Lasers

[MattG12]

Lupe Fiasco's new CD "Lasers" will be in stores in two days.

This thread can be a gathering for Lupe Fiasco fans to discuss the album. I own both "The Cool" and "Food and Liquor". I will be buying "Lasers" on Tuesday as well. Lupe is easily in my top 5 favorite current rappers. I've already listened to the CD. I don't think that it's as good as his first two albums, but it's still better than almost everything else out there.

This album is basically three years of work... yet there's only 12 songs on it. It seems like short 10-12 song albums is becoming a trend. I'm not too fond of that. Lupe was having a lot of feuds with Atlantic Records while making this album and I believe in order to get the album released to please the fans, Lupe probably had to make a few sacrifices. Although the lyricism is still there, the beats are not beats you would expect to hear on a Lupe Fiasco CD. There is also autotune... I never thought Lupe would ever do that.

My favorite song on the CD is "Beautiful Lasers"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iINfvsb3lgo

... You can use this channel to listen to the rest of the album!
http://www.youtube.com/user/lupelasersfiasco

[ManUp]

He was pretty close to being shelfed by the record label, but his fans protested and petitioned to get the album released. He has some true loyal die hard fans. IMO, he probably will get shelfed after this album because his lablel's not backing him.

[MattG12]

I got the CD yesterday... After finally listening to it the whole way through in my car rather than on crappy laptop speakers I feel I can finally review it.

Letting Go
6/10... Kind of a drab song. Repetitive piano track and quiet, lazy sounding chorus behind distorted vocals that remind me of "Gorgeous" by Kanye West. The lyrics are great, as they are on almost the entire album.

Words I Never Said
9/10... Extremely powerful lyricism and great subject matter. Skyler Grey on the chorus. She's becoming quite popular in the hip hop community now after working with Lupe, Dre, and Diddy. The beat is interesting and different but could be better.

Till I Get There
9/10... Repetitive piano beat again except this one is uptempo. Good lyrics again and a Catchy chorus. If Lupe can make all of his songs like this I would be happy, this isn't a bad balance between his mainstream sound and his deep lyrical mastermind sound... -1 because the song slightly favors that mainstream sound.

I Don't Wanna Care Right Now
3/10... This is my least favorite song on the album. Club beat, autotune although catchy chorus, tons of vocal effects particularly in the second verse that remind me of Kesha, and the Black Eyed Peas. I enjoy garbage club music if I'm in a club... but definitely not from Lupe and not when I'm not in a club.

Out of My Head
7/10... I'm not a big Trey Songz fan but I do like him in this song. This is an interesting futuristic beat it sounds like something you would expect to hear from Mr. Hudson. Lyrical content is ehh.

The Show Goes On
8/10... Mainstream Lupe, but really not bad at all. The lyrics are inspirational, the second verse is awesome. I really like the Modest Mouse sample. The beat is mediocre. I hear this on the radio all the time. *I'm not a hipster by any means. I don't get angry when people start listening to artists that I've been listening to for years and I don't call artists sell outs.* That having been said, if any Lupe fans want to get a laugh... check out the comments on this video on youtube. I saw one person say that "Lupe is the next Kanye West." Lupe has been around just as long as Kanye. People think that Lupe is a new artist because this is his first time really getting radio play. Again, I'm not a hipster, but I'm not happy about that.

Beautiful Lasers (2 Ways)
10/10... This is my favorite song on the CD. Deep, dark vocals. I wouldn't call the chorus catchy, it's simple but good. I can get past the fact that autotune is used because I like the way it's used on this song. I compare this song to "Lost in the World" by Kanye.

Coming Up
9/10... This song surprised me. I never listened to this one before the CD came out. When I hear this song it reminds me of "I Get Around" by Tupac. The percussion is very similar, and Lupe's flow sounds Pac-like. Lupe Fiasco is also talking about women in this song, except he's more respectful. The chorus is good as well.

State Run Radio
5/10... The song is 4 minutes long. The first 47 seconds of the song is AWFUL. It's a repetitive garbage beat with a somebody singing state run radio over and over again. Then Lupe Fiasco starts rapping and he saves the song with a terrific verse. Then the song goes back to the garbage chorus. Then Lupe comes back with another good verse. This process repeats one more time until the awful chorus conquers Lupe and we have to listen to it for the final minute of the song.

Break the Chain
7/10... Sportscenter used this song for a montage a month or two ago. Futuristic beat, good lyrics, awesome flow, the chorus is okay but at this point the album seems formulaic in that every chorus is similar (One guy repeating a few words over and over).

All Black Everything
10/10... Haunting production on this song. This song sounds more like Lupe Fiasco than any other song on the album. The lyrics are very imaginative. The entire song is a concept much like "Daydreamin'", "Twilight Zone", or "Gotta Eat".

Never Forget You
10/10... This song is beautiful. The album steps away from the formulaic chorus by using John Legend instead of random singers that all sound alike. I'm pretty sure this is Lupe's song for his father, who died when Lupe was releasing 'The Cool'. Lupe sounds quiet and sad, which I didn't like on "Letting Go", but I do like it on this song.

Overall I think the album is about a 7.5 or so. It's respectable, and its mainstream vibe is going to gain Lupe a lot of fans. Like ManUp said I think this will be his last album with Atlantic Records. I can picture him signing a deal with Kanye's label "GOOD Music". Lupe got his big break by being featured on Kanye's song "Touch the Sky" from Late Registration. The two are also 2/3 of the hip hop super group Child Rebel Soldier (CRS). CRS is made up of Kanye, Lupe, and Pharrell from N.E.R.D.

GOOD Music would be a great place for Lupe to continue making music. He would be able to work with people like Kanye, Kid Cudi, Pusha T, CRS, Big Sean, Common, Mos Def, Mr. Hudson, John Legend, and Consequence... and not be controlled by his label.

[StartOrien]

Have people heard his version of 'Nothin' On You'? I like Lupe Fiasco a lot, but that thing was a disaster.

[MattG12]

Have people heard his version of 'Nothin' On You'? I like Lupe Fiasco a lot, but that thing was a disaster.

Just listened to it for the first time... I have no idea why he did that. He doesn't sound like he's into that song at all. That song isn't really his style.

[shookones99]

I love Lupe but i have very mixed feelings so far from what ive heard.

Im really feeling Coming Up and Words I never said as far as his flow/lyrics goes.  But the production feels a little weird. 

HAving said that I fully expect the album to grow on me the more I listen to it (which is exactly what happened with his first 2 albums -- 2 of my alltime favorites).

[Change]

Thanks 4 the review MattG12.

The sound is unlike Lupe's past albums. The lyrics however is all Lupe. After couple of rewinds, it grew on me. Hated 'The Show Goes On' at first, now I'm bumping the heck out of it.

It's projected to sell between 220-240k units 1st week. My faith in humanity is being restored. LASERS

Till I Get There, Words I Never Said, Beautiful Laser, All Black Everything, and The Show Goes On are my favorite tracks.

LASERS

Preview: http://listen.grooveshark.com/#/playlist/Lupe+Fiasco+Lasers/50099236?src=5

[CrossCL]

All Black Everything is hauntingly beautiful. This is the kind of Lupe that I want to hear, not the dumbed down songs that Atlantic Records has been making him put on the album. The problem with this is that Lupe's type of lyricism and conscious rap is that it doesn't sell well(usually). Hence the success of rappers Soulja Boy, Waka Flocka etc. No disrespect to them since they're making money but from an artistic standpoint, their songs can't touch Lupe. Top 5 favorite rappers right now, at least top 10 ever.

[BigAlTheFuture]

Most anticipated rap album of the last 3 years.

[MattG12]

I'm a jerk.

State Run Radio is not a 5/10 song.

I just gave that song so many plays today on the way to and from school. I'm still not in love with the beat, but clearly I must have not been paying attention to the lyrics because the chorus fits the song perfectly. It is repetitive for a reason. The song is a social commentary on how radio stations play the same songs over and over, hence the ironic repetitiveness of the chorus. Lupe's verses on this song are fire. I'm changing my rating of the song from 5/10 to 8/10. The boring non-Lupe beat prevents me from rating it any higher than an 8.

[Change]

I'm a jerk.

State Run Radio is not a 5/10 song.

I just gave that song so many plays today on the way to and from school. I'm still not in love with the beat, but clearly I must have not been paying attention to the lyrics because the chorus fits the song perfectly. It is repetitive for a reason. The song is a social commentary on how radio stations play the same songs over and over, hence the ironic repetitiveness of the chorus. Lupe's verses on this song are fire. I'm changing my rating of the song from 5/10 to 8/10. The boring non-Lupe beat prevents me from rating it any higher than an 8.

'State Run Radio' could also be Self indictment by Lupe. Atlantic records overproduced LASERS to be radio friendly. Lupe takes you through the process making top40 hit radio play. The Ingredient: Generic pop beats looped over repetitive meaningless hook and dumbed down lyrics. To have your song be Top40 you either follow the process or be cut off. Basically selling your soul for fame. 

LASER unfortunately is overproduced by Atlantic Records. Thankfully Lupe doesn't dumb down his lyrics. If you can get past the agitating beats Lupe has message behind every song.

[MattG12]

Lupe's been rhyming some of his thoughts on twitter today:

every year we do better, steady on the rise, the tears for lost ones weigh heavy on the eyes, dita sunny’s, gold prezzy, twin turbo chevy fo’ a ride of course, from the backseats of phantoms i thought of leaving thru suicide doors, love got me thru it, best fans ever made the whole world care, had 51st & 6th looking like Tahrir Square! apologize for dumbing it, but look what has become of it, “All Black Everything” some old white southern woman humming it, Took Gaza Strip’s Politics and put them number one and [stuff], took the myth that concious dont equal commercial and [something] pummeled it! weapons for the weak, lessons for the meek, the too proud to beg, and the too poor to speak, the too smart to listen, and the too dumb to teach, two sides to every story so i listen to both speak, shout 2 all the dj’s, who gave a [person] replays, fake shore drive, rap radar & the whole internet space, U put it online I put it in they face, and there it will remain, for atleast another week, right at number 1, hahaha yeah [person], stay strong Japan, Nate Dogg REST IN PEACE!!!

[ManUp]

It's weird, this album reminds me of how I feel of Kanye's MBDTF it's really really good, BUT theirs just something that keeps me from loving it. I'm with Shookones I expect it to grow on me.

Letting Go
Words I never said
All Black Everything  (this is officially my ****)
Break the Chain
Till I get there

Are the songs that do it for me right now.

Note:If you like R&B check out Miguel "All I want is You" Album.

[shookones99]

It's weird, this album reminds me of how I feel of Kanye's MBDTF it's really really good, BUT theirs just something that keeps me from loving it. I'm with Shookones I expect it to grow on me.

Letting Go
Words I never said
All Black Everything  (this is officially my ****)
Break the Chain
Till I get there

Are the songs that do it for me right now.

Note:If you like R&B check out Miguel "All I want is You" Album.

After a few weeks of non stop bumping in my car --- Im lovin this album.  It has absolutely grown on me.  I still have a beef with a few of the beat selections but Lupe lays it down on pretty much every single verse.

Im gonna check out that Miguel album.  All I Want Is You Ft. J. Cole is one of my fav songs of the past year.