Reviews (page 3 of 7)
Couldn’t really get into it, but that might just be me
Kick, Push is a certified classic. I don't think the rest of the record lives up to that one, but was a good listen overall.
Jay-Z jr.? I mean, imitation is the best form of flattery. It was cool…for rap. I’ve heard a lot worse.
1. intro - 0 2. real - 0 3. ok - 0 4. kick - 0 5. gotcha - 0 6. inztrumental - 1 7. zay -1 8. zunzhine - 1 9. dreaming - 2 10. cool - 1 11. zoul - 0 12. prezzure - 0 13. American - 0 14. Emperor - 0 15. puzh - 0 16. outro - 0 Zero piece of shit rapper
Pretty good.
Lupe’s lyricism is sharp and imaginative, but the album’s pacing can feel uneven. Some tracks hit hard while others drift without much impact. It’s a solid debut that shows promise more than polish.
Pas tant fan de ses arrangements.
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.
Actually pretty fire. just not phenomenal.
Förvånad att inte ha hört talas om denna person förut. Bra Ft.s och nice sampling
oh lupe, idk man, you KILLED it with some songs, but really lost me with the rest daydreamin and kick push were so epic, almost 3/4 worthy, but the rest of the album was so disappointing in comparison
Best Song: Kick, Push Do they still make Hypnotiq? They mention it in the intro and I remember it, and that baby blue bottle. As a Chiccagoan, I do appreciate the use of the term Food & Liquor, the Chicago version of a bodega. I enjoy hip hop, but I am not a hardcore hip hop head, by any means. This was ok. It had classic 2006 Kanye, Jay-Z vibes to it. However, as a middle of the road fan of the genre, it is not every day that I listen to this kind of music and if 2006 Jay-Z or Kanye vibes I'm looking for, I will listen to them and give this a pass since this doesn't really break any new ground, in my opinion. 3/5.
With no clue what I was getting into I found a lot of genuine weirdness to love on this album. At first glance the length looked egregious, but it zipped along pretty good…up until THE BAD IDEA. I cannot co-sign on THE BAD IDEA: to end the album by reading the liner notes over a mundane beat for 12 full minutes. I’m naming THE BAD IDEA the “Starshedder”. My oldest said it best: “I don’t get going through the effort of naming every single person on earth.” Word, son. Word.
Thought this was fine, but zero skateboard videos using “kick, push” is a bit of an indictment
Fun unique hip hop album - considered a 4 but as mentioned by others, that 12 min outro sucks some of the energy out of the end of this album.
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.
top 3 - Daydreamin’, Hurt Me Soul, The Emperor’s Soundtrack. I don’t have much to say, liked how it sounds though. Would come back to certain songs rather than the full album.
I remember having a friend in high school who was really into Lupe Fiasco, but over the years I had totally forgotten who it was she was into. That kinda led me to think that this would be a more immature-sounding album, but as it turns out that's not the case at all (despite the DS on the cover)! There's some pretty interesting production going on here at times, though the songs themselves don't really stand out all that much.
Not my jam
I think he’s a better rapper than lyricist. I like the way he sounds more than what he says.
While I thought this got off to a slow start and was upset that he didn't give me a shoutout on the insanely long last track where he gave props to half the country I found the middle of the album to be excellent. I loved his lyrical story telling, while I don't think he is quite as technically or lyrically gifted as Nas or Kendrick Lamar he has a similar style.
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.
Most creative filler oat
Alright i guess. Not really my genre.
Wasn’t all that impressed with this album. It starts out interesting and you think it’s going to be an experimental rap album but the first song is so poorly written it just takes it all away. There’s some redemption but this one wasn’t for me.
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.
Loved the music, don't care for the rap
Refreshing and excellent.
Love this album. Love this guy. Kick, Push was goated af I'm excited to hear the rest of this. I love his storytelling style it's so engaging. I can see why he was hailed as the saviour of hiphop. The production is stunning it truly changes the entire vibe. The lyrics and narratives are stunning as well but the production takes it from good to amazing whoever produced this actually has a golden ear this is so good. It’s kind’ve Kanye-esque in the way it’s very grand like the backing track is so intricate. The use of strings reminds me of MBDTF. I’m pretty sure he had a hand in this so it makes sense. Wow 2006. Before I was born. The things he’s rapping about are handled with so much grace as well. Mr. Fiasco I was familiar with your game but this had blown me out of the water. Ohh a woman and a beautiful sounding guy as well oh my god this is gracing my ears. Fuck the axial skeleton bro. Fuck glycolysis I have Lupe Fiasco’s Food & Liquor. When talking about this album would you say Lupe Fiasco’s Lupe Fiasco’s Food & Liquor or just Lupe Fiasco’s Food & Liquor. Questions questions. Damn you’re my sunshine moonlight and stars?? Babyirl. Fuck yeah we daydreamin. You won’t break my soul. You won’t break my soul. You won’t break my soul. And Jay-Z is even on this that’s crazy. Beyonce you haunt the narrative. Yeah man fuck America. Fuck yeah. Lupe Fiasco you are out of this world. This emperor is crazy. Amazing. Stunning. No notes. Favourite: Just Might be OK Least favourite: The Cool
It has some great tunes on it. Kick/push and daydreamin are great. The rest of the album sounds alike. Did not age well
Enjoyed this, but largely faded into the background during my listen - not a bad thing, but nothing really pulling me back here. Some outstanding tracks though.
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.
One of my foundational albums. Such an influential album for all of rap.
Oof this was a too long album! I really like “Daydreamin’” but that was all. The rest of the album wasn’t as interesting. I appreciate the difficult topics Lupe Fiasco touched upon, and I admire him for that. Cool to see all the collabs, too.
I had heard of but wasn't particularly familiar with Lupe Fiasco. Upon listening to this, I feel like his work is very inspired by, or at the very least, in line with Kanye West's style. There really wasn't anything wrong with this album, but nothing on it really caught me. The production, lyrics, and beats were all decent and felt innovative, but yeah. I was honestly just pretty bored.
Americano rubbish full of foul language in an attempt to sound hip and cover over the cracks in the poor production. What a wanker. Brainless American shit, like all American music is.
cool rhymes and beats
pretty good, nice
Rap, with interesting instrumentation
I didn’t listen too much but it hurt my ears. This album just is not music, art, or anything good. 0/5.
This album cover is so funny to me. It made me expect this album to be super corny. Luckily, it wasn’t actually that corny at all. The beats were catchy, and there was some pretty good lyricism. I did feel like it overstayed its welcome though. The cover is so funny man.
That absolutely ruled. Had never heard of this guy (these guys?), this album or any song on it before - complete blank heading in, and was not optimistic based on the last few of these along these lines. Absolutely blown away.
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.
Not much to say about this album. It was fine, but it's not really for me. The only track that stood out to me was American Terrorist. Other than that, this album was far too long and the 12 minute outro track shouting out all the people he's thankful for is just annoying. Seriously, why is this needed on any album?
Intro - 2/5 Real - 3/5 Just Might Be OK - 3/5 Kick, Push - 5/5 I Gotcha - 4/5 The Instrumental - 5/5 He Say She Say - 5/5 Sunshine - 4/5 Daydreamin' - 5/5 The Cool - 3/5 Hurt Me Soul - 3/5 Pressure - 4/5 American Terrorist - 4/5 The Emperor's Soundtrack - 3/5 Kick, Push II - 4/5 Outro - 1/5 Average score: 3.6/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ this generator is really pushing conscious hip-hop my way, damn i know of Lupe Fiasco, but never really bothered to look into his music over the years. since hip-hop is sort of a hit-or-miss genre for me in general, and 2010s hip-hop in particular is... unique, i was ready to write this off as mediocre at best honestly, for an album coming out of thay era, it's actually not as bad as i thought it'd be. Lupe's a pretty eloquent lyricist. i think the huge cast of producers behind him only amplified his performance and helped showcase his talents (even if the synth-heavy production for some tracks are slightly dated) that being said, the outro is like, unacceptably long. it's essentially a pretty a 12 minute shout-out. like, this could've been an email my guy i think if they trimmed that outro off the tracklist all together (or at least made it waaaay shorter), this would've just made the cut to being a 4-star album in my book. oh well
Man, I really don't like hip hop. Like straight up hip hop, no other elements to it. It's a bit different from the old-school style though, that much is noticeable, even to my untrained ear.
Only really remember Kick, Push. Shiny, maximalist production. Pretty solid rhymes. Pretty politically conscious. Pretty good.
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
more super sweet, super swaggy and super duper cognizant hip hop music from the 2000s. and wouldn't you know, it's produced by some of the biggest names. i love hip hop with meaning, this one not only focuses on commentary in general, but also a introspective, historical lens, which is pretty damn cool if you ask me. this is a true hip hop relic from two decades ago, it really sounds such and some of the music videos are dated in probably the best way, you know what i'm saying? this one is awesome.
Alcune basi sono carine. Ma niente di più
I enjoyed this one, but it's also a bit forgettable.
Solid.
Daydreamin’ and kick push are good… honestly his album “Lasers” is much better than this one
I really enjoyed this and loved the political lyrics!
Great example of a 3*. I enjoyed it, but nothing got me overly excited to hear again
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
A good 20 minutes too long and utterly nonsensical.
pretty good, probably one of the longer outro songs I've come across though.
Just felt like a waste of time. The music itself was fine, but not sure why they felt compelled to put him on this list instead of other hip hop artists.
Not my jam, but was good for the jam it is. I can see why he was on Kanye album, seems consistent with his sound.
Lupe Fiasco has genius level lyrics and rhyme schemes. And he was like the only rapper of that mid-oughts era that was doing this so well, the first herald of the return to focus on actual skill that others like Kendrick Lamar, J Cole and Logic later built on. At the same time, his beat selection is sometimes inconsistent. The first two tracks don't resonate with me, despite the clever lyrics. But this album overall sounds great, especially compared to some of his later albums. Kick, Push, I Gotcha and the Instrumental are great tracks. Daydreamin' is an excellent track I'd forgotten about--haven't heard it for a while. And The Cool a great track, kind of foreshadowing Lupe's next album. Jay-Z feature comes off great. Lupe's contributions to hiphop are super important, and were absolutely paramount compared to the mostly BS artists of his era. 5/5
Aggressively mediocre 2000s R&B which does not even begin to compete with albums that came out around the same time. Too long too.
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.
Awesome. Superb listen.
HipHop? Nö!
Too repetitive.
I've never liked hip-hop. The lyrics are just nonsense and sound like they were written in about 10 minutes. There's no real talent here
Better than anticipated.
3,5
Boring sounding. Listening to this was actually torture and I think doing anything else would of been more enjoyable. 1 star.
its not terrible, I just don't see me seeking it out .
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
Aika peruskauraa, yllätyin ku oli 2006, olin varma että ysärillä tehty. Jälkeenjääny jätkä!
On kai tässä jotain ideaa, mutta ei oo räppihommat edelleenkään mun juttu.
Iha kiva.
Hauska kyllä että miten eri tavalla nää levyt menee. Eilen hujahti Harrisonin levyn kanssa kaksi tuntia tuosta vaan, kun nyt Lupe Fiascon kohdalla katselin jo kolmannen biisin kohdalla että joko tää paska lohta loppuu. Omaan korvaan ihan tusinaräbäytystä, ja biiteistäkään ei jäänyt mitään käteen. Ihan jonninjoutavaa paskaa. Täysi fiasko!
Daydreamin’ is good. The rest I can live without. 2/5
Meh
Interesting. But not really that much so.
boring
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.
Sorry Lupe, dit was m niet
Dit wordt online vergeleken met grootheden in de hiphop en ik moet bekennen dat ik daar weinig van snap. Ja, Lupe heeft prima flows en de productie hier is sterk, maar het klinkt ook heel... commercieel ofzo? Daarnaast is dit echt giga bloated, begin ff wat filler te snoeien voor je op release klikt lmao.
Non è il mio genere, mi sono bastate 3 canzoni per dire no
Really good rap album. Fun and accessible, with great beats that sample myriad of different sources (my favorites are when they sample big orchestral arrangements). Catchy sung hooks and overall good vibes. That last song didn't need to be so long though. Key tracks: Kick, Push The Instrumental Daydreamin'
Yes! Another record that proves itself worthy of this list! Never ever heard of this guy, but I'm a sucker for hip-hop with exquisite instrumentals, and this certainly falls into that category for me. Okay, so Outro is pretty damn long (just say 'Thanks everyone' and keep under 2 minutes!), but what a solid record. Favourite tracks: Real, Just Might Be OK (the panned plane sample is fire), Kick, Push, I Gotcha, He Say She Say, The Cool, Pressure, American Terrorist.
This was much better than I expected. I know I heard several songs off of this album back when it came out but "Kick, Push" is the one that really made an impression. Lupe's vocal delivery isn't great but the beats are very good, if a little dated.
Great hiphop Album
In a word: smooth. Couple of different genres swirling about.
Pleasantly surprised! Holds up well after 20 years, nice mix of hip-hop and r&b, a nice listen!
I'm a high 2/low 3. The album is too long (including the outro), and it sounded a bit generic in parts for me. Every track felt so full it made it feel overproduced.
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
Commercial and easy listening.
It takes a bit of time for Food & Liquor to get started but once the mission statement Kick, Push begins things are in full flow. He is a talented rapper and the production is plush, expansive and radio ready in an enjoyable way. The album’s momentum peaks in the middle but then drops off a cliff with the overlong credits / thank you track. I wish I could pretend this track didn’t exist as the album is already a tad long without it and for me it brings the whole project’s score down. The biggest indulgence of the CD era?
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
not bad. "daydreamin'" is a jam. like the jay-z tune. horrible album cover. and where's the bass in the mix?
Even after many attempts, I still can't get into hip-hop. It's not music. 1/5
bello, probabilmente l'album di hip hop che mi è piaciuto di più (anche se sono ignorante in materia)
Kick push! Daydreaming!
This is #day562 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… somehow, during my teenage years, this name never crossed my radar, so this is a first for me. Very much a product of the early '00s. It was fun to hear Mike Shinoda's signature on "The Instrumental." Honestly, I think Fort Minor would've been a more appropriate inclusion. Also, that 12-minute outro... Kind of a fiasco. Let it be a 2 out of 5. Looking forward to #day563.
sounds ahead of its time
Pretty good albeit a tad self indulgent. His style is different than most which I can appreciate. Just tone down the ego a tad.
One of my favorite albums of the early 00s
I only knew Lupe Fiasco as a feature on a Kanye song ("Touche Lupe!") I knew some songs on this album! I have a new respect for Lupe Fiasco. I will be revisiting this album. it was really good!!
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!
Motherfucker, your debut album (which is the epitome of "entirely mid and forgettable but relatively harmless") does not in any way merit a 12 minute 14 second long outro track. "Shoutout to everybody"? Shut the fuck up, man. Such a weird inclusion for this book.
I couldn't listen to this properly because of my migraine, but it did sound like fairly pleasant early 00s rap fair to me. Like if Kanye hadn't gone wrong; a nice, solid early 00s rap. It does the job! And then apparently he went on to academia - good for him!! The world needs more thinkers ("where are all the thinkers?" - FKA Twigs).
First off, the most 2006 album cover of all time! This is really ambitious hip hop and kudos for the amount of big ideas going on, the production values are really slick in a 2006 way, the flow is perfect. And yet it's just lacking that bit of weirdness and edge that I really enjoy in hip hop. A classic example of an objectively good album that just ain't for me, sorry Lupe! Like, say what you want about Kanye, but in this era he would take an album this slick and just push it into a much weirder and stranger space that would be way more engaging to listen to ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I didn't hate this as much as I'd expected. Quite enjoyed the general vibe of the music, and the vocal didn't draw too much attention away from it. Usual complaints about the self-aggrandising rubbish in the lyrics. Why the hell does this need a 12 minute outro of "shout outs"? It's like the credits at the end of a movie - the bit where everyone stands up and walks out before they finish scrolling. There wasn't even a post credits bonus scene.
This album was good. The outro is the only track I didn't listen to as it got a little long. I don't jive with most hip hop but I didn't hate this.
Prefer the Cool album, but this one is also great.
That album cover screams 2006!
not bad
I guess don't judge a book by it's cover cause this is pretty solid, enjoyable so far, I can see 3 stars easily here
Actually really enjoyed this album, the album art is epic as well. Just great raps and lyrics, i would come back to htis one.
Yawn
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.
Lupe = fiasco
Like this a lot, he's unique. Would cut that last song, way too long.
Não gostei. Achei bem Kanye west Que também não gosto
A hip hop cliche that is filled with all of the usual "socially conscious" boredom. That Outro is a an outright eye-rolling musical sin. About the only thing I enjoyed was the maximalist instrumental arrangements and production techniques. Every time I started to enjoy a song, he would ruin it with non-stop victimhood mind-set, or the gratuitous use of hip hop cliches like the N-word. All that said, I did appreciate what appeared to be a lack of misogyny that would appear in other hip hop albums from 2006. This album might appeal to hip hop audiences, but I don't hear why this album needs to be on this list. Just another hip hop album, it doesn't seem essential in any particular way. Nothing here that had not been done before. Not something I will ever need to hear again. Someone else said Kmart Kanye, and I couldn't stop laughing.
Pleasantly surprised by this!
OK, but not for me. 2/5
bad
This is another new to me artist and album. I have to say when I saw Hip Hop, 16 tracks, 72 minutes long and the Intro started, I cringed and thought what a fuckaroo way to start a Monday. Then Real started and I did a complete 180. Dig the up-tempo beats, dig the flow, dig all the reverb on the music and vocals. Really dig Jill Scott, that woman has a set of pipes and her song is probably the best track on the album. Hurt Me Soul and Kick, Push are also standout. Quick aside, it's nice to see The Emperor's Soundtrack using music from UFO. They should have at least 2 albums on this list. Michael Schenker is one of the greatest hard rock/heavy metal guitarists ever and his only inclusion on this list being a sample on a Hip Hop album is kinda suckish. But anyway, this is probably the best post 2000's Hip Hop album I've gotten so far. Lupe has way above average lyrical content. Dig it.
Ich bin kein Freund von Rap-Musik. Das Album ist aber melodisch und Fiascos Stimme angenehm. 2/5
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.
It’s a 5. Hell, it might be higher. Putting aside the 12 minutes of practically bonus track filler that is “Outro”, that is a tight, TIGHT 60 minutes that never once misses a beat. Fantastic production across the board from everyone involved; a cavalcade of producers, really. Out of all the beats here, “Kick, Push” is probably the most ‘classic’, just by virtue of the song’s popularity, but I think the best beat is on “I Gotcha”. Something about the Neptunes’ production just clicked for me there. It’s a little overproduced, maybe, but something about the bombast of each track feels like a hallmark of this era of conscious rap, trying to blend the sophistication of the lyrics with appropriately ‘sophisticated’ production. It’s something that a lot of artists have maintained into the modern day, though with more electronica thrown into the mix. It’s a shame some of the lyricists haven’t quite kept up, but some of them are trying out here. Obviously, beats are only half the album, and the other half belongs to Lupe’s lyrics & flow. I’ve only known Lupe Fiasco from his biggest hits, and those big hits undermine just how fucking good he is as a writer, my goodness. These are all cleverly written with some wordplay in spades, but they never stray too far into the realm of complexity to not get the core of the track & what he’s trying to say. The only time he gets a little too cute with it is on “Pressure”, but when you’re on a track with JAY-Z, you kinda have to match the energy. When he’s absolutely flowing, and the lyrics can match just how catchy that flow feels to listen to, it’s easy to enter a zen state where following along feels extremely simple. I think “Hurt Me Soul” might be my favorite one in terms of the lyrics, but every track here has at least one killer line that sums up the whole track nicely. I do think “The Instrumental” might be a little repetitive, but that’s part of the Linkin Park-esque charm of it all, somehow. Ultimately, it’s such a densely composed album that I think it’d be tough to go through track by track & really dig into why this is as good as it is. It’s literally just an album you need to listen to understand, and even on a first pass, it feels like a hip-hop classic that my brain missed for whatever reason, even with “Kick, Push” being in my orbit for at least a decade. I’m kicking myself for not having listened to it (or any full Lupe album) until now, & I certainly need to go listen to “The Cool” at the very, very least. I think it’s an easy 5, if not a bit higher; honestly, if “Outro” wasn’t here, it could legitimately be a 10. It is THAT good. A dazzling debut record, a modern classic, and something you definitely should listen to before you die. I really, REALLY liked it.
Better than I was expecting.
Another one & done.
I want to give this 3 1/2 stars. Great lyrics without false bravado. If I were to put this in heavy rotation, I think I would end up loving it more.
The daily ritual I'm trying to get into with this is: Listen to a few songs of the day's album while I'm getting ready in the morning, and then ask myself, "Am I taking this with me, or do I want to listen to something else?" In other words, will I continue listening in the car on the way to work, or no? Those albums that make the car are 4's and 5's. This album really had me going back and forth with this decision. From, "Oh yeah, I'm bumping this!" to, "Ehh, maybe not." Ultimately, it did not make the car. Worth noting, however, making the car on a Friday is a little more difficult, as I'm generally in the mood for something familiar I can sing along to.
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.
I listened to this when it came out since he’s a Chicago guy and the album was well reviewed. Kick, Push is super great but doesn’t really have anything close to an equal.
based on the first four tracks
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.
Better than I expected, I never really dug into Lupe’s discography. High 3
Yesterday I was assigned Dizzee Rascal's Boy in the Corner to listen to and its invention and originality make this a hard listen. The production on this is of the "More is more" variety. No kitchen sink could have been safe within a 5km radius of the studio, so many were thrown in. At times it sounds like a MOR sixties album there's so many strings and choirs happening. It's the Bert Kaempfert of rap. And then the lyrics. Sincere, but awkward, hearing them is like finding a sensitive16 year old's secret diary under his mattress and when you read it it's full of serious thoughts about the world and all if it expressed in a self-important naivity that lands with a thud. Lust, sometimes can override trust So death might not let me live. You're the starry skies above me Won't you please come down and hug me Are examples of the sort of thing. Put it on while you're ironing your shirt and it'll be a fair background. Listen to it as I think it was intended - as an important statement about the world - and its just ... not...
This album got a little better for me with each listen. Can't say I'm too impressed with the singer's voice, singing style but the it had a nice grooving vibe to it. Thought the first half was pretty generic and got a little better in the 2nd. I'm really most impressed with the guest singers. Jill Scott in Daydreamer was very good along with Matthew Santos in American Terrorist were a couple of my favorites. Favorite tune was Pressure, but also enjoyed Hurt Me So, The Emperors Soundtrack, Daydreamer and American Terrorist. Funny thing about American Terrorist, under the pedo regime, we have become the enemy of the rest of the world. US gov't are the terrorist. F em all. Album was OK. It had it's good moments and some pretty decent tunes. 3
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.
01) Intro - 5,5 02) Real - 7,0 03) Just Might Be OK - 7,0 04) Kick, Push - 8,0 05) I Gotcha - 7,5 06) The Instrumental - 7,5 07) He Say She Say - 7,5 08) Sunshine - 7,5 09) Daydreamin' - 9,0 10) The Cool - 7,0 11) Hurt Me Soul - 7,5 12) Pressure - 7,0 13) American Terrorist - 7,5 14) The Emperor's Soundtrack - 7,0 15) Kick, Push II - 7,0 16) Outro - 5,5 TOTAL: 7,19 (72/100) Current ranking: 422/813
Quando vi a capa do álbum pensei que ia ser horrível, mas não. Acaba por ser um bom 3/5, ouve-se super bem, boa produção e bons feats. Mais de 1h10 mas não se torna aborrecido.
Celkom ma album prekvapilo použitím rôznych štýlov v podmazoch. Na rapový album u mňa skvelo. Ale asi to už nebudem počúvať.
I actually enjoyed this album more than I thought I would!
J'ai vraiment kiffé mon écoute et la vibe de l'album. Mention spéciale pour Daydreaming
I love Lupe's smooth delivery as he spits about real world problems, dispelling the notion that all rap is misogynous and profane. I personally think that with this being his debut album, he only grew his artistry after this LP. As a result, it's one of his weakest, least conceptual albums. It's not very thematically focused. Despite that it's strong example of quality conscious rap. I will say the intro and especially the outro are very skippable. It's 15 minutes of fat that easily could have been trimmed off of this lengthy album.
Lupe, why do you have to be a controversial individual. This was actually pretty good and I loved that part of the reason he strayed away from hip hop was because of the misogyny and vulgarity. He was trying to make a statement and work towards change, appreciating the life he grew up with but not glamorizing it and tearing others down. But then life happened... Overall this was pretty good and it made me dance, sing and think. I had a chance to discuss the points he was making and evoke others to think. Real, Just Might be Ok, Instrumental and American Tourist were all good. Kick, Push was such an awesome little love song and so catchy. The Outro didn't really seem necessary, seemed like the Grammy speech he knew they would cut short. This was good and made me want to listen to him more.
This sounds like nothing but noisy chaos. I’m sure it’s fine for its genre, but I’m not a fan of it.
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!
This album is fantastic and is beyond deserving of 5 stars HOWEVER the million minute outro thank you speech really tested me
Good samples and smart lyrics
Vibeee
An album worth listening to if you like hiphop/rap
Best groovy tbhhhh. Denk wel 4 ster waard
3.4 Reminds me of Tyler the creator. I like it.
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.
It’s was average, a few decent tunes on here, without being spectacular
Really enjoyed this album, nice to have something in the 2000s.
The production is just sonically overwhelming for me at times. I'm guessing this would be closer to 5 stars if it was just stripped down to Lupe Fiasco and an acoustic guitar. Having said that, it's still pretty good! You can definitely hear the Kanye influence. Liked Songs Added: Sunshine Daydreamin'
I got bored pretty quickly. Maybe I need a better context.
I really liked 'Kick push' when it came out. It was so different in the scale and subject of its lyrical concerns compared to most hip-hop; human, relatable, quotidian. It still stands up as one of the great examples of what hip-hop _could_ be, not just guns, hos and bling. It certainly caught a lot of attention at the time, which, in my opinion, led to the downfall of this album. Lupe Fiasco attracted too much attention, and that turned into high profile producers (Neptunes, Kanye, Mike Shinoda, etc) and guest verses (Jay-Z, Jill Scott). The result is something bigger scale, more symphonic, but ironically more standard. Most of this record sounds just like any other high budget album of its day. And don't get me started on the 12 minutes of shout-outs at the end of the record -- I didn't think there was anything worse than skits on records, but this is far worse. I still like 'Kick Push', and the 'Daydreamin' single, mostly for Jill Scott's presence, which is always worth the price of admission. It's a shame though, as Lupe Fiasco had the potential to be something really special. But this album isn't (those singles aside). 2,5 stars rounding up for two great singles
A lot to like, but dragged on at the end. Should have ditched the outro track.
I heard a couple songs before
Inoffensive, not bad, but also not for me.
This was not for me.
Cabron esta chida JAJAJA. DISCAZO por donde le busques, una excelente recomendación y uno más a la biblioteca.
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.
I liked some of this but it didn’t really get me goin
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.
I remember liking this a lot when it came out and a few years after. I havent listened to it since 2010ish, and I gotta say it holds up really well. Just really great beats, energy and fantastic lyricism. Kick Push and Daydreamin' are still my favorite tracks but this whole album is a smash hit from top to bottom.
Maaaan I’d forgotten this album but listening to it again hit me like a truck. I used to bump this shit all the time when it dropped. Kick Push was an anthem for young long boarding me. The rest of the album holds up so well and the production is stellar. The Cool was the standout track this time but Kick Push II also hit just right. Stellar lyricism and story telling. All around great album. Where is Lupe now?!? This dude should be a mega star
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.
I like the album and I like Lupe Fiasco but to me he is not influential so I guess I am failing to see why he is on this list. Overall its an 'ok' album. I can definitely think of better rappers that should be on this list over him. Fun fact...Mike knows the artist who designed this album cover.
Based on the title of the album, I wasn't sure at all what genre of music this was going to be, but as soon as I saw the album art I knew this one was going to be interesting. I was consistently impressed by this album, both for the insightful lyrics and the well-produced sound. The transition from "Sunshine" to "Daydreamin'" especially stuck out to me. It's overall a very fun album - even the outro where Mr. Fiasco pretty much reads out the liner notes for the album is fairly playful. Favorite track: There were several contenders, but "Daydreamin'" takes this one for a great use of one of my favorite samples.
Bien pero me falto un poco mas de cambios en la melodía para que no se vuelva tan repetitivo todo el tiempo a mi gusto
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.
Better than I expected. Actually one of the few rap albums that I really enjoyed. Not baroque but a bit complex with different kind of sampling etc. Lyrics sounded lame but I was not paying attention. He said a lot of times "Lupe Fiasco" in the rap fashion, which is funny for me for me. Too long, though.
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"
I see why this album is well regarded. Not my preferred kind of music, but it was enjoyable.
4.5
Had its good moments but overall pretty self-indulgent. A 12 minute outro of shout-outs sums the whole thing up. Just send your friends a text, dude. I didn’t need to hear all that.
Strong. Nice.
Was pretty good only previously knowing a song or two of his, outro woof, might need to give him more time rating could go up
Was very suprised when I saw this album pop up in the list. Not undeserving though. Very good album that has aged quite nicely. It's a bit overly long (especially the outro) and I don't enjoy every track, but overall a very enjoyable album. Album was a breath of fresh air when it was released and it still sounds good today. Overall a 3.5/5.
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!
Highlight: Kick Push In a nutshell: "representing the 1st & 15th" Conscious hip-hop gets a reboot for the 2000's. But not by someone from the east or west, but a Chicagoan. Clever sample choices. Blatantly obvious who was producing which tracks. It did sound bland in parts. Outro, although it is important to acknowledge those who helped Lupe make this (debut) album, could have been a secret track instead. Overall: 3/10
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
Jeg kjente Lupe Fiasco som en nobody som var featured på et eller flere Yeezy spor (jeg har gjort researchen min og funnet ut at det var Touch the Sky). For en stund tilbake fant jeg ut at han hadde to-tre solo-album som var regnet som bra -- blant annet dette -- men jeg hadde ikke regnet med at det skulle dukke opp her. Just Might Be OK er omtrent pastiche av første to skivene til Ye. På The Instrumental fremmaner han sin indre Mike Shinoda. Og det er kanskje ikke så rart, for det viser seg at han faen meg har produsert sporet. Ingen kan beskylde Shinoda for å ikke ha en særegen stil i hvert fall. Sunshine minner meg om Nujabes. Daydreamin', tydeligvis et av skivas mest populære spor, bruker bare I Monsters "remix" av Günter Kallmann Chors Daydream wholesale, og jeg synes ikke den gjør noe interessant med den. Og det er kanskje cruxen her: Lupe Fiasco har alright smak og et visst talent, men han mangler det elementet som skiller "genier" fra de som "kun" har talent. Hurt Me Soul er nok det sporet jeg liker best. Og det er kanskje urettferdig å bruke exempler fra fremtiden, men Freddie Gibbs & Madlib ga ut en hel skive som fanger den samme viben med sterkere bars og bedre produksjon åtte år senere... Finnes sikkert noen kontemporære svar også. Siste sporet er en blåkopi av Kanyes Last Call som igjen demonstrerer at Loopy Lupe mangler originalitet. Føles veldig svakt. Selv om jeg vil si at denne skiva for det meste er god, er det ingenting her jeg ikke har hørt bedre andre steder. Når den endelig er over, er jeg lei, og jeg ser ikke for meg at jeg noensinne kommer til å ville høre den igjen.
Høydepunktet på plata er «Daydreamin’». Ellers er det meste nesten-bra. Helt ålreit. Det høres litt ut som Fiasco har arvet samples Kanye West har hatt i boden
own
Probably my favorite Chicago rapper? I like the skateboarding feel on some of the tracks.
Very listenable for 2000's hip-hop. Lyric/vocal-centric which is nice in an era that often feels more about the producers. That being said the production is decent too, nothing flashy, but solid. This could be something that grows on me with more listens, but for now feels a little middle of the road.
pretty cool record, is this what kanye sounds like? some nice songs, but the rest kinda feels like standard rap. not enough substance for me 🫤. favourite track was “real”
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 keep up hope that one day a rap album on this list (of which there are many) will at least tickle my fancy. This album is not that one and in all honesty my aversion to this trash will never alter. 1/5 29/12/25
Awesome
This is great. So glad I listened - I had totally missed this and ignored Lupe Fiasco ever since, but now I don’t know why.
Just boring. So uninteresting.
5. No apologies. Love this all the way through. Actually hadn't given the full album a spin...ever? Was great to listen intentionally. Love the flow, the production - honestly Lupe's first 3 albums are all classics for me at this point.
Crap
I thought this was pretty good. Socially conscious storytelling paired with sharp production.
This album sounds like gym background music. The kind of music that makes me use headphones to work out.
Todella mainio albumi, ei paljoa huomautettavaa. Klassikkodebyytti.
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.
I guess the production is solid, raps are nice, so let's give it a 3, so I don't need to listen to more rap
Not bad and some parts I really liked but overall it kind of all sounded the same.
neutral Will I listen to again: 10%
This was weirdly cool and interesting.
This really isn't one for me. I'm surprised an hour of "yih, uh-huh" is considered one of the 1001 best albums of all time.
I’m sorry, did this album just end with 11 minutes of shout-outs? I couldn’t talk for 11 minutes straight, let alone name 11 minutes worth of people I know, let ALONE name 11 minutes worth of people I worked on a group project with. SHEESH.
I didn't mind this, as someone who's not into American hip-hop at all, I didn't find him nearly as vulgar & obnoxious as other artists. I have fond memories of Kick, Push from back in its day of high rotation on Triple J. However he loses points for Outro. It gave me flashbacks to Christina Aguilera's "Thank You (Dedication To Fans)" which is one of the stupidest, most narcissistic tracks I've heard throughout this project. Outro was just as dumb and unnecessary.
Me temo que no soy negro y me aburre sobremanera este tipo de música basada en las letras. gracias a la colaboración de Jill scott hay una canción soportable.
Other than Outro, I enjoyed this.
Not my thing
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
ok - this is not for me. I can't get on with rap tbh. This could be very good rap, but I couldn't say. I tried, but this just leaves me cold. Skip
This album grew on me as I listened. Not quite a 4, but very close.
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
Never really got into Lupe, now I know I didn't miss out on a lot. Too long for my taste. 4/10 Favourite track: Daydreamin'
In all fairness there were moments on this record that were marginally enjoyable - particularly the opening track (Real) but I was tired and wanting it over halfway through. Boring, common, pedestrian, uninspired, etc. are the words I would use to describe...2000's rap music lacking a clever hook or lyrics (Kendrick wop bop beep bang bong) just isn't my thing. Can we also stop with the gratuitous overuse of the 'n' word? Unclear why this made album made the list - no desire to ever listen again. 1/5
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
137/1089 a decent hip hop record, i enjoyed listening to it, quite low key for the most part, it could’ve used a couple more stand out moments for me personally but it’s an easy listen that i could see myself coming back to occasionally faves: Kick, Push, Daydreamin’, Pressure, Hurt Me Soul, He Say She Say 65/100
It took me until well into the album before I could figure out why this album wasn't doing it for me. Lupe Fiasco rose to fame after thrusting on a Kanye song. He then proceeds to record an album that sounds like he's a poor man's Kanye. The beats are OK, the flow is fine, but Lupe as a rapper has the personality of almond milk. There is nothing distinct about his style. Each track just has me thinking it would be better with someone else rapping. Don't get me wrong, there are some standout tracks like "Daydreamin'" but the rest are just so generic. It's not a bad album, but Grammy winner? C'mon now.
Really strong album. Mix of musical styles. Great lyrics.
Couple of bangers but that outro threw off the vibe.
It sounds very of its time, I guess?
Its decent
Liked many lyrics but not the music.
Amazing instrumentals throughout every song. Good balance of music even when the songs are soulful. Love the interstellar instrumentals in “Just might be” listen again.
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?
I enjoyed that a lot more than I thought I would.
Some hits and some dogs. Pretty darn average, right?
Didn't know what to expect, but it was better than I thought. Very cinematic. Liked the skateboarding song.
Absolute banger. All round talents and good listens. Early 2000s rap hip hop. Would 100% listen again
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
Kanye West got some ideas from here
72 minutes is too long
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.
I'll start with the positives; it was better than I thought it would be, some nice collaborations and use of samples However, intros are always bad, and the outros are even worse. You don't need to spend over 10 minutes thanking everyone. It would have been quicker to name the People he didn't want to thank.
Fine
Personal enjoyment: 4/5 Relevance to this list: 5/5
4/10
This stands out compared to most of the other hip-hop albums I’ve encountered so far. The lyrics feel more socially conscious and avoid the usual misogynistic tropes, which is refreshing. The rhythms and beats are solid—nothing groundbreaking, but definitely enjoyable. Overall, I appreciated the listen, but it’s not something I’d revisit again.
Some pretty good songs, pretty cool beats. I feel like I should check this guy out more now. Soft 4
Some classic tracks in here. Its a good change up from the typical hip-hop sound in this era, in the early Kanye-style. That said, there are some big misses on this album. An alright listen.
Not really my bag but I got on with it well enough, would I listen to it again? Unlikely
If you’re reading this before you listen, SKIP THE OUTRO! It’s literally him thanking people for 12 minutes. It’s very nice of him to do that but it is not a song I want to listen to. Now, onto the rest of the album. I remember when this came out and i wasn’t into it. That remains the same in 2025. It’s kind of cheesy, and too preachy. Lupe has some great rhymes but the songs on here are just okay.
Fantastic!
Great!
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.
Album No. 0061 on my list. Never heard of Lupe Fiasco before, but I’m not that much into Hip Hop. To my limited knowledge l, this contains some solid Hip Hop Tracks, even though I must say that I don’t find many songs all too memorable. I like some of the lyrics, though. “Just Might Be OK”, and “Kick, Push II” were my favorites. It’s a narrow decision between 2 and 3 stars, but in the end, it’s 2/5 stars for me.
K-Mart Kanye
Somewhat interesting hip hop, but wasn't particularly groundbreaking
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
V/Rv
Fav: Daydreamin’ (Feat. Jill Scott) Least Fav: Real (Feat. Sarah Green) Wasn’t sure what to think at times, but songs like Daydreamin’ won me over. What a song
It's alright but 2 notes: In 'Kick Push' he mentions he is 'married to aerials and varials' while the rest of the song implies mostly a street skating context. Some people shorten 'varial kickflip' to 'varial' but Lupe ALSO mentioned aerials. The original 'varial' was a front side air that was early grabbed roastbeef and then the board was turned 180 by the grabbing hand. Because Lupe Fiasco mentioned 'aerials' prior I like to think he was skating vert or doing OG vert tricks in the street. Then also, seriously a 12 minute outro that's just all the shoutouts? In some ways I respect that he makes sure everyone is included but like have more stuff going on musically it just loops over and over.
A fiasco would have been more interesting, instead this is an overlong, uninteresting 2000's rap album. I'm gonna give it a 1. Might be slightly harsh, but I didn't connect with it at all.
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!
A breath of fresh air compared to other early 00s hip hop I've been served up here. Kick Push had my head nodding. WTF is up with Outro. C'mon! It takes a feeling of "yeah. I'd put this on again"to hit 4 stars. It's good, but it didn't push that button.
Wasn't super impressed at first, but this one grew on me. B Side much better than A side
Nah. But a coupla good ones
Not bad considering I didn't know what to expect.
Good album. 3/5 stars. Reminds me of when I used to listen to Push/Kick when I was younger.
It was alright, but I prefer more punchlines. Maybe they were there, I couldn't tell
Good beats but uninspiring rapping
Feeling all the Kanye vibes without the Kanye. Would I listen to again? Sure.
Neither fish nor foul