Reviews (page 3 of 6)
Not usually the kind of music I’d choose to listen to but I liked this album! Really interesting beats, lyrics, etc
As plenty of others have mentioned, Kick Push and Daydream alone make this a standout album. It's one I want to come back to, but on first listen it's solid all around.
Lupe Fiasco had quite the debut into the hip-hop mainstream. Even before this, he featured on Kanye West's big single "Touch the Sky" and immediately made a presence. Now with Kanye, Jay-Z, The Neptunes, and Mike Shinoda among others backing him on production, Fiasco was ready for his official entrance into hip-hop. "Food & Liquor" represents the war between good & evil, per Lupe Fiasco. Very conscious subjects such as poverty, racism, and misconceptions of the Islam religion in America (Lupe being someone practicing Islam from Chicago himself) can be found here. There are "fun" and "lighter" subjects too, such as embracing individuality and a tale of skateboarding-obsessed lovers. The album largely operates on an upbeat sound. It all makes for a clean and glossy production that doesn't really waver (although "Outro" could've been made into the liner notes or something). Best tracks: Kick, Push, He Say She Say, Daydreamin', Hurt Me Soul
Better than Coldplay
This was really good!
What a refreshing surprise! I was not sure when I saw it but this man quickly gained my respect for a pretty cool rap album.
En vrai, dans mon registre, ce genre de Hip Hop là passe crème, du genre Hip-pa-po-cube Zoombadouwowpifpif, si vous voyez ce que je veux dire, vous, les jeunes wesh du quartier. - Clément, plz, ça fait deux semaines que j’t’ai répondu, vas voir Hunky Dory
Wasn't sure what to expect and once again, pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed this album. The flow, featured artists, topics covered - Stellar!
Yes there is such a thing as too much intro
8/10 cornball album cover tho
Cool vibes, weird lyrics
Cool album - Daydreamin' is a fantastic song, and the rest of the album is totally listenable. The content is admirable, but I can't see past the Kanye influence and that god-awful Outro. This probably sits around 3.5 so I'll generously round it up to a 4
I wasn't expecting to like this at all but actually found it really good and multi layered. I had no idea that daydreaming was one of his which was a surprise. Definitely look into the back catalogue
Pretty solid 4/5
Pleasant surprise. I had preconceived it as one of those "early aughts hip hop albums that drag for too long instead of going straight to the point", but there are some certified bangers on this one.
unexpectedly good
Kick, Push // I Gotcha // He Say She Say // Daydreamin’ // Hurt Me Soul // 3.5/5
Thanks, list! I hadn’t listened to this one in a while and I had a blast revisiting. I’ll probably go back and listen to this one again in the near future.
I was not excited to listen to this. I had never heard of this guy. But I really liked it! I will admit that I did not listen to the entire outro. Woof.
Great wordplay and flow.
Pleasantly surprised by this one. Full sound and rhythmic rapping of more than basic messages.
really fun mid 00s hip hop album. the beats here are really fun and i appreciate lupe's flow and messages. the highlight here for me was 'kick, push' which is an all time classic, but i also really loved songs like 'daydreamin' and 'i gotcha.' just a fun album through and through.
doesn't quite hit me straight on, but it's good. Very Kanye. 3.5
Pleasant surprise of an album. What an aggressively mid 2000's album.
Pretty good stuff
Brilliant stuff - on the buy list
conscious rap som Kanye West. Kanye har også været med til at producere et enkelt nummer. Det er intelligent og har meget dybde og er originalt. Banede vej for folk som kendrick og j Cole. Lyder også meget som j-Cole.
Classic, but i prefer newer one
Way better than I was expecting. Really enjoyable album. (Loses half a star for that way too long and boring outro, though) Kick, Push; Sunshine; Daydreamin’ 3.5
I wasn't really sure where this was going to sit with me as I've never paid much attention to ol' Lupe but as soon as Kick, Push kicked in I was hooked. The album got even better on the second listen. Fave: Kick, Push, Daydreamin' is cool too.
Haven't heard this guy before, I don't think - my first impression was that the production sounded like "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy", but without Kanye West being an annoying dickhead all over it, and sure enough Kanye did some of the production on this, so I award myself some smug points! Yeah, this is good stuff! Fave tracks - "Kick, Push" is excellent. "He Say She Say" stood out. Ah, "Daydreamin'" is using the same underlying sample as The Beta Band's "Squares" - uses it very well, too! Could absolutely do without the 12 minute outro, though.
A food and liquor I didn't mind visiting
Enjoyed it
Never heard of Lupe Fiasco before, but I found this to be one of the more enjoyable hip-hop albums to come up here. More albums should have the confidence to end with 12 minutes of credits.
dated. But like in amaizng ways that makes you miss the era
Now *this* is what I look for in hip-hop. The synths on here are emotive, layered, and add to the atmosphere. The songs Sunshine and The Cool are prime examples of this great synthwork, but plenty of songs showcase it. When the synths aren't present, other instruments get plenty of great moments to shine (check out those horns in Pressure!). Across the various songs, there's a wide variety of (electronic) backbeats, ranging from Purdy Shuffle-esque loops to more straight-played danceable rhythms. Notably, there's a distinct lack of trap beats. This means I didn't reflexively discount the music for being low-effort (which unfortunately happens all too often with 21st-century hip-hop). Another reviewer commented that Kanye took a similar approach to his own music in his early career. For the first time, I'm actually kind of excited to start getting some of Ye's earlier records. But I think the main thing lifting this above its contemporaries is having vocals that are more than passable. Goshdarn good, in fact. The singing is great, and the chorus melodies are hard to dislike. I enjoy the mood contrasts between verse and chorus. The lack of melody in the verses is hard to dislike when it's broken up by some sweet memorable tunes. In some songs, we even get beautiful backing vocals behind the rapping. For a while, during the track Hurt Me Soul, I was trying to work out exactly what about the sound was so appealing. It's the subtle backing vocals half-mirroring the synths. One of several examples of good textural work here. Not too much holding this back from 5 stars. But the aptly named "Outro" is suspect. More than twelve unnecessary minutes added to an already hour-long album. In addition, I feel a little betrayed that The Instrumental is not that. It's still a solid track, but it would've been better without vocals. Every song feels similar in terms of energy and tempo, so changing that up would've added to the whole "album experience". But as far as hip-hop inclusions on this list, Food & Liquor blows other touted masterpieces like 36 Chambers, Cypress Hill, and Nation of Millions completely out of the water. 4/5 Key tracks: He Say She Say, Daydreamin', Hurt Me Soul
Very very good album! Nice surprise!
really good rapping album
Not unlike Yasiin Bey, Lupe was always a rapper that was incredibly socially aware, and also incredibly aware of how social aware he was. I mean right when you click play, Lupe makes it clear as day that this rap album, a debut, is about to be one of the most profound, important, and meaningful things you will ever hear. And sometimes, honestly, that feels true. At the ripe age of 24, Lupe's flow and rhyming here were not to be messed with. And while surface level at times, his political leaning raps are on par with his braggadocious, rhyme-showcasing ones. In the mid-2000s Bush era, a song like 'American Terrorist' makes an effort communicate those quiet issues relating to reactionary hatred out loud. 'Hurts Me Soul' might seem scattered in its commentary, but it actually does a great job of tying all these issues Lupe mentions together - it's quite a heartbreaking track with Lupe showing just how exhausting and exhaustive a list of issues like this can get. 'He Say She Say' is also heartbreaking, detailing the struggles of a boy growing up without a father figure from the perspective of an overworked mother. And the more enigmatic tracks here are just as potent - there's 'The Instrumental' and this idea of being stuck in the box, or the norm, and being unable to break from it, painting it as some sort of addiction. But, ultimately, it's the few wholesome tracks here that I find myself enjoying the most. While 'Kick Push II' sort of gives the song a dark turn, the tale of two young rebels skateboarding around the city on 'Kick Push' will never not make me smile. 'Daydreaming' I feel similarly about, I love this image of passively watching your hometown, and its cultural intricacies atop this cartoonishly large robot. The beats here, they're solid. Certainly not the standout of this album but they are the cinematic, bling-era type-beats you'd expect out of a 2006 Atlantic Records rap album. I love the strings and backing vocals of 'Real', the classic jazz-rap turn on 'Kick Push', and the hypnotic arpeggiation of 'The Emperor's Soundtrack'. The hooks are solid for the most part too. Maybe not a huge fan of the one on 'The Instrumental', but the one on 'Hurt Me Soul' is incredible and of course those vocals building on 'Daydreamin'' are great. Wouldn't hesitate to call this one of the best rap albums of the mid-2000s, it really helps define the very shiny, inspiring, and glamorous sound of this era...alongside albums like 'Late Registration' and 'Be'.
Thought I would stop after first song but still going 20+ minutes in, good album first two songs messy but good after that.😁
I like this rap a lot
BEST SONGS: - Kick, Push - I Gotcha
Over 1000 albums but this is the only album on this list with a Nintendo DS on the album cover. I love Lupe. He's one of my favorite rappers of the 00s. I think I prefer the album that followed this one "The Cool", but this album is almost just as good. Even though I didn't grow up listening to his music, listening to Lupe Fiasco always makes me feel nostalgic for the mid-2000s. Favorite track: Daydreamin'
Pretty good
Brasco
When food and liquor was first released I had it playing on a fairly high rotation. Though now I feel it's slightly over produced, it's still cool.
Feel good hip-hop grooves. Didn’t follow the themes of the lyrics well but it sounded pretty great regardless.
Kick push is fantastic and the rest of the album had some great lyrical content.
Pretty good! Understandably reminds me a lot of other 2000s hip hop classics (college dropout, blueprint, be) but rarely hits the same heights that those records consistently hit. The biggest issue with this album is that there are lots of moments that sound dated/haven’t aged well. Most of the beats are absolutely brilliant and Lupe is one of the best lyricists in the genre. Good stuff
80/100. Food & Liquor by Lupe Fiasco is a good album. It’s not my favorite style of rap, but he makes it work as a solid, cohesive project. The lyrics stand out and add depth. That said, the album has some inconsistencies. For example, the last track, Outro, is something I never really cared for. It’s nice that he shows respect to those who supported him, but as a listener, it’s not an enjoyable track.
Love the youthful energy on this one. Beats are interesting, features add nice choruses/accents to the wordplay Lupe is laying down. Nothing wrong here, but missing that x factor to make it a 5 star
Varsin pätevää räbää, ja hauskaa että vähän eri aiheita kuin yleensä.
Yep, so real. I love the expanded palette, finding the possibilities of hip hop instead of retreating to tired stereotypes masquerading as street I-know-hard. I love the word play (Cornel Westside etc.), of course not unlike much hip hop, but these seemed geared to my sensibilities. And it mentions Jerry Garcia. You want the real shit? I gotcha, plus some great beats and poetry.
This one just kept growing on me as it played. I wasn't totally sure when it opened, I suppose just a matter of unfamiliarity, because as I got further into the record, I was consistently impressed with Lupe Fiasco's subject matter and style. They picked a crappy font for the album cover, I couldn't read it. So, I guess that's my critical review.
Wow, this was great. Amazing production. Cool beats. Good lyrics and solid flow. Another great new discovery!
Loved this. Particularly Daydreaming w Jill Scott
Daydreamin is top notch. Great sample. Jill Scott crushes. Lyrically sound. Great hip hop album.
Never heard of this guy, enjoyed it though
Old Lupe is undeniable
This album was fun. Solid rap album
I don't stan Lupe as much as some of the "enlightened" hip-hop aficionados out there, but I've always been a fan. As an impressionable teen, I got drawn into the mid-2000s alternative hip-hop / backpack rap popularized by Kanye West, They had a lot of musical similarities, especially early in their careers. Shoutout to Lupe addressing Penn State as "University of Pennsylvania" at Movin On 2011. Shoutout to skipping the 12 minute outro
Kanye without the self-aggrandizement. Instead of talking about his genius, Lupe Fiasco delivers it and lets you judge for yourself. If that early 2000s super-dense production style is your thing, this is the real deal.
I've always heard how hyped up Lupe was, but never heard much from him except for kick, push & daydreamin. Not bad & kinda surprised he never got as big as someone like Kanye. But that's only my opinion off of this one album. Outro sucks.
I liked the hip hop and rap vibes, definetly added quite some songs to my playlist!
I didn’t like this a ton at first, but later songs were way better. I think this is just a good hip-hop record. That being said, I really don’t like how the outro is 12 minutes of him shouting people out. That’s a seventh of the album.
I definitely remember this album. A little nostalgic for me. I am not a true hip-hop head but this was one of the first albums that introduced me to the genre/scene. I really enjoyed it, especially, kick/push
wow, what a nice surprise. i'd heard lupe fiasco's name before and maybe heard a song or two on the radio, so i came into this pretty green. it was great! a really enjoyable album - i love kick, push and daydreaming!
genuinely this feels like a college dropout-level display of hip hop debut creativity and color...theres a couple reasons in my understanding why lupe did not become more of a kanye-type icon (more for better then for worse at this point lol) but genuinely maybe part of it is that despite having a bunch of distinguishing characteristics (a dorky muslim with actual street cred but a latecomer to hip hop in general), he has the humility to put his efforts primarily towards the Songs rather than himself, which is ultimately just not the game artists in popular music are "supposed" to be playing, certainly for longevity. it pays off super well for the music tho, which is sonically dense and lush and rainbow-flavored, and matched by a ton of great lyrical ideas and lupe's frictionlessly likable presence. cant even imagine buying this blind back on release and just being slammed with something this eccentric without ingenuine affectation, and while remaining endlessly catchy and accessible
This album doesn't really get off the ground for me until track 6 and onwards, after which I found it really quite good. I won't add it to my collection, but I will give it four stars and wouldn't mind listening to it again.
The outro knocks it down to a 4 but I really loved most of it
Not heard much Lupe Fiasco before but I really enjoyed this. It feels right in my hip-hop sweet spot: the lyrics are eloquent and have something to say without being preachy or sacrificing humour. More importantly (for me), the production is on-point - it’s lush and catchy and there’s a decent amount of variety. Unlike most rap albums than last over an hour, I found my attention didn’t wane because I enjoyed listening to it as a piece of music.
Very surprised by this one. I knew about ' Daydreamin' but mostly cause I knew the other versions of hte song. The whole album is very solid hip hop, would happily listen again
Rating: 8.5/10 Great production, fantastic lyrics and rapping by Lupe, but some weak choruses prevent this from being rated any higher.
Dancey one
I really liked this. Wasn't expecting to since most of the hip hop that's come up on this list so far was gangsta rap, and the misogynistic lyrics are really off-putting. But this album didn't have any of that, and the tracks were pretty nice to bop along to, with some interesting lyrics to boot
Early 2000’s upbeat rap
4.5
Pretty catchy stuff.
After Kanyeezy went the way of the westward son in 2022 and I was fully put off from him (one of my most played artists :/ ), I've often found myself returning to the artists he produced in his golden era to get my Ye fix. Despite often being compared to Common, Lupe Fiasco has a more poppy and hooky energy to his consciousness; Lupe is the Graduation to Common's College Dropout, if you will. There's still a number of incredibly soulful beats here like Real, Kick Push, He Say She Say etc. but there are some interesting attempts at bridging all the popular hip-hop styles at the time. Lupe's attempt at bridging into rap rock/alternative rock with the Mike Shinoda-produced The Instrumental might be my favorite song on here. You could absolutely make the argument Lupe's technical skill outshines his pop appeal, and immediately after this record it took a long LONG period of self-reflection before he could either balance or eschew one side to the music's benefit. However, this album represents something extremely special in hip-hop history and I'm glad Kanye breathed life into this thing. Coast.... (P.S. the outro never fails to make me laugh. 12 minutes of random shout-outs never sounded so good.)
Alright. This is an album I can get behind. Lupe Fiasco is a man that I've heard of, but have never really dived into until today. I had heard good things going into this album, but had yet to hear any of the actual music. My expectations were fairly high. Fortunately, those expectations were met. This is a strong first showing for Mr. Fiasco. The album is a bit long (that outro really could've been a lot shorter), but that's really my only major complaint. The songs are pretty good. There really aren't any that I dislike. The production is great and was done by a lot of notable people, including Kanye West, the Neptunes, and even Mike Shinoda from Linkin Park! The features are also pretty good, with the standouts being Jill Scott's singing on "Daydreamin'" and Jay-Z's verse on "Pressure." The writing is just excellent. Lupe's flow and rhyming is top-notch. The theming and story-telling of the album is also great. Overall, this is an amazing debut album that I really liked. Good job, Lupe! Strong 4/5.
Enjoyed this one. A bit preachy but maybe necessary preaching. The production is interesting and I love all the different samples. Some of these are really moving. 4
I don't listen to this genre. But he has a talented voice.
Pretty clever rhymes, but imagine being the one person in the business who he forgot to shout out
I had no idea what to expect but I’m glad I listened to this. In a world where Kanye dominated Chicago hip hop it’s nice to see someone else from the scene who isn’t a dirt bag
Fun, likable, fresh, with "Kick, Push" and "Daydreamin'" the top choices. The Outro is cool but probably not 12+ minutes cool.
I like it because there are great melodies going in in addition to the talented dialogue. It has the feel of a chill house party, or a twilight cruise in a classic 70's Oldsmobile. Kick, Push is a banger and my favorite on the album followed by I Gotcha with the catchy Latin rhythm in the background.
A little all over the place like a mixtape but some songs are pretty great. Like a baby Jay Z with similar flow but a weaker voice.
Ye was alright, like Kanye light, but better lyricist
Solid presentation here. Lupe on the cover looking like he’s an NPC in GTAV after getting rolled by the main character. Some chill beats and samples. I appreciate that the artist can hold a mirror up to the hip hop scene and defy the toxic machismo meta that has ruled over hiphop since forever. Long live nerd core!
One of the better rap albums I've gotten on this list
Sometimes in danger of drowning under the weight of its own ambition (that 12-minute Outro was unnecessary), but Food & Liquor proves why Lupe Fiasco is still highly respected today. He’s lyrically sharp and unafraid to tackle difficult topics.
I had no idea what to expect, but I really enjoyed this album.
It started as a pretty laid back/chill hip hop album; the guy knows how to rap, the backing instrumentals are solid and diverse. And then The Instrumental slapped me hard; I loved the music and the flow hits right on target. This is my personal highlight, but it's a really good album overall. Lyrics are well carved and meaningful, still up-to-date. I've never heard of the guy before, glad it changed.
This one grew on me more as it went, often just because of some great production.
Definitely prefer the party vibes of some songs over others (Real, Gotcha) but Lupe proves he can also be introdspective and tell a story (Daydreamin', Kick Push) - and even if a few songs drift into overly preachy (Just Might be Ok, The Instrumental), this is mostly a solid listen.
Ricorda un po' Kendrick Lamar, non mi dispiace.
Great album. Songs with good beats and they tell a story. Good album with social commentary. Favorite song: Daydreamin’ or The Cool
Vette plaat, veel echt goede nummers, een paar mindere. Soms origineel, soms niet echt. Laatste track is hij vergeten mij te bedanken, als enige persoon in de wereld.
It's a very ambitious album, especially for a debut. Lupe's writing is sharp and the production is consistently fantastic. I'm not sure the runtime is entirely justified, there's a few tracks I feel don't carry the same momentum, but it's a great album overall. Top tracks Kick, Push, Hurt Me Soul & Pressure.
Graduation but better. Take notes L-anye 8.0
I like this one a lot - must've listened to this a million times back when it came out. Kick Push is a pretty great track.
Some excellence songs. Enjoyed it a lot.
I'm very familiar with this album, and a big fan of it. I haven't listened in forever, the beats are so sick. The lyrics are so interesting, he raps about stuff you don't hear a lot of other dudes rap about. I forgot about The Instrumental, I used to be obsessed with that song. Yeah, overall just a great album.
Started slow but picked up as it went on. Content-wise there is a lot to say with both clear as well as subtle messages about culture and the world Lupe Fiasco is coming from. There are good, smooth beats, the standout is the Daydream sampling in "Daydreamin'" as well as the super chill "Kick, Push". Other good tracks are "The Cool" and "Hurt Me Soul".
Fun hip hop, shades of JayZ
Mjög gott
A rightfully legendary album, and super ahead of its time.
Excellent production throughout! And great lyrics! Those things are important for making a good record!
Hell yeah! One of the first rap albums I truly loved and the first show I went to by myself. Saw him at The Fillmore in SF way back in the day and he did not disappoint. The run from The Instrumental to The Emperor's Soundtrack is exquisite!
4.5
An album that feels pretty of it's an era, but when comparing it to the status of hip hop at the time, this is pretty good for the time. It falls into a lot of production trappings that date it pretty quickly, and it wears it's influences on its sleeve in such a way I wouldn't blame you if you just went to go listen to those influences instead. However, there is still a lot to enjoy here. I love how varied the styles are here, with some jazz influences sneaking their way in along with straight up pop songs in a way that mesh surprisingly well. Lupe's flows are also incredibly solid, especially when it comes to hooks, and while I never want to hear a Daydream sample again, it did get some creative variation via Jill Scott. I think most of the features did a good job, actually, with Jay-Z actually feeling the most phoned in. It's just a solid hip hop album from a rocky era, and I would say this album was an early stepping stone into the fantastic era we'd jump in to in the 2010s.
3.5
Love this album so much. Truly took hip hop in a new direction. Even though I was never a skateboarder, "Kick, Push" always felt very personal for me 🛹
That was Real. I could see how some might feel the Pressure, but honestly, it Just Might Be OK. This album was The Cool. Take my word for it. I Gotcha.
I’m just gonna stop writing reviews on albums and just give a favorite song, this shi too much work
decent sound, better hip hip than usual, would listen more.
I actually really loved this one. Had never listened to much of Lupe’s work but I’m glad I got it today & had the chance to do so. Really good album
Rap, gefällt mir durchaus
An incredibly strong debut from one of the most consistently interesting and insightful rappers of this century. The production is stellar and Lupe’s pen is on great form right out the gate
En comparaison au 50 Cent d'hier, on est à l'extrême opposé. Lupe a un rap vraiment bien assumé et les paroles engagées sont vraiment bien livrées. Les beats sont vraiment très bons et le tout crée une musique très accrocheuse tout en évitant de devenir générique ou prévisible. Défétinivement à revisiter. 8/10
I remember hearing this when it came out and not being quite as enamored with it as critics were, but I really liked Lupe's last couple of albums, so I was excited to revisit it. It's very reminiscent of Kanye West's early albums -- the College Dropout and Late Registration most notably -- but with notably better lyrics. Lupe actually got his big break appearing on Kanye's "Touch the Sky". Overall, I think it's really good -- one of the more sophisticated mainstream rap albums of the 00s -- but it does suffer from being way too long. You could cut like 40 minutes and there's probably a 5 star album in here somewhere. There is some cool stuff here though -- really like "Kick, Push", "I Gotcha", and "Daydreamin'". Going with a light 4 stars.
It’s been a little while since I’ve listened to this and the nostalgia from Kick Push alone is a little nauseating. It’s tough to rate because I do love this album despite the rough spots and places I see that Lupe develops over time on his later work (like a Tetsuo & Youth), but that’s unfair to hold that against this album. Last thing though, even if it bogs down the replay-ability, rap should bring back the 10 minute shout out outro songs. They always make me smile and it’s nice to hear an artist give thanks to the people that matter to them
Favorite Track: Kick, Push Would have been a 5 without the long outro
How have I never heard of this before, this is like good Kanye!!! This is good rap music, it is fresh and clean, it feels responsibile with a good message that has not dated. The music has it all with some songs featuring R&R then spanning the spectrum to Jazz. Its unique. Favourite song: Kick, Push" and "Daydreamin' Least favourite: Outro, what was that all about! Album artwork: I like the cover
A very talented rapper who I'd never heard of. I caught similarities to JayZ, Kanye, and others.
Heard of Lupe Fiasco but not heard any of his music, at least not consciously listened to any of his music. A very pleasant surprise and it turns out I may like the Chicago mid-2000's rap sound, as I like this and a lot of what Kanye West was putting out at the time. I'm definitely adding some of these songs to my favorites list and will check out his other work. There are times I'm disappointed in these albums I get but I really enjoyed this one and did not expect to. Very chill but also exciting album and I could also understand what he was wrapping about. Haha, my old ears can't always say that.
This is hip hop finesse right here. Enjoyed it thoroughly, but the funniest thing was the shout-out to MySpace in the outro. That’s a laser scope focus pinpointing this album’s spot in time. Ha.
I'm not hugely into this genre at all, but this was a great listen. Totally unexpected, too. Good stuff.
Some high production value with top caliber producers...yet it came across as a bit generic sounding to me. Not bad, but not overly special either.
Another "recent" artist I've never heard of. I loved the orchestral bits. Pretty darn good!
cool
The production really shines through on this album. It's wild that he had such an incredible team of producers on his debut album. Lyrically, the album is really good as well. It's frankly too bad that this album came out during the 2000s music hellscape. If it had come out during an era where people had taste, it might have done much better 4/5
81% Best: Kick, Push; I Gotcha; Daydreamin'; Hurts Me Soul; Pressure; American Terrorist Must-Hear? Sure
3.5
It's probably dismissive to heavily compare this to Kanye West, but the points of comparison are there: Chicago-based conscious rapper in an era when gangsta rap was folding. West even has some hands on this project. All that being said, Fiasco holds his own: I had this record on my iPod back in the day and completely forgot how much I love the track "I Gotcha". The beats can be placed to a time and place, but still sound fresh even nearly twenty years later. I'm usually skeptical of an album that has a full reprise of the main single, but "Kick, Push II" has more than enough distinction, and it's a great track on its own. I'm calling this one a 3.5, with a round-up due to him sampling Far (insane pull!). Favorite tracks: "I Gotcha", "Kick, Push", "The Instrumental"
A lot of familiar names on an album I'd not heard of. Nice to hear some hip hop without too much ego and having a bit of fun. I think some people would be surprised to hear some of the tricks we're still push as new nearly 20 years later.
The Instrumental kinda sounds like a Linkin Park song. I appreciate Lupe but most of his music doesn't really resonate with me, generally the production comes across as a bit too glossy, but in its moments there are some really fine tracks here. Fave Tracks: Kick, Push, American Terrorist 3.6/5
Damn! I don't usually listen to hip-hop, especially since I dislike the repetitiveness and lack of unique melodies. This was not that, and had great brass, exciting sound, and growth throughout the songs.
Bit naff in places, probs a 3.8 but will round up.
Wow what a great 'getting ready to go out' record to stick on. Plus a song about skateboarding. And it's got a Nintendo DS on the cover. Nothing but vague name recognition from me here. Where's he gone? Feels like a name I've not heard in ten years. Well almost every song here just breezes along. Ohhh. Daydreaming! Of course I remember this. Great sample. And yeah this makes total sense that its off this album. Great lyrics on Hurt Me Soul, love a decent rapper sets out philosophy song. American Terrorist too, although that one is a little on the nose. Album is just a bit overlong, even before the extended outro, otherwise this would be getting full marks. He could at least have changed up the backing track once every few minutes.
I’ve always liked this one even though it’s Great Value Kanye. Kick Push is a classic
Unexpectedly enjoyable, solid beats and flows, can't hate. Very much in the Kanye West Late Registration space with lush production but feels a little like the Wish version of that era Kanye, not that that's a bad thing...
Had low expectations for this because I’ve always associated Lupe fiasco with trashy 00s hip hop relegated to nostalgia playlists but this was surprisingly good. Great lyrics and generally good production, a couple songs were a bit lame sonically but you can definitely feel the Kanye jay-z influence. Daydreamin and emperors soundtrack were my favs. I wrote this midway through the outro and as it kept going on and on it’s actively ruining all the goodwill the rest of the album built up because it’s 12 minutes of him just listing off every single person he’s ever met I think. I guess if it’s his debut he’s thankful to everyone who got him here or whatever but I really don’t give a shit.
Rap. I enjoyed it. Interesting beats and lyrics. I don’t really have a lot to say about this one even though I really liked it.
A really solid album from Lupe
Great album. Always enjoyed Kick Push and Daydreamin but the rest of the tracks are solid as well. More added into my rotation from this listen.
It really made my day to see Lupe made this list. He's one of my favorite artists ever, despite not having the strongest commercial performances from his records. I have loved his ability to take a subject and craft a whole song around it (see Kick, Push and Daydreaming as perfect examples). As for this one in particular, I wouldn't say it is his best but still great (I'd take The Cool over this). I think the highs are incredible while the other tracks are pretty good but not amazing. 8/10
I'd never listened to Lupe Fiasco before. This was pretty enjoyable. Lyrics were good; often amusing.
great beats and rhymes love kick push great intro to the artist
This was fun; very Kanye-like. Skip the Outro.
Good album, good production. Someone should have talked him out of that outro though. 4/5
This one has some classics on it with Daydreamin' and Kick, Push. I also loved I Gotcha, and Hurt Me Soul. The Instrumental has Mike Shinoda of Linkin Park producing it and it sounds like it. Jam. Just a bit too much filler on this one but still enjoyable af and I love his flow. Why does the album have a 12 minute outro? Almost brought it down to a 3 for that but we'll stick with 4. WHERE THE CHAMPAGNE? WE NEED CHAMPAGNE
“Loop-ay”? Have I been pronouncing the neopet wrong this whole time?
Have to admit U liked this quite a bit.
Another pleasant discovery. Chi-town shoutout ......
Daily Mantra: Kick, push, kick, push, coast. I always liked this Lupe Fiasco despite him having a few too many mannerisms of the era it was written in. I don't think all of them have aged well, but overall I still get down with it.
This is incredible for a debut album. The instrumentals on every song are solid and his flow blends with it so well. The intro song got my attention, second started and I thought it would lose me but it kept finding me back in different ways. He Say She Say felt like it was going to be corny halfway through but the repetition with a different focus really did add something. Kick, Push is a great song and the callback later in the album with Kick, Push II is great. Very solid album.
I listened to this a lot when it first came out. First hearing Lupe on Late Registration's Touch the Sky. That being said it didn't stick around for me and was left collecting dust in the corners of my mind. Hard to mess this up with an all-star cast behind the production. Catchy beats through out and Lupe's flow has a nice bounce to it. Influences of Jay-Z and Nas in his flow. Songs that stuck out for me. Kick Push, Daydreamn', The Cool. I lost track of Lupe shortly after this album because of a shift to stuff like Kanye's 808s & Heartbreak and Kid Cudi's music. Point being, this has inspired me to do some digging to see what else he had to offer after his debut.
Enjoyed the sound. Highlights: daydreamin, hurt me soul
I liked this! It was exciting, and there was a good amount of variety. But why did that last song go on for 12 minutes?!
tiktok has fucking embedded daydreamin' in my head. i was exactly in the mood for this today. 3.5
After listening to My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, this album really has a Jr. Kanye vibe to it. Especially tracks like The Emperor's Soundtrack. The album is very sonically interesting... epic at times, with veins of electronic, disco, R&B, rock. It's pretty damn cool. The Instrumental, Kick/Push, Daydreamin' and Emperor's Soundtrack are really awesome. Though it dips in spots, it surprised me and was really enjoyable.
This is pretty solid throughout. The production and beats are excellent. It's quite a chill time, and I like the flow of it. 3.5 rounded up.
I liked this quite a bit. It definitely falls into the category of rap I'll listen to again.
Fantastic album. Musically rich and engaging, with vivid, thought provoking lyrics. Fave Songs: Kick, Push; Kick, Push II; The Instrumental; Daydreamin'; The Cool; Pressure; I Gotcha; Sunshine; He Say She Say
Good flow and lyrics, great production! Liked this one a lot.
Enjoyed this more than I thought I would, despite not being the biggest fan of rap/hip-hop. Great lyric work, although like others have pointed out it could have done without the 12 minute outro. Pure padding.
I really tried not to like this album but every song that you got further into the album just got better. There were a couple of ok songs but the stories and consciousness of the rest were just amazing. I love both “Push, Kick” versions. Pleasantly surprised that I never heard this one and glad I did.
4-
Chill album ass
Good
Chill album with really good hooks and great production/beats. Very reminiscent of early Ye but without the Chipmunk Soul vibe. Maybe not so strange as he is credited as a producer. Highpoints: Kick, Push; The Instrumental, Daydream, Hurt Me Soul and American Terrorist.
I like these guys, a Rap Star that I like! 4 stars
"Kick, Push", "He Say She Say", and "Daydreamin'" are the standout tracks. 3.5 stars rounded up.
Going into this with low expectaitions, but being surprised! The beats are fresh sounding and organic like a farmers market in spring. The lyrics aare as far away from a farmers market as you can get, but impactful on a level that's sadly too rare in hip hop of that era. It does drag a bit, and would probably be a five star album had it been 30-45 minutes.
Great sampling, strong lyrics, diverse sound. If I cared more for lyrics it'd be 5 stars
I had only listened to two songs with Lupe Fiasco - Show Goes On, and Touch the Sky. So I was interested to see what he was up to. The production was really good, and his flow went well with it. I'm not sure how many songs I would listen to on the regular, but overall a great album.
I think I liked it more as I listened longer, except for the outro was boring and too long. Pretty solid 7.5/10
Some good and some bad. Outro seemed unnecessary and was not a fun listen 7/10
This was better than I expected
pleasant musik
Кайф кайф Микс всего и сразу. Очень приятный и кайфовый альбом Алкоальбом: розовое шампанское
Сколько же семплов он спиздил, это пиздец...)))) Но звучит прям оч хорошо. Я до сих пор не научился говорить, какой это хип-хоп: ист или уэст. Но точно не Канье, пааау. Стиля раздал, что-то себе надобавлял.
What! 16 tracks! 70 minutes. Another over over long rap album to make your heart sink. More on that later, but this is one of the best rap albums this middle aged white guy has head in the last twenty years. Mr Fiasco has an engaging and open 'flow' with plenty of wit and intelligence in the bars. The samples are on the whole melodic, well-chosen and I would say make this a pretty good pop album. Now, back to that length. I see a gap in the market for 'Record Reducers' who will provide you with an authoritative 12-track, 45 minute cut of any album that bloats. This is more a case of just too much of a good thing rather than sprawl, and had it clocked in at the 45 min mark may well have been 5 stars. Legend has it CD length was fixed by Phillips to get a complete version of Beethoven's 9th on there. How they wish now they'd gone with the Ramones first album instead.
HL: “I Gotcha", “Kick, Push”, “Sunshine”, “Daydreamin” A day where I’m grateful this website includes excised albums. A mid-2000s treat I was (mostly) unaware of
Attractive hiphop, lovin' the outro.
This album was pretty solid, I like Lupe. For some reason I really liked his album "Lasers" when I was in high school, and looking into it now I'm learning that it's pretty widely considered to be his worst album. Oh well, what do I know. This one is much better reviewed though, and I liked it a lot too. I thought it was strong lyrically, lots of memorable hooks and whatnot, and I was surprised that I actually recognized a few songs. "Kick, Push" is iconic, "Daydreamin'" is super catchy, "Hurt Me Soul" is great. The last few songs are a bit weak in comparison, and we definitely did not need a 12 minute "Outro" thanking everyone that Lupe's ever talked to before, but generally a solid album. Favorite song: Daydreamin' Other: Kick Push, I Gotcha, The Instrumental, He Say She Say, Sunshine, Hurt Me Soul 4/4/24
It was a good album! Political but warm. Good hip hop overall. Wonderful production
Ya know, this was a good album.
Never heard of Lupe Fiasco and I lived in Chicago when started releasing this music. With lyrics like the one below, how is he not bigger than Kanye? "Now come on everybody, let's make cocaine cool We need a few more half-naked women up in this pool And hold this MAC-10 that's all covered in jewels And can you please put your titties closer to the 22s?"
Love this one
Hip-hop político. Un 4.
3.5 Shockingly good!
I liked this album quite a lot. Lupe's flow and style was done really well and the sampling was really cool. Until the last song, "Outro". 12... MINUTES of Lupe thanking EVERYONE he knows. You know where you do that? IN THE LINER NOTES. You DON"T do it on a 12 minute song that goes nowhere. It was just... filler that was TOTALLY unnecessary. It was tedious and boring and I just kept asking... WHY? Maybe it was a hidden track on the original CD, I don't know. But it was just... gah. Totally took me out of the moment. Still, the rest of the album was really good. I would definitely listen to it again. Except for that last song. Gah. Top songs: "Kick, Push (I and II)" "I Gotcha" "The Emperor's Soundtrack"
Cool f'n album. Great lyrics and some wicked, rockin samples in songs like Real and Pressure (favorite track). And kudos for calling out some of the crude and prejudiced attitudes in other hip hop work - listen to Hurt Me Soul. It is also a sharp commentary on the state of the world. He shows you can be edgy and deep without being an ass. The Intro (with his sister at the start?) is powerful and a window into his insightful worldview. The Instrumental feels like a Linkin Park song - uptempo rap rock, real solid. He Say She Say has a softer jazz/piano sample, which plays nicely into the lyrics about a kid starting to falter as he grows older without good family support. Kick, Push is ok if you like skateboard culture but Kick, Push II is super clever looking at real life issues. A few songs were a bit ho-hum but I really enjoyed it. I wish I could find the stuff he did as Japanese Cartoon (his rock side project).
Some great tracks here. Really enjoy his style
Fantastic album, I was not expecting that
Very good. Really great beats and thoughtful rapping about the struggle of the day. Would listen again.
skateboards and social criticism
Really enjoyed this album. Flashes of Mos Def. Good overall sound. Not every track a classic, but better than average as a whole.
3.5
lupeeeeee its pretty good
It’s really quite good. Hard to believe this is a debut album as it’s so fully realized. Sits somewhere between Kanye and Childish Gambino.
7/10 pretty good, didn’t love it, but I definitely liked it favorite song was probably Daydreamin’ but the sampled song Daydream In Blue by I Monster is way better
Displays a penchant for pop hooks that make the socially-conscious subject matter more palatable. It remains a mystery why the over-indulgent "Outro" made the final cut for inclusion.
Pretty cool
Strong album, really liked it. I liked Kick, Push a lot, Sunshine, Daydreamin' is a classic too.. My only criticism is they included a 12 minute credits song at the end of the album. That felt a little excessive.
creative mix, not really my style, but I can dig it
Pretty great
honestly a more fun listen than expected. kick push is a cute 2007 teenage banger. love the 13min track at the end where he shouts out everyone and everything
I enjoyed listening especially while cooking. And truly appreciate his social commentary in his lyrics
I enjoyed it very much. Great music.
I haven't listened to this in ages - this is hitting today! The 12 minute outro was a little egregious to end the album when "Kick, Push II" was right there. The first half is a little weaker for me, but from "Daydreamin'" on, it is excellent (excepting aforementioned too long outro).
Not sure how I missed Lupe during my hip hop binges.
Det var nice! Jag gillade det
Very good, I enjoyed this. I don't know if I'd listen to the whole album again, but there are definitely some greats songs on here.
I really enjoyed this. I can't say I know Lupe Fiasco well at all. I know Kick Push cause that's a right banger. But I have a feeling my brother played me this album when it came out cause it feels very very familiar. I really enjoyed it.
J'ai trouvé ça vraiment bon ! Mais un peu long. Ça m'a surpris comme rap ! 4.75
I like it !
Favorite Tracks: Daydreamin’ Kick, Push American Terrorist
VMP
Not a genre I'd normally choose to listen to which is why this project is so fun. Reminds me a lot of Kanye West and NEPTUNES, which after reading a bit further about Lupe Fiasco shouldn't be a surprise. Thr quality of production is immense and album is consistent throughout. I would give it 5 stars if it wasn't for the incredibly annoying and repetitive 'outro', which seems out of keeping with the rest of the album.
In our last two weeks of the 1001 I was not looking forward to another hip hop album but was pleasantly surprised by this one. The subject matters are reminiscent of a Tracy Chapman album and the beats are well put together and well produced.
A real find. Like this a lot.
After listening to Food and Liquor, I can say its a really good album, Every song had its own distinction while sounding like they fit well together, the songs themselves sounded really good (probably because one of my favorite musicians helped produce this album (Mike Shinoda)). The lyrics were really good and the rapping was also great, as were the instrumentals. This is definitely the best hip hop album I have done on this project so far. Best Song: I Gotcha Worst Song: Intro
Serious Kanye vibes on this album. It's a good album that I really enjoyed, but it's nothing groundbreaking.
The reasons why I like this record are the same as why I liked Kanye's first 2 albums. They're very similar styles, and of course production work is done by Jay-Z and Kanye. Not just the way that the samples are intricately transformed into something so complex, but the mixture between the back-and-forth singing and rapping. Many songs feel complete and satisfying, with infectious hooks at the start to pull in the audience, followed by straight-to-the-point personal raps, a catchy chorus to tie everything together, ending with an introspective melodic closer to move onto the next track. Every song is built around strong manipulation of samples to make each one unique. But often that's the only good quality of the track. Several tracks like "The Emperor's Soundtrack" has the song structure I outlined above, and great production work, but little else to pull me in, so it ends up being fairly forgettable. "Just Might Be OK" is another example, but hides behind more experimental production and loud, catchy harmonic vocals, guising it an ok song that serves to intrigue the audience for what the rest of the album will be like. Over half the songs are pretty solid and kept my engagement for most of the record, only losing it after "Hurt Me Soul." There's a few points where it tries too hard to mimic Kanye's success, including the pointless 12 minute closer where he's just thanking people. Cutting that one and a few other tracks, and building upon potential deep cuts that go beyond Kanye's inspiration, it could stand out as one the finest pop rap albums of the decade.
Fun and thoughtful, especially in the environment it came out in. Not perfect by any means, but definitely solid and respectable.
Now this right here was an album that I think was overall pretty quality. And I was especially grateful to Lupe for thanking me personally at timestamp 11:22 in the outro. Shoutouts to you Lupe.
7/10. I thought this was pretty good. The outro was quite excessive, but I can't blame the artist for that because it's not like anyone is forced to listen all the way through it
Good album but imagine if you thought you were friends with Lupe Fiasco and he left you out of the 12 minute shout out outro. That would be devastating. 8/10
I have never in my life put on a Lupe Fiasco track or album. The thought has just never occurred to me. So how come I instantly recognize about half of the songs on this??? It's impressive, because I don't really care for his voice or flow, and the lyrics are often hit or miss (rhyming abortion with deportion…). But that goddamn production is just superb, especially the drums and percussion. The samples fit together seemlessly and add a whole new level to the music with influences from Latin to prog. Impressive. So I guess I really dig this one - in spite of Lupe Fiasco.
I’ve spent years underestimating Lupe Fiasco. His music is so much more conscious and clever than the floating Nintendo DS on the album cover leads one to believe. The lyrics are strong, the beats fresh and Fiasco himself delivers some great bars even when the hooks occasionally leave something to be desired.
Warrants the rating just from Kick, Push imo, love that song. The rest is pretty good too. Shame that Kanye tainted it with his future (ie, present) Nazism, but I highly doubt Lupe saw that one coming.
Hip-hop político. Un 4.
Very good Hip Hop album.
Still an great album, the vibe hasn't changed since it came out
Upbeat, breezy and fun, but still socially conscious. I particularly liked the orchestral (synth) instrumentation. One of the most enjoyable hip hop albums I've listened to. Yet another sample or interpolation of 'Daydream In Blue". Rating: 3.5/5 Playlist track: Daydreamin' Date listened: 01/11/23
Excellent. Really enjoyed the entire thing.
4.3
Actually incredible album favorite was kick push 1 and 2
Nice, good songs. Bad outro.
Very solid hip hop album. I'm surprised I haven't really heard of the artist before
Really great. Surprisingly good for something from 2006
Dansons sur la tombe du gangsta rap
I was not aware of Lupe Fiasco, and this album is entirely fresh stuff for me. I was initially surprised by the heavy partners they have for his first issue, and the songs were unknown to me. I was truly surprised by the quality of this album. If I got it correctly, reading Wikipedia and some news about Lupe, he is involved with some very problematic opinions, which is sad since his work is excellent even in this debut album. The production is perfect (the Jay-Z and Kanye names in the credits indicate the reason, of course), and the lyrics and voice work. Excellent sample selection and the amazing job that, unfortunately, is now marked forever by Lupe public person. I'm happy to see this album on the 1001 list, and I think that is the first post-90 hip-hop album that really catches up with me.
I like Lupe Fiasco. He brought something fresh and enjoyable to hip hop, avoiding the trap of rapping about b*tches and bulls*it, although failing to avoid the hip hop trap of an overlong album stuffed with filler. But Lupe has a nice flow and feels an heir to De La Soul, Talib Kwali and Mos Def.
first listen super solid record
Very chill hip hop album. Had listened to this before back when it came out and wasn't a huge fan. Not that it's bad, just didn't connect with it. Listening again now gave me some added appreciation. Kick/Push is a classic we used to warm up to in theater class in high school. I did dig the long outro too, very cool he did one of those.
Whoa, wasn't expecting to see Lupe on here. Lupe Fiasco is a really talented rapper, frequently underrated and left out of conversations that he should be in. I'm not sure what it is, he's a great lyricist and makes great albums, but something holds him back from being widely considered one of the greats (though many do put him up there). This album has "Kick, Push," which was my first exposure to him back in middle school or something. A cool skater anthem, that I'm not even sure is about skating. Regardless, great album. Lots to enjoy here. Favorite tracks: Kick Push, Sunshine, Pressure, The Cool, The Instrumental, Hurt Me Soul. Album art: Pretty cool but also pretty weird. Lupe floating in space, surrounded by technology and the trappings of consumerism? Very of the era if you ask me, so not exactly timeless but it's a cool image. 4/5
Riding the line between a 3 and a 4. It’s just all a bit too epic and cinematic for me, ChiTown/post Kanye production I guess. The lyrics and flow are cool, always loved Kick Push (as a skater). And I feel the core concept is a bit daft - like, there’s bad food and and Liquor is pretty great some times?
There's a lot to like here, production wise, lyrically, musically and of course a great band name. Reckon this will get a few summer plays, it's a keeper.
-Didn’t write a BL- AL: Food & Liquor is a compelling socially conscious rap album from a creative and lyrical MC. Highly recommend a listen for any fans of golden era lyrical and socially conscious hip hop. FT: “Kick, Push” 4/5
Very very good but the sounds were just too much at times? Not sure how to describe it. Just a lot of orchestral at once
Somehow I actually knew some of these songs. Overall it was a pretty good experience, it didn't blow me away. 3 seems to low. 4 seems too high but 3.5 ain't an option l.
Really solid.
Decent. Kick / Push is a tune
Wow. Knew absolutely nothing about LF before I began listening. This isn't what I was expecting and was pleasantly surprised. First of all, LF is not a femme. Currently working on a second listen to pickup some of the hidden gems. Has plenty of energy, it's musically diverse and captured my attention all the way through.
This is a refreshing hip hop album. On first listen, I thought he was rapping about b*tches and h*es like many other “gangstas.” But of course when listening closer the second time, Lupe is rapping counter to that sector of hip hop. The drama is palpable when strings are present. My favorite song is Daydreamin’. It turns out Lupe was forced to put it on the album by a record company exec. He won a Grammy for it, but receives no royalties.
According to my stats I listened to this 3 times in 2011 and never since. I'm guessing there's gonna be a heap more hip hop in this generator, hope more of it is like this
Of its age... essentially has 2 intros, the terrible outro, attempts to sing without a singing voice (-1*). Also, luxurious beats, really lovely production, decent lyrics, a few real bangers (kick push 1 and 2, daydreamin', etc).
Still sounds as new and revolutionary as it did back then. Top class lyricism, flow, storytelling, impeccable production and guest musicians.
Very good
Didn't expect to enjoy this but I was pleasantly surprised
Enjoyed this more than I expected to
Pretty good album. A few really good tracks, and none that are awful.
This kind of lush hip hop with fast paced and intricate lyrics is a side of the genre I hadn't gotten into much. It's very good, and interesting.
Heck of a debut - great songs, fresh perspective, big time collaborators. Too long though.
I must admit, I missed this one when it came out, as I was losing touch with hip hop at the time, but that was a mistake. I rather enjoyed this. That outro was kind of ridiculous though. Guess you can't say he isn't grateful. Fave track: "Pressure" w/ Jay Z Skips: "The Instrumental" w/ Jonah Matranga
Also this one was removed from the latest editions of the book. 3.5/5
This is actually a cohesive album. The first two tracks are relatively unnecessary, but it's not bad.
epico
Whoa. I was not in the mood for a generic hip hop album today - and so I braced myself when the first tracks hit - but when ‘Kick, Push’ came up not only did I realise I was not listening to your average ‘guns, cars and ho’s’ hip hop album but a true delight of a record. The Jay-Z sound puts it squarely in a good mood place and every track is impeccably produced - and Lupe rhymes with gusto and panache from start the finish - loved this one and what a pleasant surprise. And can’t commend enough a hip hop track that rallies against misogyny in the genre.
"Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor" is the debut album by American rapper Lupe Fiasco. No less than eleven people produce including Jay-Z, Prolific, Soundtrack and The Neptunes. Categorized as hop hop and conscious hip hip, lyrics deal with poverty, Islam, terrorism, poverty and individuality. This is all done in an uplifting way. The album received four Grammy nominations winning one in Best Urban/Alternative Performance for "Daydreamin'." "Intro" starts in spoken word as Lupe's sister, I believe, describes the food (good) & liquor (bad) stores in Chicago. God. Islam. Strings goes to a beat. The second song "Real" adds backing vocals by Sarah Green as Lupe describes making music he doesn't have to be ashamed of. A nice sample of Harvey Mason's 1981 "How Does It Feel." Speaking of samples. The first single "Kick, Push" opens with a "Bolero Melody" sample by Celeste Legaspi. Heavy strings. Lupe's love for skateboarding and, in general, being criticized for doing what he loves. "Kick-Push-Kick-Coast." The second single "I Gotcha" has some great peppy piano, synth and production by The Neptunes. Describing himself and his rap style...Lupe's got cha. "Daydreamin" samples a cover "Daydream in Blue" by I Monster. A middle-eastern beat. Soulful. An adventure though the eye of a robot critiquing hip hop. An original, busy song. The originality continues in "American Terrorist." Jazzy. More Middle Eastern music. Matthew Santos guests and there's a Latin flair. Misconceptions of Islam in America and racism and gang culture. Lupe covers a lot of topics and it's done in more of a poppy and life affirming way. I think the use of strings and production give it that feel. Nice use of backing vocals and guests. Solid rapping. Definitely worth a listen.
The deluxe version of this thing came out as a fifth anniversary edition, telling you all you need to know about the suspension of disbelief necessary. Lupe earns it fairly, backed up by a stupendous producing cast, covering all sorts of ground with a voice that remains unique. Plenty is immediately moving, but the vision is always broader than that, always pushing what could possibly fit on an LP. The outro is particularly bizarre formally, but always brackets the listen well.
This one was an interesting one. It was pretty long, but I didn't really begin to feel that until the last couple songs, mainly the outro. I liked the beats more than I expected to and I quite liked the flow. The songs had interesting ideas that made me like the album more than a usual rap album. The outro was, while long, a cool idea and funny at times as well. It was basically movie credits, but for an album. I'd say it's a light four, but that's pretty good considering I don't really like rap. My favourite songs were American Terrorist and Kick, Push.
classic Lupe album.
Amaze.
Good stuff!
4.0
Een van de betere hiphop albums. Ik deel de mening over veel vulgaire teksten en vrouw onvriendelijkheid ook wel
Food & Liquor was the kind of album I assumed I wouldn’t connect with—wrong genre, wrong lane, just not my thing. Turns out I was wrong. It was more engaging than I expected, and I genuinely enjoyed the ride. Will I revisit it? Probably not. And that eleven-minute “Outro” certainly doesn’t help. After a couple of minutes of Lupe Fiasco reading through the album credits, I skipped ahead. I appreciate giving people their due, but that’s what liner notes are for. Still, as a one-time listen, I’m glad I gave it a chance.
This is Kanye West if Kanye actually made good music. That's not to say this was fantastic by any means. Rap & Hip-hop have never been my jam save for the old school 80s/90s variety, but this album had a decent flow and a good sample base that kept it from being annoying. The biggest complaint is that it's way too long. I could feel time slowing down as I listened. I swear this hour of music took 3.5 hours.
Crazy list of producers on this. Pretty good listen.
Very solid rap album w/ guest appearances, production and overall sound. Was gonna give it a four but the damn outro is so unnecessary and long it's a 3 now.
Happy to upset the purists and rank this higher than The Chronic which I had yesterday.
Some good tunes
Not my genre. Seems well produced enough. Songs feel so samey though. Does he need to announce his name every song? Are they not distinct enough on their own? Whatever/5 (2.5)
this was good! the 10 min outro song just shouting people out was a little much for me lol
Enjoyed but not his best
Not bad from Lupe but also in that weird limbo period
Pretty cool, but nothing too good. I'm glad I've been forced to try more hip-hop as I do need to get into the genre more but some of these lyrics are better than others. Favourites were by far the ones on Hurt Me Soul, but songs like Sunshine featured some real stinkers. What do you mean this guy said "Working like a... hmm... reverse archaeologist, except his buried treasure was sunshine"??? The beats are pretty good and some of the features are great, I'm just not huge into hip-hop yet and this album doesn't have as layered production as there was on GKMC and TPAB, as well as lacking as much interesting stories to tell as Kendrick in my opinion.
Little bit of a Kanye sound but Kendrick lyrics…?
good album. wasn't giving it my full attention. sorry lupe.
Good, I like self conscious rap but nothing special in the production department to warrant anything higher. Feels like so many other hip hop albums could be on here than this one. If blueprint or MBDTF or really anything early Kanye isn’t on here I’m flipping my shit
The album art might be the most 00s album I have ever seen. It really couldn’t been made at any other time. This failed to connect with me, there are however some classics on here like “Kick, Push” or “Daydream”. I think the album is just too long to make it feel consistently good. I think Lupe Fiasco’s contemporaries are a lot better than this album e.g Kanye, Schoolboy Q, Jay Z. The beats are decent and the raps are ok but the rapping never feels good enough to make me want to share this music with my friends. Still not a bad album by any stretch, some good singles with some fluff. Strong 3.
Song had a great beat but overall kinda bland after the first minute in a half.
conscious hip hop is something i can certainly appreciate listening to but with the approach i’d take to reading a legit novel or watching a good film. like, i’m not returning to this for warm fuzzies but i appreciate the artistry behind it. in this case, i even sat through the credits. anyway shout out to all the internet sites, shout out to my mom for giving me these jbl earbuds so i could listen to music, shout out to beatrice she supports me emotionally, shout out to the guy riding his bike on the sidewalk even though the street is empty, shout out to my entire printmaking class, shout out to my department, shout out to my friends for doing the 1001 album challenge (fav: american terrorist)
(68/100)
Los 2000 hecho disco. Creo que ya puse una review similar pero bue, no me dijo nada pero ta bueno