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.
For a rap album, this is actually quite sweet and thoughtful. Lupe Fiasco had a tough upbringing, but the thing that he missed out on most was making model trains with his absent father. The cover shows him surrounded by his favourite things, including a Nintendo DS. He tackles the thorny subject of misogyny in rap on one track and spends the outro thanking everyone by name who helped him. The highlight is a two part song about skateboarding. Nerdtastic!
I had no idea what to expect, but I really enjoyed this album.