, terrorism, poverty and individuality. This is all done in an uplifting way. The album received four Grammy nominations winning one in Best Urban/Alternative Performance for "Daydreamin'." "Intro" starts in spoken word as Lupe's sister, I believe, describes the food (good) & liquor (bad) stores in Chicago. God. Islam. Strings goes to a beat. The second song "Real" adds backing vocals by Sarah Green as Lupe describes making music he doesn't have to be ashamed of. A nice sample of Harvey Mason's 1981 "How Does It Feel." Speaking of samples. The first single "Kick, Push" opens with a "Bolero Melody" sample by Celeste Legaspi. Heavy strings. Lupe's love for skateboarding and, in general, being criticized for doing what he loves. "Kick-Push-Kick-Coast." The second single "I Gotcha" has some great peppy piano, synth and production by The Neptunes. Describing himself and his rap style...Lupe's got cha. "Daydreamin" samples a cover "Daydream in Blue" by I Monster. A middle-eastern beat. Soulful. An adventure though the eye of a robot critiquing hip hop. An original, busy song. The originality continues in "American Terrorist." Jazzy. More Middle Eastern music. Matthew Santos guests and there's a Latin flair. Misconceptions of Islam in America and racism and gang culture. Lupe covers a lot of topics and it's done in more of a poppy and life affirming way. I think the use of strings and production give it that feel. Nice use of backing vocals and guests. Solid rapping. Definitely worth a listen.

I’ve spent years underestimating Lupe Fiasco. His music is so much more conscious and clever than the floating Nintendo DS on the album cover leads one to believe. The lyrics are strong, the beats fresh and Fiasco himself delivers some great bars even when the hooks occasionally leave something to be desired.

I have never in my life put on a Lupe Fiasco track or album. The thought has just never occurred to me. So how come I instantly recognize about half of the songs on this??? It's impressive, because I don't really care for his voice or flow, and the lyrics are often hit or miss (rhyming abortion with deportion…). But that goddamn production is just superb, especially the drums and percussion. The samples fit together seemlessly and add a whole new level to the music with influences from Latin to prog. Impressive. So I guess I really dig this one - in spite of Lupe Fiasco.

Album 39 of 1001 Lupe Fiasco - Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor Favorite Track : He Say She Say, Real, Daydreamin' Rating : 4 / 5 I wasn't supposed to like this, but I did. I enjoyed it immensely. A reminder of why I'm doing this.

Good album but imagine if you thought you were friends with Lupe Fiasco and he left you out of the 12 minute shout out outro. That would be devastating. 8/10

According to my stats I listened to this 3 times in 2011 and never since. I'm guessing there's gonna be a heap more hip hop in this generator, hope more of it is like this

Of its age... essentially has 2 intros, the terrible outro, attempts to sing without a singing voice (-1*). Also, luxurious beats, really lovely production, decent lyrics, a few real bangers (kick push 1 and 2, daydreamin', etc).

Hip-hop político. Un 4.

Whoa. I was not in the mood for a generic hip hop album today - and so I braced myself when the first tracks hit - but when ‘Kick, Push’ came up not only did I realise I was not listening to your average ‘guns, cars and ho’s’ hip hop album but a true delight of a record. The Jay-Z sound puts it squarely in a good mood place and every track is impeccably produced - and Lupe rhymes with gusto and panache from start the finish - loved this one and what a pleasant surprise. And can’t commend enough a hip hop track that rallies against misogyny in the genre.

7/10. I thought this was pretty good. The outro was quite excessive, but I can't blame the artist for that because it's not like anyone is forced to listen all the way through it

Warrants the rating just from Kick, Push imo, love that song. The rest is pretty good too. Shame that Kanye tainted it with his future (ie, present) Nazism, but I highly doubt Lupe saw that one coming.

This is a refreshing hip hop album. On first listen, I thought he was rapping about b*tches and h*es like many other “gangstas.” But of course when listening closer the second time, Lupe is rapping counter to that sector of hip hop. The drama is palpable when strings are present. My favorite song is Daydreamin’. It turns out Lupe was forced to put it on the album by a record company exec. He won a Grammy for it, but receives no royalties.

epico