Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor

Mange topplåter og god oppbygning. Måten Kick, Push kommer tilbake på slutten er veldig sterk.

Had never of Lupe’s name or music but really enjoyed this. Varied , accessible, no real cringing at the lyrics (save the Tim Westwood shout out in the outro)

So good holy moly

This has no business going so hard. What an album!

well i *could* do without the Kanye shoutout

I didn't have high expectations for this one as I misremembered who Lupe Fiasco was. Boy was I pleasantly surprised when I pressed play. Fantastic loops, excellent rhymes and flows, and mesmerizing beats.

Chi Town in the house!! Anybody who references Jerry Garcia and calls out the Israeli Occupation is gonna get a lot of love from me, but even forgetting all that (and the rediculously long and completely unnecessary outro), this is a really great album. Socially conscious, soulful funkiness, great beats but also great music...my favorite kind of hip hop...and a shout out to Jill Scott while we're at it. 5

I mean this is excellent. But I do admittedly like rap and skew that way. He masterfully combines many different melodies, beats, and lyrics to create a really wonderful album. I didn't realize Jay-Z was on this album. It's really catchy and it's also saying a lot.

Wasn't a big fan of his rap style at first. Never like it when rappers breath in sharply after every sentence, but the good message, good stories and tight beats won me over at the end. Good stuff.

Now this is an album that I'm definitely going to revisit! Good flow and beats, there's a lot of multifaceted skills and personalities in the background of this album. The outro is heartwarming as well: it's nice for a rapper to give credit where credit is due. Albums like these rarely are the complete domain of a single person: it's usually a team effort.

Never heard this before. Absolutely fantastic. Not sure it needed a 12 minute outro shouting out sexual predator Tim Westwood and neo-Nazi Kanye West 😬, but even that’s really good.

One of those hip-hop albums i've always heard a lot about, and heard a single or two, but never gave a full listen. Clearly that was a mistake, excellent production and great tunes abound.

Outro really pushed my goal of listening to every single song all the way through - it's pointless, and I bet he wishes he could have the shoutouts to Kanye and Myspace back - but the rest of this album was terrific.

I’ve listened to Lupe Fiasco before but never paid much attention, and clearly that was a mistake, because this album has (almost) everything I look for in rap. Kick, Push is great, with a beat reminiscent of old school hip hop that Lupe uses to tell a story. The Instrumental sounds a lot like a Mike Shinoda/Fort Minor song, and Grammy award winning Daydreamin’ is a major hit and so catchy. It isn’t all perfect, especially since the outro drags on listing names, but this album is really solid, especially for a debut album.

Damn. I've slept on this album for far too long. I knew the highlights and a few extras and they were all bangers, but never bothered to go deeper. My loss. Fantastic lyricism. Poignant. Great beats that take you back to mid-00's.

Everything is consistent & great, from instruments to flow to vibe, its still brilliant.

You may know Lupe Fiasco from his verse on Kanye’s Late Registration on the track “Touch The Sky”. But not many people actually look further than that and listen to his albums. It’s a shame because it’s a very rewarding experience. He is a very underrated rapper and in my opinion one of the best to do it. This album is a great album, Lupe is a fantastic storyteller and lyricist, he was one of the original conscious rappers before Kendrick made it big. This is one album you should come back to more than once because everytime you will find new things you didn’t notice before (this is my second time). Favorite Tracks: Daydreamin (one of my favorite rap songs ever), The Instrumental, The Cool, Hurt Me Soul, Real, Kick Push II, He Say She Say, and Pressure. Im going to assume he doesn’t have anymore on this project, but i highly, highly recommend listening to The Cool if you enjoyed this album because it’s the sequel to this and just as great if not better.

Favourite tracks: the cool; daydreaming; kick push; he say she say

Is he hip-hop's Eddie Vedder? Watch Lupe write a great song about a topic no one else would and make it a classic. He takes topics that other rappers touch on, and writes full songs about them. Skateboarding, growing up without a father- but also the effects at school. I never liked when people talked about Sonic Youth or the Kinks as the greatest rock band ever. If they were "great" they would have sold more albums. But Lupe Fiasco makes me rethink all my arguments. He's gotta be on a shortlist of greatest rappers ever. He's more talented than BIG. He's more relatable than Tupac. His lyrics are more everyman than Jay-Z.

кайф невероятного уровня, я просто в космос отлетела

9/10. Started slow and got better throughout. Some classics in there.

Great surprise! I like my hiphop/rap more raw but this is one exception although lyrically he holds no punches. Also makes me overlook a pet peeve of mine: using a classic oldie as a hook for a song. Am going to spin this more!

wow, not sure i had heard lupe fiasco before now (maybe daydreamin once or twice) but this album was an incredible way to start for each of us. the beats, samples, and production here all feel top notch, and the various artist features add flair to the individual tracks instead of being the only thing supporting a lackluster album. these songs all sound pretty different, covering unique themes and lyrical content, and don't beat you over the head with the misogyny, homophobia, or absurd bragging that's characteristic of a lot of rap from the early 90s through the late aughts' crunk phase. it's just good stuff. i even liked the outro, at least until i realized it was 12 minutes long and just naming everyone lupe fiasco could think of. but the beat was solid so i can't be too mad. this was a five-star album outta nowhere for me and i can't wait to listen to it more. favorites: intro, real, just might be ok, kick push, the instrumental, daydreamin, the cool, american terrorist

A hip hop classic.

One of the greatest hip hop debuts and albums of all time. A masterpiece of production and lyrical mastery

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.

Dreamy, smooth hip-hop

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.

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

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!

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…

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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

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.

Only 3 songs in and they're all fucking bangers so yeah

Great beats, great rhymes

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

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

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

Really really good. 9/10

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.

я в восторге

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

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

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

One of the best albums of the 00's

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

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

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

"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

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.

Rating: 10/10

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.

Great album.

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

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.

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

Rapzao tri massa com instrumental diferenciado, groovezao

Just a towering achievement

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

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!"

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.

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

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

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

Layered and well crafted

I’m an unabashed Lupe fan. I think his whole disco belongs on this list. Said that, outro was too long and not everything here rises to the level.

INSPIRATIONAL

TRES BIEN!!

An album I loved when I was younger - I haven't listened to this in over a decade! There are some amazing songs in here. I think that some of the instrumental choices weren't great/sounded awkward to my ears. Also, I forgot how much the outro annoyed me! Great rhymes from Lupe, though!

I was surprised to learn that this was Lupe Fiasco's debut album. It sounds really polished, and these tunes are JAMS.

I actually really liked this album a lot, i thought it was really fun and good. Highlights: Real Just Might be Ok Daydreamin The Emperors Soundtrack Favorite The Emperor’s Soundtrack

There was a specific time when rap had larger orchestrations and horn sections that were grand. To me, the best example of this is Jay-Z's Show Me What You Got which I love and unsurprisingly came out the same year as this album (which Jay-Z produced). So, I like a lot of the sound of this album and Lupe's flow is pretty great at times, but a bit sophomoric at others. On first listen it's a 3.5 for me, but likely to bump.

I’m not the biggest hip hop fan but there are a few records I really enjoy - however most have required several listens to really click. This is the most immediately good hip hop album I’ve heard. It’s a great alternative to Kanye without the controversy. Also as a skateboarder I love all the references to skateboarding. The downside is it is a bit long. I like the idea of shouting out everyone involved in the record but 12 minutes? Bro literally thanked bbc radio 1extra and Tony hawk

I got this cd when it came out and played it pretty heavily for a time, but since completely forgot about it (too much music in the last 20 years?). I'm happy to say it still holds up today as a total classic!! I could do without the bloated intro/outro tracks, but that's only a minor criticism

Loved this album in college. Remains extremely solid. A bit long but has many great tracks along the way.

Great album, no notes. That's it for my review yall. I want to thank my parents, obviously. My brother, thank you. My whole family, actually, wouldn't have had ears without you. Thanks you to my teachers, especially the language ones; you helped me find the right words for this review. Shoutout to my old dean, I wonder how he's doing. Shoutout to my friends, old ones and new, everyone who made me who I am. Shoutout to my cities here in the Netherlands. Groningen, Leiden, Utrecht, Den Haag, represent. Shoutout Seoul too. Shoutout to dr. Wax and Chopstick MC, I like your names. Shoutout Kendrick Lamar, Little Simz, Chance the Rapper for making me fall in love with rap. Also Avicii, Stromae, Rolling Stones, Talking Heads, Florence and the Machine, Vince Staples, Stevie Wonder, all my musical heroes. Shoutout to the guy who wanted to sell me a cd in New York and called me racist when I declined, hope you're doing well. Shoutout to the Lidl, but treat your people better boys. I love movies too, so shoutout Martin Scorsese, shoutout Sean Baker, shoutout Bong Joon Ho, shoutout Paul Dano - fuck Tarantino - shoutout everyone on Sesame Street, I see you Elmo Anyway you get it

I'm rounding up because the lyricism on this is crazy. So woke in the best way. I'd def listen again!!

Really good rap album, good beats to game to

Cool to go back to that mid-00s Chicago hip hop but with someone that’s punchier and more insightful on the bars than the other big guy of that moment. Some really cool production in here, nice jazz slices as well as the usual fare and nice guest spots to add to the choruses in line with that. 12 minute victory lap / thank you speech outro a hell of a choice too.

This was interesting. The second half was a lot better than the first, will have to give it another listen!

It took me a couple tracks to get into it, but once I did, I really enjoyed it. Pretty solid overall

A really solid album. May be a new favourite for this style of mid 2000s it aged insanely well which is made even more impressive by the amount of albums that were very set in their times. Will 100% be returning again.

Lupe Fiasco is one of the great underrated rappers of the 2000s and Food & Liquor is certainly one of his better albums.

13 solid tracks,surrounded by a typical intro, and the most mind numbing Outro ever. Did the CD not come with a booklet? And why wasn't I thanked??? Setting those two tracks aside... this was really good. I have vague memories of "Kick, Push" when it was released. It gave me a De La Soul vibe I really liked. Interesting sounds on several tracks and a unique perspective on the world make this definite must listen. Maybe just his stop when the Outro starts. ;)

Great. A true hip hop storyteller. One of the few left, it seems. I only knew two of his songs, but the album didn't surprise me. There’s real life story throughout in a way of that reminds me a lot of J Cole, Jay Z on a feature is no surprise either. You can tell it all comes from the heart because it’s lived, just how Kanye would talk about Chicago in his early stuff. His wordplay is also phenomenal, super creative and intelligent, reminds me of The Tribe. “I told you cornballs I hush puppies.” Cmon. Really really good, and super fun to listen to as well.

Love the beat on Just Might Be Okay, flow on kick, push is awesome, daydreaming’>>>, not a fan of some of the melodic stuff (the cool), beat on pressure is insane but not biggest fan of vocals minus the Jay-z part

Really enjoyed

Overall Rating - 4.00/5 (8.00/10). Awesome backing tracks. Outstanding flow. Several tracks that bear a close listen to even today, 20 years later. We need to grow more as a nation and as a people, and tracks like some of these can help to remind us of that fact.

Felt very fresh despite being 20 years old. Album cover is a bit trash, but loved the beats and the lyrics were heartfelt but not lame. 12 mins of audio credits is quite a lot, but nice he gave everyone a shoutout.

Fantastic album. Rap has always been a genre I've struggled to get into but this album was approachable without feeling like it was too simple. The beats and verses seemed good too, though I'm not familiar enough with the genre to know how good it is on a grander scale.

I don't know hip-hop / rap but this was great. Even though I don't think it's really a 4 level it's so good for the genre im giving it a 4

No. 191 Just a really solid hip hop album. Some amazing songs on this album. Can't believe I've never heard of Lupe Fiasco before.

Started off kinda slow but it grew on me icl. The rendition of „Daydreamin“ was interesting, i enjoyed quite a few of the other songs as well. The outro had like 100 shoutouts. A generous 4.

not the strongest start to an album, but settles into itself after a few tracks. props for having the vision to rap over Daydramin’.

Love the lush beats and Lupe’s flow. A quality 2000s rap album, very much from the early Kanye school.

I must say, I'm not super duper into rap, but Lupe Fiasco is a name I've heard a couple times thanks to Fall Out Boy l, and I was super interested in listening to the different influences by all the different producers. I love love love Daydream!! The 12 mins outro is unnecessary tho

Yeah this slaps, will always slap, and will continue to slap no matter what people say. one of the best alt hip-hop albums out there. sure it's not a diverse album, and yeah, the outro is fucking annoying but like, dude, kick push.

Another pleasant surprise. Liked the lyrical prowess. Might revisit rating

Food & Liquor is the debut album from Chicago rapper Lupe Fiasco, the stage name of Wasalu Mohammad Jaco. Fiasco's raps are filled with inciteful social commentary, and frequent notes about his passion for skateboarding. The albums biggest single is "Kick, Push." the song is, in part, about skateboarding, which Lupe describes as is a cycle of "kick," "push," and then "coast." He's talking about a lot more than just skateboarding...

I had this on cd when I was younger but didn’t really listen to it that much Didn’t dislike anything on here other than the 12 minute outro lol Kick push is a banger 4

The album art gave me very low expectations, but they were greatly exceeded. The lyrics, flow, production, and beats are all great. The song “Pressure” uses an eagle screech sound effect a lot and I could not take it seriously. Also the final song is 12 minutes of thanks that feels like it has random things added to it just to make it absurdly long. You write all this in liner notes, not in a single track that ruins the strong closer the album would have had otherwise. I considered dropping this album’s score down a star for that, but I decided not to. 4/5

Highlights: Real, Kick Push, I Gotcha, Daydreamin', Pressure, American Terrorist, Kick Push II It gave off a similar hipster vibe like early Kanye, but I didn't like it as much. Still dope doe. With a few more listens I might even change my tune, but so far I'm not crazy about it.

Fun album. I only knew one song but the rest were good with the exception of the last which was self indulgent.

I really enjoyed that. Kept me grooving along the whole way. I would listen again for sure.

Je n’ai pas beaucoup d’attente pour lupe fiasco, je connais peu L’album à l’air trop long L’intro est bien ! Produit par jay-z et il y a du kanye Real a une très bonne prod Je crois que je vois plutôt lupe comme un lieutenant qu’un rôle player Le son principal, kick push, est bien Ah ! Daydreaming est sur cet album ! Overall il est solide quand même, 7 ou 8 selon comment il finit Les sons sont quand même assez inégaux et le flow de lupe me conquit pas totalement Et en même temps il y a des très bons sons (american terrorists) qui rattrapent tout Allez 8, il m’est sympathique en plus

Well-produced, great (thoughtful) lyrics, nice beats. Kick, Push, Daydreamin, and American Terrorist are the standouts. A bit of a cut above the rest in 00s hip-hop.

Not sure why but I had it in my head that I wasn't going to enjoy this before going in. Happy to say I was wrong! A rap album without guns, bitches and bling. Hallelujah. Kick, push, daydream and hurt me soul the standouts. Can't think of many rap tracks about skating. I definitely do not need 12 minutes of shout outs as a final track though. Pretty annoying! 3.5

the section were he thanks everyone goes on longer than the rest of the entire album i think. 4 stars based on that alone

Classic 200's album. Separating from the gangbanger/Jay-z world and into the higher IQ hip-hop. Lupe led a whole new wave of hip-hop. His songs with features make incredible singles.

Decent album.

3.5 but I did enjoy his flow

starts as a standard mediocre rap album but is quickly hitting top form with an enchanting mix of influences and genius tracks like "American Terrorist"! it's still hip hop, but somehow, i liked it!

Food and Liquor. But Fiasco's Quicker. Such a great album. I remember this one too. Had some great lyrics, great rhymes and word play. From Just Might Be Ok: "Then he leaves the house that love built, that HUD renovated, that Section 8 pays for Well, let's pray for him, let the beat play for him.." And this one from the same track: "I ain't nicest MC, I ain't Cornel West I am Cornel Westside, Chi-Town Guevara Malcolm eXorcise the demons, gangsta leaning He traded in his kufi for a New Era..." He's got a political cap on during most of the these songs, but he's passionate and super nimble on the mic, confident and poised. "Real" feels like his opening shot over the bow of the ship of fools; he is not playing the corporate game, he's going for Real. "Kick, Push" has a nice smooth vibe, but Lupe Fiasco continues to be pointed in his rapping. "Just a rebel looking for a place to be." I don't usually gravitate to HipHop, but I can see why this album is on the list. So innovative, so playful, even as he is serious about his social stances. He's always pushed the envelope of his chosen genre and that signifies that he needs a larger canvas to make his statements, which he is eloquent with. it's no wonder the album opened up with Ayesha Jaco, the fine spoken word artist and his sister. He is himself a poet of Rap.

Has all types of themes including sad/serious tone songs. Overall great production and good beats. Definitely did not need the 12 minute outro, you aint tecahers by daft punk. Favorite song: Kick, Push

453/1089 - Woah! What a crazy album cover. Is that a Nintendo DS? The best console with such hits like The World Ends with You, Hotel Dusk Room 215, and Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Explorers of Sky? I might like this album. Very maximalist sound. Wasn't a fan of the first few songs but the album picked up a lot around Kick Push for me and then slowed down around the Jay Z feature, especially that outro which could have had some beat changes or something. Sublime does something similar on their first album and it works a lot better there, and it's a third as long.

Typical 2000s hip hop production but with some unique bells and whistles. Strong hooks and smart lyrics made this an enjoyable listen. But imagine knowing him and listening to 12 minutes of shoutouts for your nar but it never comes!

A solid hip hop record with a stellar production. I love Lupe's flow and social sensibilities. The only slight issue is the production. Although very high quality, it wasn't particularly ambitious and is entwined with 2000s sounds and styles. It comes off a bit dated.

Jag har aldrig riktigt lyssnat på Lupe Fiasco tidigare. Men det här tycker jag är bra. Kraftfullt och storslaget. Symfoniskt nästan. Snygga samplingar. Rytmisk livfull rap och, vad jag hör, hög kvalitet på texterna. Dock ett väl långt outro. Särskilt bra är: He say she say, Sunshine, Real, Daydreamin, Hurt me soul, American terrorist.

This is a fun album that's lacking something that I can't quite put my finger on. He's got a lot to say, the production is excellent, though solidly dated in the mid 2000's, and the features are all good but it all feels a bit soulless? It's like you took Talib Kweli and Kanye (pre lunacy) and made an album with all their middling songs. "Kick, Push" is still as good as I remember it being and "The Cool" has a great unique beat but the other songs sort of blended in to each other. It's all really marked by the super clean production, and maybe that's what makes it all a bit too perfect. There isn't a single wrong beat or rap in this album, and not necessarily in a good way. The last "track", aside, it's all musically perfect. I don't know, this didn't stick with me all the way through like I thought it would. I liked it well enough but it's just missing something that I can't quite articulate. It's still good and it didn't feel like an hour til the outro. I don't know what it is. I want to give it a 5 but I can't see myself revisiting it often like I would with other albums at that level.

Pretty good album, there were some real good tracks on here. None that stood out as outstanding, just an all around good album. Favorite track on the album was Kick, Push.

J'ai appris à aimer au fil de l'album. Peut-être grâce à mes nouveaux écouteurs... J'ai aimé les petites passes jazzy et le drum. Ça me fait penser à du Kanye pré- beautiful dark twisted fantasy, pas ma phase préférée. Je connaissais kick, push, eh ben! Je me demande j'ai entendu ça où ? Il parle de skate? Cool. La toune sur le père absent, He Say She Say, est cool aussi.

On sent la touche Kanye dans la production à certains moments. Du bon rap assez conscious.

Förvånad att inte ha hört talas om denna person förut. Bra Ft.s och nice sampling

I could do without the spoken word intro. So far so good on the actual songs. I always liked Kick, Push. It was the only song of his I knew. I'm not sure how I feel about this album. It's not bad, but there's nothing that makes we feel like it's better than just ok either. I love Jill Scott. Daydreamin' is the best song on the album. And The Cool is the worst. I bet Kanye loves this album. I think this project has definitely improved my ear and my musical knowledge because of course The Cool was produced by Kanye. The album is growing on me. The lyrics are just conscious enough not to feel militant. A 12 minute last song is a good way to get your album kicked down a full star. At least there's something going on the whole 12 minutes. I was expecting 1 minute of music, 8 minutes of silence and then 3 minutes of some dumb talking or a skit. 12 minutes of shoutouts is just as bad though. Shouting out people who you just like and had nothing to do with the album is even worse. In 4 minutes he ran out of album people and just starts calling out categories of people. Myspace?!? Come on man.

4.25 - I've heard the name Lupe Fiasco before, but I had no idea what to expect. I absolutely loved "Kick, Push," I was surprised to learn that I knew a song ("Daydreaming'"), and I love the the thoughtful lyrics throughout, but especially in "American Terrorist." This could be a 5 star album with a few more listens.

I knew Kick Push and knew Lupe Fiasco from this era of alternative or conscious hip hop. But I enjoyed a lot of this. The lyrics and storytelling really stand out. And the production is pretty cool, thought some feels a little dated now. Lots of interesting collabs, I liked The Instrumental with the singer from Far, American Terrorist with Matthew Santos, and of course Daydreaming with Jill Scott.

Refreshing and excellent.

Another one I realized partway through that I had already heard before. Back in college this was “just” a Kanye-adjacent rap fantasia. Didn’t realize how good we had it then.

cool rhymes and beats

En voyant la pochette, je m'attendais à détester, ça sentait l'album de hip-hop random des années 2000 mis là parce que Robert Dimery a mis là parce qu'il est un peu paumé dans cette décennie. Bon ben j'ai eu tort. J'étais en train de bosser en l'écoutant, donc, j'ai pas pu prêter grande attention aux paroles, j'éviterai de trop m'avancer dessus, mais ça avait l'air d'être sérieux et de mentionner des sujets sociaux, ce que j'apprécie toujours. Mais ce qui m'a plu, c'est les instrus. Y'a vraiment beaucoup de passages que j'ai trouvé très évocateurs et la musique en elle-même occupe une place assez important sur cet album, ce que j'ai beaucoup apprécié. Finalement, le plus enquiquinant, c'est l'infinie outro, 12 minutes de remerciements, c'est vraiiiiment très long et pas ultra-intéressant. Mais c'est le seul défaut que j'ai trouvé à l'album en l'écoutant. Bonne découverte, je suis content !

Lupe Fiasco definitely deserves more credit among this era of hiphop. It's upbeat but not too poppy, funky and a bit experimental, while still being super accessible and easy to listen too. I enjoyed this album.

Actually really good. A little long for me though.

I usually really bounce off rap from this era but this worked surprisingly well for me. The rapping itself I wasn't the biggest fan of but I quite liked the beats Fav tracks: American Terrorist, The Cool, I Gotcha

One of the better hip hop albums, has a lot of catchy songs and does touch on themes of broader political issues without being preachy or OTT with it.

What a nice album I've got today. Show "Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor" to any ignorant moron who says rap is nothing but sex, drugs and violence. I like rap albums, like this one, that tell a story The beats on"Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor" are your typical 2000's rap fare. The end of the album, "Outro", serves as its credits. 4 stars for "Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor".

If I recognise an artist name but can’t name any of their tracks, that’s usually a sign of radio-hype without sufficient substance to back it up. Glad to be proved wrong with this. A really strong listen throughout.

This is a pretty colorful record. I now know another Chitown rapper finally. Liked most of the beats, and didnt sound like just another badly mixed 2000s record. I had lots of fun with this one

What a surprise, I’m not a fan of this genre but I can’t knock this one, really enjoyed it

I guess I shouldn't have been suprised i liked this one. It won multiple awards. But I was. I had vaguely heard of him, but not this album. This is clean though.

3,5

It was good and feels VERY mid 2000s and not unique except for a few songs.

Quality hiphop album that could be better with a shorter run time. Quite a maximalist production and LF’s flow makes him easy to enjoy. I hear shades of Nas and Ghostface in both the rhymes and the beats. The few tracks deserving to be stripped off the album aren’t even terrible, just below the high standard of the rest. I think I will investigate the LF discography further.

Yllätyin positiivisesti miten hyvä svengi tässä on. Lähin taas nollat taulussa asenteella etten tuu tästä oikee tykkäämään. Huokuu 2000 luvun alun räppändeerus fiilistä

Without a doubt a classic record, Food and Liquor announced Lupe's formal introduction to the hip-hop landscape. The lyrics are at tomes funny, expressive of what it means to eb a youth, to poignant and politically charged, and delivered with a sense youth and vigour that makes this album still feel young after 20 years. The beats are immaculate as well, done in that early Kanye soul style that came to define much of conscious rap from the era. Now, with all that said, its not a perfect album. Or, at least not for me. I've used a lot of words that talk about the youth of this album, and that shows in many of the songs. This was written and recorded when Lupe was in his early 20s and it shows, sounding a lot like a (albeit smart) college kid who is expressing his ideas for the first time. As such, now that I'm older than the first time I listened to it in my teens, it doesn't hit the same way. That's not a comment on the album, more of me and how my taste in lyricism has changed. It's a great album, but Lupe has grown a lot as an artist in the interim and, in my opinion, his more mature lyrics connect a lot more with me. There is a folly in youth on this album a little that I cannot shake, which I know iw a personal issue but I have to address it. Also, whoever thought a 12 minute song at the end of an album shouting out a bunch of people was a good idea is an idiot. If this is your first listen, skip that song. This is a 60 minute album for all intent and purposes, not a 72 minute one. A staple of 2000s rap music, it has aged (or hasn't) a little for me, but still a classic. If you're into rap, you'll love it. And if you aren't, this album is a lot smarter and more provocative than many albums to this day. Highlights are Kick, Push, I Gotcha, He Say She Say, Daydream, and The Cool.

Klassieker. Harde beats, top productie. Een van de albums die rond deze tijd hip-hop zo'n beetje opnieuw uitvond.

Pleasantly surprised! Holds up well after 20 years, nice mix of hip-hop and r&b, a nice listen!

Refreshing to hear some post 2000s rap on this list. The production is great and I love the indie/emo undertones which remind me of N.E.R.D. Did it need a 12 minute outro? Possibly not. Low 4

Going low 4 on Lupe Fiasco, i don’t always love the big brash production values but i love the jazzier tracks and his flow throughout is top level imo - i like the lyrics throughout too, almost dropped to a high 3 with the outro but i’ll let it go this once

Kick push! Daydreaming!

One of my favorite albums of the early 00s

Very good album; Lupe puts out educated lyrics that are both fantastical and socially conscious. I wish his hooks were a little better, but the lyrics almost make up for that. However, nice as it is to see Lupe express his gratitude to those who helped him, I didn't really need a 12 minute shout-out track to end the album.

Ok so i've heard Touch the Sky ft Lupe Fiasco that's all i know. but i love that song! Im not liking this album cover but looks can be deceiving. intro is interesting and setting up a certain social commentary angle to this abum like ok i get it misogyny + food and liquor represent good and bad! that is cool Real is good the music is really exciting action packed sorta? Lots of nice flourishes. Not the catchiest thing ever but its good. He almost seems sliiiightly off beat i wonder what effect im getting there because I'm sure he's not? Maybe its just a funny instrumental. I gotcha reminds me lots of Kanye but that's prob bc i'm uncultured The instrumental is very interesting to me. This sort of emo boy voice is very haunting and i think this is his best rapping so far its cool He Say She Say is really good I need to absorb this more fully. It's all good. Rap albums are so fucking long it's insane I hate it. As a rule do not make me listen to an hour and a half of anything. Good i like that it deals with social issues and at many times it is catchy! Fun! Outro is crazy but it's out of the box and its good to give credit where it's due overall great!

Actually really enjoyed this album, the album art is epic as well. Just great raps and lyrics, i would come back to htis one.

Very good! Glad i finally had an excuse to listen to this for the first time! HOLY FUCK we do not need the outro. You know you can just put all that in the lyric booklet my guy? Or at least don’t play the same goddamn 4 bars on loop for TWELVE FUCKING MINUTES.

this album is so unique and incredible. it’s badass to criticize Jay-Z and the next track have him feature. It’s genius to have Jill Scott come in and just riff over a sample. The strings arrangements are just as good as prime Kanye. Lupe critiques the use of drone strikes in 2006. Then there’s a song calling out American imperialism called American Terrorist!! The last track is heartfelt, but unfortunately annoying. This is a near masterpiece.

Like this a lot, he's unique. Would cut that last song, way too long.

Pleasantly surprised by this!

This album is genuinely a work of art I love it so much definitely a high four

I have such a weird love of 2000s rap / hip hop

Just some damn good 2000's hip-hop. 4.5 bumped down to 4.

Holy shit, this album is great! I'm pretty sure I've heard the name Lupe Fiasco before, but never heard any of his music. I was not expecting much when I turned it on, and the intro was, I dunno, not that different from other spoken word intros we've heard. First couple songs didn't catch my attention, but then Kick, Push came on and the violins nearly made me turn it off. But then LF starts rapping and he dedicated the song to homies out there grinding and dove into the first rap song I've ever heard about skateboarding. Well, dang. Suddenly, it was 1985 and I was skating around Marietta, Georgia, on my Caballero Dragon with a bunch of fellow punks. We were listening to stuff like Suicidal Tendencies or JFA, but I'd like to think we would have at least appreciated this song. Anyway, after that little trip down memory lane, the album just got stronger. The Instrumental is freaking great. Sunshine came on and I wondered why my CD was skipping, before remembering I was at work listening on Tidal and focused on the music. The zombie (or maybe ghost?) gangster in The Cool was great. Anyway, there's a lot of great stuff on this album. It's somewhere between a 4 amd a 5 for me, but I'm rounding down because, in the very end, I'm a noisy fucking guitar guy and needed more of that.

4/5 - This is a tough one to rate for me. The production was dated, but fun, and the lyrical topics were a refreshing change, but there just weren't any real hooks to sink into. I gave it a second listen, and I got kinda bored. Album cover is A+ (A Nintendo DS?!) I came back to this and it’s in the rotation. Bumped up to a 4. I just find it a really fun listen.

4 As someone pretty ingrained in skateboard culture (and by that I mostly mean playing a lot of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater), I was pretty excited to see Kick, Push show up here, but I was not anticipating the whole album being this damn good. As it turns out, the song is far from a flash in the pan - across the board, the production is phenomenal, the bars are clever, Lupe sounds great, but what surprised me as the actual strongest element is the sociopolitical commentary regarding inner city life (notably in Chicago) and rap culture driving this. In fact, I really thought the album came off as quite profound and insightful in that way without ever feeling repetitive or preachy, almost as if each track here offers a lens into one of the many corners of the city - one I’m well familiar with as a Midwesterner, though certainly not in as many ways as I could be. Needless to say, there’s a lot to unpack with this album (I’m really just scratching the surface here), and I could certainly see it growing on me even more with time. As far as specific songs go, I genuinely liked just about everything I heard. Whenever I felt like a track couldn’t be one-upped, another would immediately come along and do just that. I think a lot of that has to do with the variety of topics touched upon and all the producers involved with the making of this album, which, in the wrong hands, probably could have turned this into an unfocused mess, but with Jay-Z seemingly at the helm of the ship, the songs play off each other brilliantly. I can’t say that I was shocked to see that Kanye had a hand in this (POS, but hard to deny the guy’s production talents), though it was kind of neat to discover Mike Shinoda of Linkin Park has a credit to his name here as well (you can totally hear it once you know which track). Ultimately, I think it’s that kind of musical diversity that really helps this album excel and makes it so hard to pick favorites, but if I had to try, I think the subject matter of Daydreamin’ and American Terrorist put them a cut above everything else, and the actual Jay-Z feature on Pressure was fantastic as well. Kick, Push is still my favorite (let’s be real, there was slim chance of that changing), but hearing the song reworked and recontextualized in Kick, Push II was really cool (kinda interesting that the latter is the one that actually name drops Tony Hawk). So, why a 4? Honestly, Outro. At the end of the day, this album feels a bit too long, and I think like 98% of the blame lies in the hands of that song. At first, I actually thought doing a credits track shouting out crew, family, friends, and inspirations to end things was a cool concept, but twelve whole minutes? What do you think you are, man, a Marvel movie? Lord knows I don’t waste my time sitting through those credits anymore. Still, I liked this album a lot - definitely a surprise treat and the exact kind of thing I enjoy discovering thanks to this list. This won’t be my last foray into Lupe’s catalogue.

I really liked this. It had real heart, and it feels like he put a lot of love and respect and personal experience into it. The album is incredibly well produced, and he's a talented rapper and writer. The outro felt like the closing credits on a movie with an outpouring of gratitude, which was kind of cool. Overall really enjoyed!

Good samples and smart lyrics

Best groovy tbhhhh. Denk wel 4 ster waard

Since this is one of only about three or four hip hop albums that will be on this list this year, I really listened with intentionality. We saw Lupe at about the time this album came out - probably when he was at his commercial height. He’s still one of the best and an important voice in progressive hip hop. But this is about as good as it gets.

Lupe Fiasco arrived on the scene with the backing of Jay-Z (who tried to sign him) and a host of celebrity help for his first full length album, an ambitious effort about good ("Food") and evil ("Liquor"). The subject matter is pertinent and sadly well-worn: The streets (in this case the South side of Chicago) are bad. Drugs, prostitutes, crime, children growing up with out fathers, the romanticizing of the gangster lifestyle (that his sponsor Jay is very complicit in, as Lupe points out in "Hurt Me Soul"), etc. The distinguishing characteristics in albums like this are the telling, and Lupe's delivery method is vibrant and engaging. After the mission statement of the album is delivered in poetic verse by Lupe's sister Ayesha Jaco, the album gets off to a rickety start with Lupe proselytizing himself a bit too much on "Real" and "Just Might Be OK" before the album finds itself on "Kick, Push" a sweet, evocative coming-of-age story within a skateboarding metaphor. From then on, the songs are literate and engaging earworms, with Lupe showcasing a variety of lyrical and musical approaches. It fades a bit in the home stretch, and the final track, "Outro," with Lupe vocalizing all of his thank you liner notes--for twelve minutes!--and is a must-skip, unless he specifically mentioned you.

Really enjoyed this album, nice to have something in the 2000s.

A lot to like, but dragged on at the end. Should have ditched the outro track.

I love these Kanye type beats but tbh most are a little overproduced. Like in “Just Might Be OK”. I like everything about that song (especially the drums), but the sound of what I now believe to be a plane or smth sounded like a fucking fart noise to me so that ruined the whole song for me. The cover matches the vibe pretty well. And no songs get boring because of Lupe’s production style so that’s a plus. Also I love the Jay-Z feature. A 4/5 from me.

Pretty nice album from a very cool period in rap music. Beat making at the time was essentially in the Wild West after Kanye dropped graduation and this album is a very cool spinoff of that style of production (see Kanye in the credits). The lyricism on top of the production value is really what sets this album apart. It’s not perfect, there are some misses, but it’s still an awesome album.

Heard so many good things about this, first time listen did not disappoint. Loved the production and the bars on here, don't think there's a single song on here I didn't get some level of enjoyment from

There were a lot of catchy songs. Maybe it was missing a bit of an edge to it, but it was pretty enjoyable.

the weakness of the heart

3.8. I'm not a huge hip hop fan, but this album is solid. I like the cleanliness and clarity of the rap.

Nostalgia trip from my teenage years, very 2000's but it still holds up. Longer credits sequence than a fucking Marvel movie

q cool sound, fun to listen to

I was a bit reticent at first with the arcade sound effects on early track. But grew to really enjoy this. Familiar with samples, day dreamin and in paricular enjoyed, kick push II.

I really liked this album back in 2006, but haven't revisited it in a while. Let see how it holds up. . . "Real" - I forgot about this song. Should have way more spins. I wanna dig into these samples. Man, "Kick, Push" was such a big deal when this came out. I'm pretty sure "I Gotcha" was in every commercial the year this came out. "the instrumental" has to be the track produced by mike shinoda. The strings on "He Say She Say" are so ubiquitous in this era of hip hop. Maybe the same sample as "Overnight Celebrity"

4.5

Strong. Nice.

Pretty good album. I couldn’t really listen to the lyrics as I was working on school scholarship at the same time but the beats were really nice and I really enjoyed this album. The outro is like never ending, like I’m still listening to it and it’s driving me crazy. Shout out to me for making it through this outro!

Lupe is a great storyteller. The beats are very orchestral and really good. The album could've been a bit shorter, it drags too long for me, but the best songs aren't concentrated in one place but dispersed over the whole album, so it's ok. He could've gone without the 12 minute outro 😂 Overall, because of this, it's a 4/5

own

The 12-minute Outro was like a time capsule of things that aren't around anymore. Anyways - I liked this.

Ik had oprecht niet verwacht dat ik dit album zo leuk zou vinden. Favorieten: Just might be ok, daydreamin', Hurt me soul Minst favoriet: Real, The Cool, Outro

I thought this was pretty good. Socially conscious storytelling paired with sharp production.

Yeah this album is good. Every like 3 years I remember this album is good and put it on again then go immediately back to forgetting about Lupe Fiasco entirely for the next 3 years....goodnight sweet prince. I'll see you in another 3 years.

I have heard this name before. I was probably still working in a place that had a communal radio/ride-sharing at the time this was released, so I may have heard a single or two. But I couldn't name any of those. I had only, to my shattered recollections, heard Daydreaming before - and possibly not even the whole song. But this was great. I like Rap when it isn't just about women, money, and guns. You gotta give me more. This album is smart, funny, and varied in its lyrical content and music. The three track run starting from ... Is as good as any I've heard in rap. Sure the last song isn't great, but we won't hold that against it. We get songs about skateboarding, zombies, and pointing a mirror back at America's own lying, sneering, bloody face. It's a shame he seems to have allowed himself to be chained down by religion, the greatest White Man Lie, but hopefully he's grown out of that nonsense by now.

Solid early 00s hip hop. Great lyrics and storytelling. Skip the outro.

3.7 2x good stuff

Pretty fun album. Kick push is great.

Other than Outro, I enjoyed this.

I'm wondering if I should give this an 8/10 since the tracks I like are so strong, meaning 4 stars? Or keep it at 3. I'll go 4. Prediction rating: 3.08

A very big experience with satisfying and catchy tracks It's so cinema that it gets a feature-film's worth of credits at the end

I was unfamiliar with Lupe Fiasco before this, but this album is a really good rap album. Might rise to 5 stars after multiple listens.

Nice sound and good fun. The outro track is really just a joke though

Really strong album. Mix of musical styles. Great lyrics.

Held my attention much more effectively than I thought it would. Once again, the length of the album is a problem. The availability of space on a CD just makes it too easy to include everything, when a bit less would serve the work better. Lupe also felt the need to read the credits, acknowledgements, and liner notes as the final track, since no one would ever read them from the little booklet packed with the CD. That was twelve minutes that Lupe could have spent letting me listen to something else. Let's pour one out for some contemporary Alt-Hip-Hop artists who probably didn't make the list. Atmosphere, Flobots, Why?, and Blu & Exile, ...we remember ya. Now...how about that Run the Jewels? That's coming up soon, right? Right?

Didn't know what to expect, but it was better than I thought. Very cinematic. Liked the skateboarding song.

8/10 - very good hip hop album, I should've given Lupe Fiasco a closer look in the past, his lyrics are much deeper than on the surface

Remember Lupe from my teenage days. Had some bangers, although only one or two on here. Really liked this though, up there with any of the socially conscious albums we’ve had so far. Daydreamin’ is an absolute tune as well. Simpsons: No

Enjoyed it.

Personal enjoyment: 4/5 Relevance to this list: 5/5

Some pretty good songs, pretty cool beats. I feel like I should check this guy out more now. Soft 4

Fantastic!

This album was a pleasant surprise! Based on the album cover, I expected this to be pretty cheesy, and of an era of hip-hop/R&B that I've never really enjoyed. This definitely had that era's sound, but the main difference is that it is actually good! Not quite a 5, and I could do without the 12 minute outro, but I'll be coming back to this one.

Great beats, lyrics, flow. "Kick Push" is one of the most creative songs I have ever heard. Also the message on the album is authentic as Lupe is one of a kind. This falls down a bit cause I think it is too long and I start getting kind of bored half way through. Case in point the "Outro" song is heartfelt and real and it is way too long. 3.5/5 though pushed to 4 for being so real.

First listen to a decent album.

Intro - 8 (strings) Real - 7 Just might be ok - 8 kick push - 10 i gotcha - 7 the instrumental - 8 he say she say - 9 sunshine - 8 daydreamin - 9 the cool - 7 hurt me soul - 8 pressure - 7 american terrorist - 8 the emperors soundtrack - 7 kick push II - 8 outro - 0

Had a lot of fun re-listening to this debut; this and his second album The Cool (2007) were in heavy rotation in the dorm and on my iPod my freshman year. This was like a breath of fresh hip hop air, both then and now; Lupe has such a unique sound. Each track has a distinct sound and feel, the production is top-notch, and his flow and lyricism are so smooth. The lyrics are sometimes funny, sometimes serious, and each song tells a story that has you hooked from the opening bars. I love this album, I’m sad he fell off my radar; I’ll be spending the rest of the day checking out his other albums. The only thing keeping this album from an emphatic 5 is the 12:20 outro track where he’s just saying names of people he likes over a basic beat. Get rid of that, and it’d be perfect. In addition to continuing to make music, he has gotten 2 black belts in karate and wushu, 2 black belts in samurai sword fighting, and has been a guest professor at MIT and Johns Hopkins. Fuck with Lupe at your own peril! A strong-ass 4/5

I really enjoyed this one. I was happily surprised to see Lupe Fiasco on this list — I don’t know this album but he was definitely a part of my music experience growing up.

Cannot believe I'm just listening to this for the first time. Love it and need to give it many listens to pick up the details--the samples are great, the feel immaculate. Great recommendation!

Some great songs on here. Took me by surprise because I hadn't heard about Lupe really. And I didn't mind the 12 minute outro. It gives you a perspective of how many people can be involved in helping a musician becoming successful!

Wasn't super impressed at first, but this one grew on me. B Side much better than A side

Feeling all the Kanye vibes without the Kanye. Would I listen to again? Sure.

Kick, Push is such a tune.

Pretty wild compositions here

Never listened to this when it came out, but I was impressed with the lyrics and the flow. Beats were solid, of course, but I was more into the lyrics on this one.

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this

This feels like a snapshot of a very specific time in rap history. Lots of Chicago artists coming through with these big, beautifully produced records. It doesn’t hold up quite as well as some of its contemporary counterparts but pretty great for a debut album.

me surpreendeu MUITO

great stuff, it’s a shame he peaked with this album

I have been tuned in to Lupe Fiasco for quite some time and love this record. There is the occasional lyrical misstep, but there isn't much to complain about here. Kick/Push, I Gotcha, Sunshine, and Daydream are right up there with some of the best hip hop tracks. Sunshine wins for me. Something about heavy samples and pad stabs....I dunno. He is also a super interesting dude if you decide to check him out. Interesting upbringing, multiple black belts. Smart dude. 4.5/5

4 Push. Kick. Coast.

Closer to a 4.5

Wow, haven’t heard this name in a while. This was honestly pretty good but every song felt like it had the same beat and cadence. Kick Push was the only one I recognized. Loved that outro where he thanks seemingly every person he’s ever come across. Light 4.

I liked this much better than most of the rap/hiphop that has been on the list. It had good beats and rhythms and the lyrics were pretty smart. Some R&B feeling songs too. I was amused by the Jerry Garcia namecheck in the second or third song and I liked the song about skateboarding a lot.

I thought this album improved as it continued. Lupe Fiasco had a lot to say here and the songs reflected that. I only knew “kick push” and “daydream” before listening and enjoyed hearing those in the context of the other songs here. The 10 minute mixtape style thank you track however was inexcusable.

A great Discovery for me. Nice songs, I highly recommend It.

Really liked a couple of songs - We will not be lovers and The stolen girl

I liked this! Some cool songs, I liked the one that sampled daydreaming

Lupe is a mix of Jay-Z and Kanye (which makes sense since the signed/produced him), but he's a little more "folksy" than both of them. He's a storyteller - "Kick and Push" is a great examples, but most of the tracks are similar in that regard. It's great (and under-appreciated).

"Uh Yeah, Uh Yeah, Uh yeah" 👌

Great album.

Actually pretty great! Nice composition of samples, interesting flows and lyrics and a lot (a lot) of shoutouts!

Pretty decent, liked the sound.

Solid 3.5, rounded up because I was surprised by how good it was as a whole album!

Brought me back to summers as a kid…it could be a 3 star album, but when you look more into Lupe’s life both past and present one realizes just how good this actually is

Damn it's been a minute since I heard this one. Really appreciating the production on this listen, especially all the beats Lupe did himself. Easy to see how this project was a massive influence on all my favorite rappers growing up. Crazy consistent flow throughout, definitely dated but the bars are still there

This is actually good Rap.

This is a hell of an album. A great example of conscience hip hop on a major label. The album picks up at Daydream and maintains a great pace until the last sing which is just shout outs. American Terrorist and Daydream are two of the best songs of the last 20 years.

Lupe can be a little corny sometimes but this is still a crazy good debut album.

Hitting hard right out of the gate, the first two tracks introduce a packed and lush soundscape. Some real standout tracks, with allusions to and inspirations from old school and a big dose of Jay Z with an all new sound, somehow.

From Mural I know that Lupe Fiasco is capable of absolute top-drawer rap, so how does he fare on his debut record, 9 years prior to that? The answer is as if you’re listening to a veteran of the genre. Employing an easy enough narrative (you got your food, and you got your liquor) and enlisting the help of both new-ish voices and experienced MCs (Jay-Z being a highlight on Pressure) to create a rap album that’s over an hour but also one that justifies its runtime completely. Notwithstanding the 12-minute Outro which serves as a spoken-word alternative to the ‘thank you’ section of the liner notes, which is interesting, I suppose. Again with very lyrical albums, it’s hard to judge just how good they are on first listen. But this time, my first listen has felt like I’m listening to an old friend. There will undoubtedly be many repeats of this, as I have done already with Mural, which isn’t matched by anything here, but the style is there. Shout out to Lupe Fiasco, shout out to rateyourmusic.com, shout out to music streaming (not really), and shout out to the 1001 albums generator.

Surprisingly good. I enjoyed it pretty much. Good instrumentals, good lyrics and vocals, this had it all.

Smooth and compelling flow. Vivid lyricism. Raps about some really interesting themes and for the most part avoids the usual gangsta rap clichés which i found somewhat refreshing. Beats are pretty well put together with a wide range of samples used. Outro was unecessarily long and monotonous. I would perhaps have enjoyed a few more stripped back tracks with more casual beats where the focus was more on the rapping as I think the lyricism is the strongest element of the music. On that note I think 'The Cool' is probably my favourite track. Or maybe 'Kick Push'. Or maybe 'He Say She Say'. 8/10

This was really good.

i only had vague knowledge of mr. fiasco before this listen, but i instantly recognized "kick, push" and "daydreamin'" - the rest of the album did not disappoint!! happy to be introduced to mr. fiasco as i will be checking out his other stuff. highlights - kick, push, the instrumental, daydreamin', american terrorist

Now this was a fun surprise to get. I used to bump "Kick, Push" so much back in early middle school. I hadn't heard the rest of the album in almost 20 years. The thundering production and Lupe's smooth flows are a great combo.

Solid, enjoyable hip hop grooves with a few strong standouts. The album feels at it’s strongest in the middle section.

I recognized the name, but not the atrocious album cover. So much better than I had expected, but not reinventing the genre in any way. Although, it's worth sitting through the whole project just to get to the outro. Literally one of the best songs I've ever heard. I love it when they spend a fifth of an hour just saying names. That’s just stellar. And he was able to increase the run time by twenty percent. So besides the outro, I’d say Lupe has a lot of charisma and talent and a knack for finding a unique way to do song styles that have gone stale. Otherwise, not too much of note. The album lost range long before the outro started. I enjoyed it. 4/5

Questo album spacca dall'inizio alla fine, mi ha fatto ritrovare una delle mia canzoni preferite inconsciamente. Non me lo aspettavo, mi ha pure sollevato un po' la giornata

#DÍA 30: 1001 Discos Que Hay Que Escuchar Antes De Morir (English Translation Below) Buenas tardes, toca viajar a tiempos en los que ya estaba vivo, 2006. De Lupe Fiasco escuché su álbum del año pasado, Samurai, que me encantó y me despertó bastante curiosidad por su estilo, principalmente su forma de rimar y los conceptos locos de canciones. Aquí se trata de un glorioso debut tras llamar la atención en su colaboración con Kanye West en Touch the Sky, cuya influencia es de notar a lo largo de todo este LP. Aunque a mi ver esto es solamente en el aspecto instrumental, muy luminoso y maximalista, puesto que Lupe en el micro es mucho más complejo a nivel lírico. El proyecto arranca con una presentación del concepto general por su hermana Ayesha Jaco, un concepto sobre bien y mal (Food & Liquor). Las reflexiones sobre moralidad, ya sean a un nivel individual como social, abundan a lo largo de la lista de canciones. Un ejemplo es Hurt Me Soul, un tema en el que Lupe revela cómo su amor por la cultura del Hip Hop es confuso por la actitud misógina y cercana al crimen que promueve, pero también entiende la capacidad de este arte para reflejar una realidad invisibilizada. Otra canción interesantísima es Kick, Push, en la que a partir de un concepto sencillo —un chaval que ama hacer skate— trata sobre cómo la pasión de uno a veces puede ser minimizada por el resto, sin embargo llega a dar sentido a la vida del individuo (aunque como se revela en Kick, Push II, realmente esta pasión también era una forma de escape ante un ambiente privado complicado). En general es un proyecto implacable, con otros temas cargados de contenido lírico, como The Instrumental, que se adelantó bastante a nuestro presente acerca de la adicción a las pantallas o el lavado de cerebro; o He Say She Say, que trata de un modo muy psicológico la perspectiva de dos hermanos ante la falta de un padre; o American Terrorist, con un sentido crítico ante lo que él percibe como una mala interpretación de las distintas lecturas sagradas, lo que ha llevado a muchas guerras y opresión racial a lo largo de la historia. Pese a la fuerza de gran parte de los temas de este LP, hay algunos otros que son algo más olvidables, como Real que no tiene el mismo virtuosismo lírico que brilla en el resto de canciones; o la Outro, que pese a que en verdad admiro que Lupe se molestase en ocupar 12 minutos de su proyecto en agradecimientos, no termina siendo la escucha más entretenida del mundo… Aún así es un disco increíble como debut que me da ganas de escuchar más de su discografía para entender mejor cómo llegó al sonido de Samurai en 2024. Favoritas: Kick, Push; The Instrumental, He say She Say, Sunshine, Daydreamin’, Hurt Me Soul, American Terrorist, Kick Push II Menos favorita: Outro #DAY 30: 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die Good afternoon, time to travel back to when I was already alive: 2006. I first listened to Lupe Fiasco’s album from last year, Samurai, which I loved and which really sparked my curiosity about his style, mainly his way of rhyming and the wild concepts behind his songs. Here we’re talking about a glorious debut after catching attention with his collaboration with Kanye West on Touch the Sky, whose influence can be felt throughout this LP. Although in my view, this is mostly on the instrumental side—bright and maximalist—since Lupe on the mic is much more complex lyrically. The project begins with an introduction to the overall concept by his sister Ayesha Jaco, a theme about good and evil (Food & Liquor). Reflections on morality—whether on an individual or social level—abound throughout the tracklist. An example is Hurt Me Soul, a track where Lupe reveals how his love for Hip Hop culture is conflicted due to the misogynistic and crime-driven attitude it often promotes, but he also recognizes the power of the art form to reflect an otherwise invisible reality. Another fascinating song is Kick, Push, where from a simple concept—a kid who loves skateboarding—he explores how one’s passion can sometimes be minimized by others, yet it can still give meaning to the individual’s life (although as revealed in Kick, Push II, this passion was also a way to escape a complicated private environment). Overall, it’s a relentless project, with other tracks packed with lyrical depth, like The Instrumental, which was way ahead of its time in addressing screen addiction and brainwashing; He Say She Say, which explores in a deeply psychological way the perspective of two siblings dealing with the absence of their father; or American Terrorist, with its critical take on what Lupe perceives as the misinterpretation of the different sacred texts, something that has led to many wars and racial oppression throughout history. Despite the strength of most of this LP’s tracks, there are a few that are a bit more forgettable, like Real, which doesn’t showcase the same lyrical virtuosity that shines elsewhere; or the Outro, which—even though I genuinely admire that Lupe took the time to dedicate 12 minutes of his project to thank-yous—doesn’t exactly make for the most entertaining listen… Even so, it’s an incredible debut that makes me want to dive deeper into his discography to better understand how he eventually arrived at the sound of Samurai in 2024. Favorites: Kick, Push; The Instrumental, He Say She Say, Sunshine, Daydreamin’, Hurt Me Soul, American Terrorist, Kick Push II Least favorite: Outro

глоток свежего воздуха, максималистский хип хоп. разнообразный инструментал, богатое звучание, моментами густое, моментами поразительно легкое Kick, Push

Pretty good all the way through. Second half was stronger. Fun listen.

The background music has a definite 70s influence -- much in the same way Usher and Bruno Mars have adopted a 70s aesthetic, except that Fiasco is a rapper.

i like: just might be ok daydreamin' hurt me soul american terrorist also whenever the lyrics did get into my brain, it was touching and honestly many based takes (in hurt me soul)

i wasnt sure what to expect but i ended up really enjoying this one, i think its my favorite so far. some of the samples were very familiar and id be curious to look into the album a little more deeply

Fire but not as good as lasers. There I said it

Good, flowy rap.

Beats are pretty sweet, I like the big band sound. Lyrics are fairly wholesome for hip-hop. Something about his rap cadence is annoying though. Fav track was I Gotcha. Bordering on 5 stars but it just didn't quite reach that level for me. The Intro really set the bar high when it claimed this was the start of new black revolution or something.

If I were approached in public to talk about Lupe Fiasco, chances are that the one thing I would recall off the top of my head would be "The Show Goes On" from his album Lasers, a song I enjoy that people can point to as the biggest highlight of his career. A couple of years after that, he went independent, and unless you were following his later material, it would appear as if he fell off the radar. It's rather bizarre to me, considering how much of the music industry was backing him up, especially given early connections he made with Jay-Z and Kanye West. Case in point, his debut album, Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor, made the most of this backing, and I consider it a success. Between the variety of sharp beats and instrumental motifs from the multiple producers on this record, as well as Lupe's lyrical flow and intricate wordplay, enough is going on here to keep me intrigued. Also helping matters is that Lupe chose to stray from any violence or misogyny in his subject matter as he felt that was too prevalent in hip-hop music. Instead, we have songs that get on the cusp of greater philosophical understanding, such as the dissection of human nature and the actions one can take on "Just Might Be OK", the chronicling of stages of life through the lens of a skateboarder on "Kick, Push", the obsession with electronic devices on "The Instrumental", to the challenging of hip-hop culture stereotypes on "Daydreamin'" and "Hurt Me Soul", and a rather scathing critique of the United States's track record with humanitarian efforts on "American Terrorist". Sure, in moments, there are opportunities to go lyrically deeper, and a couple of tracks deal with a similar theming of Lupe's reconciliation with hip-hop music in its then-current state and how to move forward within the scene. But, I would say for the most part, this album proved to be thoughtful and introspective in its approach. If anything, my issue with this album is that it is rather long. At the very least, I didn't feel the need to include a 12-minute outro where Lupe thanks everyone who was involved in his upbringing up to this point, no matter how small their contributions may have been. While well-intentioned, it does not feel necessary to the overall product. Still, I'm rather impressed with Food & Liquor. I certainly get the appeal of Lupe Fiasco as a lyricist, and it has me curious how the rest of his output has been.

Sometimes, I start listening to an album and I’m pretty unimpressed for the first couple of songs, and then something, usually a lyric, will catch me, and I’ll start listening with a different mindset, like a switch has been flipped. This album is one of those. For the first few songs, I was bored. It sounded too much like Kanye, I didn’t think the production was all that interesting, and it was just background noise. And then we got to I Gotcha, and the wordplay, the flow, the peppy beat - it just grabbed me. The album just got better from there. This is some of the best storytelling you’re going to get in a rap album of this era. This project needs more modern hip hop, and this is an absolutely worthy inclusion.

Lupe always stood out for me when I was listening to him at the time this came out. Admittedly never listened to this all the way through but glad to report that it mostly holds up. Couple highlights boost this but the beat quality and lyrical complexity keeps the fun vibe throughout.

Vill cool Sounds. Americans Terrorist mega cool.

hahaha shit das albumcover ich han echli angst wnl ok me ghört MEGA de kanye hanis gfühl? es isch mega vill gueti luune! uii I gotcha chli e wand hahaha the instrumental isch de mike shinoda track? tönt uf jede fall wie en chilligere linkin park oder crazy town track gege endi vomne album he say she say isch na cool aber 4 min lang immer chli s gliche sunshine kenni vo iwo??? daydreamin isch en banger! the cool het chli en ernstere ton american terrorist isch chli all over the place aber ich respektiers na hahahah 12 min outro :( also es passiert nüt crazy aber de beat isch iwie cool vodem her voll easy joo es müsst nöd so lang sii und lieder verschwümmed chli für mich ABER es git gueti luune und er tönt wie en cool dude

Surprised at how much I enjoyed this one. Production is over the top and the features are great. It's a healthy mix of classic hip hop and of the era sounds. -mitona

Introspective, thoughtful, and well produced. Lupe has a unique flow and this is coupled with thoroughly fleshed out rap songs. He raps for the purpose of education and not just entertainment and it comes through as powerful and engaging. The album itself takes a second to absorb into, but it builds presence throughout. Excellent. Only downslide is overall length and length of some songs.

surprised by the quality of the 2nd half and the extra star is for the 12 min outro

As much as I can like a straight hip hop album, this one was very enjoyable. Really impressive and fun production. Thought provoking lyrics and fun wordplay. Too bad he went crazy (from what I understand?)

Really good, reminded me of early Kanye. 9/10

Fantastic record. I loved “Kick, Push” when it came out and always thought Lupe was talented, but this album was better than I could have expected. Lyrically interesting, and Lupe has great flow. The diversity in topics was a nice change of pace as well. I loved all the different producers and collaborators as each song felt unique yet cohesive to the overall record. Especially enjoyed “The Instrumental” because Mike Shinoda’s contributions really did something fresh and new for the genre. And “Daydreamin’” was such a delight with Jill Scott’s vocals. The only thing I didn’t care for much was the “Outro.” Way too long and didn’t add anything to the album. Despite that, though, the album was absolutely stellar.

It's been a while since I heard some Lupe and everything I listened by him I liked a lot so I had no reason to think this would be any different, and it wasn't! This is just solid pop rap all the way through, many catchy and inventive beats, Lupe's always an engaging voice and even if it runs on a bit too long (Outro being basically a movie's end credits for 12 minutes is hilarious) I think this is still worth anyone's time, as is Lupe's music generally

I didn’t think I would but it grew on me

4.5 this reminds me of Kendrick, highly enjoyable!

Surprisingly pleasant, except for the Outro. I thank MySpace!

Wonderful, but could have been tighter. Would be 4.5 if half stars allowed.

God I wish this had .5 ratings. 4.5. Solid.

greattt album but the intro and outro are really dated and useless

Liked this. The 12 minute outro thanking people is a bit unnecessary, couldn't he have just put that in the liner notes? But anyway there's some good production here and the album is full of great hooks so overall it's decent. The Daydream sample is used nicely

Really liked this.

I hated this album upon first listen. Like 1-star, can’t even finish the album. So I put it on the back burner and here I am 10 months later giving it a retry. I don’t know what was wrong with me that first listen. This is fantastic. A little long, but enjoyable the whole way through.

modern classic

Daydream