First for music news

Lupe Fiasco

The Cool

Lupe Fiasco

7 / 10 Boasting a quasi-mystical concept that boasts three characters, ‘The Cool’, ‘The Game’ and ‘The Streets’, you come to Lupe Fiasco’s second album expecting something straight out of André 3000’s wildest dreams. Luckily, this Chicago MC keeps high-concept gibberish to a minimum, packing his second album with rhymes about robots and skateboards that nonetheless roll with the sort of swagger which leaves other brainbox rappers red-faced and grasping for their inhalers. Pleasingly, the crossover moments shine: ‘Hello/Goodbye (Uncool)’ snatches a hook from UNKLE – and, thus, one of Josh Homme’s riffs – while ‘Little Weapon’, produced by Patrick Stump of Fall Out Boy, sees Lupe morphed into the body of a gun-toting child warrior. But hold for the last verse, where we discover it’s all about – gasp! – violent computer games. Or is it? Our brain hurts.

Louis Pattison

Rate this album

Average rating

Be the first to rate this album

NEW! For the latest music videos and backstage interviews, check out our brand new sister site, NME Video.

More Lupe Fiasco
Comments

Comments do not always reflect the views of NME, or IPC Media, for guidelines visit our Ts & Cs page

Featured Videos
Latest Tickets
NME Store & Framed Prints
Most Read Reviews
Popular This Week
Twitter
New Issue Out Now
Inside NME.COM
 
Newsletter

Free weekly music news, videos and MP3s in your inbox

On NME.COM Today