The Cold Cut

Beatology.zip (Link 2)

When Jay-Z performed on Glastonbury 2008's second night, he effectively altered British music festivals. In doing so, he simultaneously made a mockery of all those who doubted whether hip-hop belonged in a British festival atmosphere- yes, Noel, that's you. I personally hate the fact that these genres are largely left out of European line-ups, and when they're included, they are swept onto smaller stages.

Jay-Z- Wonderwall/99 Problems (Live At Glastonbury)
Jay-Z- Rehab (Live At Glastonbury)
Jay-Z- American Boy (Live At Glastonbury)

Jay-Z is the first rap artist to play on the main stage of a mainstream UK festival and to recieve extensive coverage, and his set was a huge success, hopefully opening up new avenues for artists such as Lupe Fiasco and Kanye West who also have brilliant stage presence. Let's all be honest- he bossed it. Jay had everything at Glasto: political relevance, controversy, the tunes and a brilliant show. As did Lupe, who gave a confident and energetic performance (watch it), on the small Jazz World stage, when in the US such an artist probably would have been centre stage. Although it looks like that is about to change. Especially with the following set of tunes flying the flag:

A-Trak ft. Lupe Fiasco- Mastered

A-Trak was the latest musician drafted to create a Nike+ soundtrack, entitled 'Running Man'. He must have pounced on the chance of distancing himself from Kanye West and his ever-expanding ego (I still love you Kanye), and he modestly illustrates why he has one five DMC championships. Using some of his contacts from the Glow In The Dark tour, he drafts in Lupe Fiasco, who all but carries the song. In small doses, this type of music is really great. I can't, however, see him successfully producing a Mark Ronson aping album. Myspace

John Legend ft. Andrew 3000- Green Light

It's a case of less musicianship, more commercial appeal with this song. John doesn't sacrifice too much, and the combination of the two vocals has a really strong R'n'B vibe. Myspace

T.I.- Swing Your Rag

Since 'My Love' was release, and running up to 'Love In This Club', T.I. was everywhere, and probably on the cusp of a Lil' Wayne style commercial breakthrough. Unfortunately, he's now under house arrest, and has been quietly working away at a new album, 'Paper Trail'. 'Swing Your Rag' is one of 50 recorded tracks- expect the album to drop mid September. Myspace

This is really a brilliant time for music: yesterday I got my hands on the new albums from m83, No Age, Cut Copy, Santogold and Phantom Planet. All of which are excellent. And yet, I don't really have time to dwell on their brilliance, because a new wave of music is coming through.

Rihanna- Disturbia (Link 2)

Rihanna has actually gone bad. Her recent album's title- 'Good Girl, Gone Bad'- suggested a new direction, but didn't deliver. I'm happy with the fact that it had a few tunes on it, and in chart terms, Rihanna can do no wrong. The first single from her re-release of 'Good Girl Gone Bad', 'Disturbia', shows signs that she might be trying some new styles. Okay, so she sounds like a robot. But that's more than made up for by the first sentence: 'What's wrong with me? Why do I feel like this? Oh, and the fact that she actually says 'shit'. Maybe things aren't going so great for the chart queen? Oh, and did anyone else make the connection between the song title and her purported connection with Shia LaBeouf?

Immuzikation- We're Gonna Have a Paaarty (Immuzikation GetTheFuckUpToniteBlend) (Link 2)

Immuzikation is showing absolutely no signs of slowing down. I've been chatting to him a lot lately, and all I can say is that both he and I have some treats lined up for you. Stay tuned, and listen to his latest amazing mash-up: the last few have shown some serious signs of progression... my personal favourites are Santo Mia, Fish Tacos, and this latest addition. Check his day-glo Myspace.

Jon Regen- Let It Go Live (Link 2)

Jon Regen has just finished his European tour. You might remember my post about him a few months back- since then, Jon has been getting loads of positive write ups in blogs and other meda, and an extremely strong response to his tour. He sent through a live recording of 'Let It Go', the first single from his recent album, 'Let It Go'. It's a nice version, and Jon, with the help of a two man band, switches things up. Visit Jon's website...

Wale- Roc Boys (Freestyle) (Link 2)

Wale's new mixtape dropped a few days ago. Easily as good as '100 Miles And Running', this sets the bar higher. The beats are more clean cut, the rhymes more sophisticated, and althogether the music is more polished. Download it here.

Kenna ft. Lupe Fiasco- Say Goodbye To Love (Link 2)

Kenna's 'Make Sure They See My Face', released in October 2007, is a truly excellent album. Hopefully, this remix with Lupe Fiasco will see some more commercial success than the album version.

Some very scary and mind blowing events took place over the last few days. It has rapidly dawned on me that these next few weeks will be the end of an era. Just over a month today, I will be leaving school, and wont have anything to really work for any more. It's both exciting and frightening. Luckily, I've secured a brilliant placement for my gap year with IBM (in short- dream job), and have also lined up some work experience with a certain car manufacturer (a clue: initials AM) for summer 2009.

I had my first A2 exam yesterday: M1, or mechanics, something that I should really be good at considering its the basis of my degree (mechanical engineering). I thought it went well, and now I must get back to the pile of work/job stuff that is building up in my room.

Anyway, I must apologise for my lack of inspiration or originality lately: I'm right in the thick of exam revision, and compiling a mixtape or trawling through my inbox is proving a bit time-consuming. However, my mid-term break is coming up on Saturday, and I have nine days to do loads of work and infuse this blog with some much needed inventiveness.

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Lupe Fiasco- The Coolest Vs. Let There Be Light (Justice Remix) (Link 2)
Lupe Fiasco- Lu Yourself (Link 2)

'Cross' and 'The Cool' were two of my favourite albums last year. I love Lupe Fiasco. I love Justice. Therefore nothing in the music world is as exciting as the prospect of Justice remixing the whole of Lupe's amazing second album. The above song is just the tip of the iceberg...

“I’m remixing the album with Justice, I’m gonna shout out to Justice”. It's comforting that the two outfits are working closely together, so the material can be treated with respect.

I've also included a Lupe rarity: Lupe is currently on the 'Glow In The Dark' tour, opening in front of N.E.R.D., Rihanna and Kanye West. Reviews have been varied: the general consensus is that Kanye's ego is growing a little too big even for a stage to accommodate (hence his solo performance... no backing singers etc.) and that Lupe Fiasco is a legend in the making. 'Lu Myslef' clarifies that fact: Lupe raps over Eminem's hit, exercising his huge lyrical wit:

"Since you don't have half the stance like an amputee, You don't have half the pants that it takes to command a family, a fan, or command a fee... So you will never get the ransom you demand from me! The goodnews' my foot's loose, my hands are free."

[Buy]

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The Hold Steady- Sequestered In Memphis (Link 2)

A few days ago, The Hold Steady released their first single- 'Sequestered In Memphis'- from their forthcoming album 'Stay Positive'. This single shows no sign of progression, but really, do The Hold Steady need to change?

'Stay Positive' is more a message for the band than for their fans. They will need comforting when few people buy the album, regardless of the fact that they're one of the best bands making music at the moment.

[Buy]

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Beck- Chemtrails (Link 2)

I haven't always been a Beck fan, 'Odelay' was the sound of undistilled talent, and a couple of tunes on his recent album were quite quirky. However, barring that, I don't agree with the view held by many of my contemporaries- that he is a genius.

'Chemtrails' highlights an eerie new direction; already miles away from the fun and games of 'Cellphones Dead'. The best way to describe this song would be 'ethereal': I felt like I was wading through it (in a good way). After a few plays it has done considerable work in bringing me over to the dark side.

[Buy]

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Vampire Weekend- Campus (Rostam Batmanglij version) (Link 2)

Unreleased demos always cause a ruckus when they're set free: however, rarely are they superior to the studio version's. It's an interesting fact that in the recording process, 'Campus' has had something taken away from it. The strings arrangements on the album version are inferior, and the atmosphere of a uni campus on a summer's day is swiftly put across by the softer vocals.

And the most important thing this points out is that their self titled debut could have been even better. A scary thought.

[Buy]

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Cool Stuff

1. If you weren't aware of Datpiff, head over there right now. It is far and away the best place to find up and coming hip hop, rap and RnB artists, and the great part is that all the music is free. I have rediscovered some great artists, and am getting into new ones (Wale's '100 Miles And Running'- Highly recommended).

2. Coldplay are the centrepiece of the new iTunes advert, and it's breathtaking. With the soundtrack of 'Viva La Vida', the band perform in marching band style, complete with Apple's tell tale visuals. 'Viva La Vida- Exclusive On iTunes'.

Everybody Nose- CRS/Pusher T (Official Remix) (Link 2)

Oh yes. CRS have seriously proven themselves. Transforming a piece of coal into a diamond is a neat trick, and the strength of these three artists is unbelievable. 'Us Placers' was a brilliant piece of artistry, with a nice sample, good verses and, if this any indication, just a hint at what this trio is capable of.

In the hands of Child Rebel Soldier, N.E.R.D's 'Everybody Nose' takes on a new meaning, and a much darker disposition. The main thing this proves is that Pharrell is a much more formidable artist when coupled with Kanye and Lupe. Further to this, it's nice to see that the song's subtext actually involves cocaine, not waiting in queues at clubs, a fact which didn't come across in the original.

Usher- Love In This Club (MSTRKRFT Remix) (Link 2)
MSTRKRFT have also pulled one out of the bag, with a bottom heavy remix of Usher's 'Love In The Club'. A song like this should require a light touch, but MSTRKRFT have taken the opposite approach, bucking and beating the trend. This really proven their status as kings, transforming the originally slight track into something far more weighty.

Fish Tacos- Immuzikation Blend (Link 2)

This guy is a machine. Every email from Alfredo Lapuz Jr. starts with 'just got back from work, and put this together'. If that's the case, then he's a genius, gluing together random songs to create something entirely original. If you don't believe me, check out 'Fish Tacos', effectively a remix of 'Viva La Vida' blending in Weezer, Cut Copy, The Blow, M.I.A. and Reading Rainbow. I wasn't won over by the prospect of that many songs stuffed into one track, but this is the sign of a true master. He pulls it off effortlessly.

Visit Immuzikation's Myspace.

Lupe Fiasco- Superstar (ft. Young Jeezy & T.I.)

I love Lupe Fiasco. Simply put, he's is the best thing about rap music at the moment, with a lyrical repertoire far beyond many of his peers and the kind of musical talent that doesn't surface often. The second of his concept album trio, 'The Cool' was a critical hit, and was further proof that Fiasco is an undervalued talent.

A remix that is superior to the original song is a rarity, and these should be cherished. I never thought Lupe would lend himself well to being re-tooled, as his blend of book-smart verses and unusual production are fairly distinctive in the first place. The latest remix, however, of 'Superstar', his lead single, is a song that made me change my mind. 'Superstar' was a song that should have been left alone, but the instigators should be rewarded. This is sick.

Young Jeezy is just there as filler, but he raps respectably. The light relief at the beginning of the trick, he then gets blown away by Lupe's new verse:
"Like a senior citizen having a baby shower
Haters want to budget but my fans still love it
So you can ask them exactly ‘Who I Are’
Nine weeks at number one I’m a ‘Superstar’ "

To finish things off, T.I. shows that his recent seclusion has had a positive effect on his flow. All in all, its a great song, and is another triumph for Lupe. Download it!

It appears I really missed a trick. The video for CRS' 'Us Placers' has been out since late December, but I only stumbled upon it today, out of the blue. The video itself is further proof that CRS aren't going to be 'just another rap group'. The use of a Thom Yorke sample cemented that fact, and the video goes further, simply by not featuring any semi-naked women, sex or alcohol. Instead, Kanye, Lupe & Pharrell are played by three lookalike children, who rap out the song, with the aid of a young Thom Yorke. Its a nice move, and is already superior to most of the rap videos which appear on MTV Base etc. This wont be the last we hear of CRS, trust me.

Wow. 50000 visitors. Its hard to believe The Cold Cut has only been going for 10 months, but I feel as if this blog is at least beginning to make an impact. I had a few issues at first- I didn't focus enough, but music is quickly becoming an even more important part of my life, and I'm really glad that its the focus of this blog.

I just want to thank everyone who has visited The Cold Cut, from a one-time visitor to those of you who come here everyday. Regardless of your standing, I urge you to subscribe to my RSS feed, tell your friends, spread the word and comment. Your contribution means more to me than you would believe.

It happened very quickly- some pretty cool stuff started happening about 3 months into this blog's life. I've had Dev Hynes of Lightspeed Champion commenting, a producer of Lupe Fiasco's (The Black Mage, or Chris of 'Chris N Drop) new album commenting numerous times, been on Rolling Stone's blog and much more. Lately, I've started to receive loads of band submissions, something I'm truly grateful for- I hope my posts have helped you all in some way or another. My popularity is increasing, with the Hype Machine indexing my blog (I've been number 1 on the popular list about 10 times now!), regular Paper Thin Walls spots and popular posts on Elbows. The page rank is going up as well- just as a side note, if you want to exchange links, drop me a line...

I have serious plans for this blog... I recently bought a new domain, www.thecoldcut.com, which is not functioning just yet, but will soon be up. With the new domain I will keep Blogger hosting for now, but may eventually move to Wordpress so I can integrate a much better template. I've put more advertising on the blog to offset the costs of file hosting- I will hopefully soon be making enough to buy a yousendit premium account.

Thanks for a great 10 months. Long may it continue... This one's for you!

Led Zeppelin- Thank You

CRS- Us Placers

I've only recently heard 'Us Placers', the first (of hopefully many) releases by CRS, or Child Rebel Soldier. This could also be short for 'Crossover Supergroup', given the pedigree of talent in this three-piece side project.

Kanye West, Lupe Fiasco and Pharrell Williams are all artists that can confidently hold their own as producers, rappers and musicians on a solo standing. Put them all together, and things begin to get crazy. Kanye, the rebel, Pharrell, the soldier and Lupe, the child (echoing 'Little Weapon'), recorded 'Us Placers' a long time ago, and this was released on Kanye's pre-Graduation 'Can't Tell Me Nothing' Mixtape. The song picked up a pretty big following on the internet, which was duly noted by the three's respective record companies. According to sources, a deal is being ironed out as we speak...

Onto the song- unusually sampling (and even referencing) Thom Yorke's 'Eraser', this weird backing choice already hints that this supergroup might go the distance, both in terms of originality and commercial standing. And I needn't explain the talent of the three artists. Of the three, Kanye's experience shines through, winning the prize for best rhyme, dropping this and much more about halfway through the song:
"Just last week they want to see ID
Now they got you in VIP, huh?
How many people almost famous
You almost remember what they name is"

There are no concrete plans for a full length CRS album yet, but in Lupe's words, "Everyone's focused on something else at the moment, [We're trying to find] two or three weeks to sit down and hammer it out." Recently, Lupe let on during an interview that we can be expecting a CRS release in late 2008. It will be an agonising, infuriating wait.

The 'Can't Tell Me Nothing' mixtape can be bought here

(Image courtesy of mus-ik.com)

Today, I'm going to introduce you to the newest feature of The Cold Cut, 'The Cool'. Mixtapes are the lifeblood of many blogs, and I feel optimistic that they could become a respected feature of The Cold Cut. 'The Cool Vol I' is my first foray into this area of music blogging, and I hope you enjoy my first attempt. Expect many more; they will come as soon as they're ready. Comments and criticisms are always welcome...

The 'January Blues' are a phenomena that many of us suffer from: the comedown from the Christmas season is a difficult one, and the reality sets in that summer is whole half year away, and the following Christmas even longer. Then you have the extra pounds that we all put on, the fact that work starts again, and the dire weather. My first mixtape is designed to help you overcome and directly deal with this situation. Split into two halves, the first signifies the melancholy first few days, and the second the light at the end of the tunnel. Sad/Happy listening...

January Blues- Download complete zip (single tracks available for download below)

Click the (B) to buy the album each song is from...


The January Blues

1.Queens Of The Stone Age- You Think I Ain't Worth A Dollar, But I Feel Like A Millionaire (B)
2. Longwave- Meet Me At The Bottom (B)
3. Lupe Fiasco ft. Jonah Matranga- The Instrumental (B)
4. The National- Black Slate (B)
5. Dangermouse- Threat (B)
6. Metric- Grow Up And Blow Away (B)
7. Imogen Heap- The Moment I Said It (B)
8. Calla- It Dawned On Me (B)
9. Cee-Lo- Childz Play (ft. Ludacris) (B)
10. Bloc Party- Rhododendron (B)
11. CSS- Superafim (B)
12. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah- Over And Over Again (Lost & Found) (B)
13. Doves- There Goes The Fear (B)
14. Faithless- Hour Of Need (B)

Bonus Track
Jennifer Raffety- January Blues

After a four day stretch, I've finished the list, and I'm honestly quite proud of it.

The quality of music released in 2007 was high, and because of this, many special albums didn't find their way into my top 20. Therefore, its only fair that I have a post devoted to a round-up, including the notable mentions, who just missed out on the top 20. I will post a couple of great tracks as well...

Top 20 Albums:
1. Lupe Fiasco- The Cool
2. Patrick Wolf- The Magic Position
3. M.I.A.- Kala
4. Arctic Monkeys- Favourite Worst Nightmare
5. Arcade Fire- Neon Bible
6. Burial- Untrue
7. ?- The Good, The Bad And The Queen
8. Radiohead- In Rainbows
9. Daft Punk- Alive 2007
10. Les Savy Fav- Let's Stay Friends
11. Kings Of Leon- Because Of The Times
12. The Shins- Wincing The Night Away
13. LCD Soundsystem- Sound Of Silver
14. Justice- †
15. Bloc Party- A Weekend In The City
16. Interpol- Our Love To Admire
17. Klaxons- Myths Of The Near Future
18. Jay-Z- American Gangster
19. Bright Eyes- Cassadaga
20. Foo Fighters- Echoes, Silence, Patience And Grace

Notable Mentions:

Rock/Indie/Pop
The Maccabees- Colour It In: If I'd given this a few more listens, it probably would have flown into my top 20. Unfortunately, I never really gave it the time of day. I'll quote my brother on this (a HUGE fan): "I see this album as the coming of a really great band".

The Maccabees- Latchmere

Band Of Horses- Cease To Begin: To the trained ear, this was apparently worse than previous Band Of Horses album 'Everything All The Time'. If that's the truth, Everything All The Time must have been bloody amazing.

Band Of Horses- Is There A Ghost
Feist- The Reminder: The experience from dozens of other projects gave Leslie Feist the necessary grounding to produce such a great solo album. Easy-going, memorable, and remixed to death, The Reminder has established Feist as a serious songwriter.

Feist- My Moon My Man

Maximo Park- Our Earthly Pleasures: Our Earthly Pleasures got destroyed by the NME for some reason, and although I don't believe its top 20 worthy, it still chock full of great pop songs.

Maximo Park- Books From Boxes

Hip-Hop/Rap:
Kanye West- Graduation: Graduation was a return to form after the disappointing Late Registration. Other than 'Drunk And Hot Girls', it gels to perfection.

Kanye West- Good Life (ft. T-Pain)

Wu-Tang Clan- 8 Diagrams: Have you been missing the way rap used to be? Look no further. 8 Diagrams is the Clan doing what they do best, and their sound is almost totally unchanged from the throwback days.

Chris Brown- Exclusive: This guy can do it all. Sing, dance, act (for 15 minutes of Stomp The Yard at least). And whilst Exclusive isn't really good, it does show the smallest bit of progression on Chris' part. Maybe he will be the next Michael Jackson after all?

Dizzee Rascal- Maths+English: Now twice nominated for the Mercury award, and much deserved. No tricks- what you see is what you get.

Dizzee Rascal- Sirens

Chamillionaire- Ultimate Victory: No, he isn't a one hit wonder. His flow is almost unmatched in my opinion ("so fluid its like drinking a song"), and he has really improved between albums.

Chamillionaire- The Ultimate Victory

Things I haven't heard but really should do:
Bruce Sprinstein- Magic
Spoon- Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
Of Montreal- Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer?
The National- Boxer

The final 5. How emotional *wipes tear from eye*. These are the five albums that I really connected with this year, and the only advice I can give is to buy them now if you haven't already. As usual, comment, and click the album title to buy it, or the artist name to find out a bit more about them.

Come back tomorrow for a round-up, as well as some more end of year lists.

5. Arcade Fire- Neon Bible
Neon Bible seems to be the epitome of 'bigger is better'. They bought a church, converted it into a recorded studio, learned some new instruments (hurdy-gurdy and organ, for starters) and had loads of fun whilst recording a more rocking second album. Its a slight departure from Funeral, and I wouldn't go so far to say its equal in quality, but Neon Bible is still one of the most complete rock albums this year.

Favourite Track: No Cars Go

Its been around for a long time, but this song has really benefited from being re-recorded. A rollicking tune with some grandiose production.

4. Arctic Monkeys- Favourite Worst Nightmare
How do you build on such a brilliant introduction as Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not (WPSIATWIN!)? Take a cue from this band- get better at your instruments, improve production and up the tempo- then the world's your oyster. Okay, Favourite Worst Nightmare isn't as instant as WPSIATWIN, but the quality of songs on this album absolutely trounces their debut in my opinion. Its bigger, faster and more brutal- a high octane beast of an album. Where next? Only time will tell.

Favourite Track: Teddy Picker

Teddy Picker- the bass driven third single- concerns modern society's chase for fame. In the wake of rubbish like Big Brother and X-Factor, you can see how true this is. They also made the brave move of recording using a live audio track in their video. Watch it here

3. M.I.A.- Kala
Kala was definitely the most diverse album of 2007, and M.I.A. continued her party trick of splicing styles and cultures together into an epic musical concoction. First off, the beats are ridiculous; some of the samples on this album would put most rap/hip-hop albums to shame. Lyrics have always been a key part of M.I.A.'s appeal, and thankfully, her style wasn't hugely altered between Arular and Kala, with political verses still featuring strongly:
"Do you know that cost of AK's
Up in Africa
20 dollars ain't shit to you
But thats how much they are"
All in all, its comforting to see Kala high up on many end of year lists, and once you've heard it, its easy to see why.

Favourite Track: World Town

Who would of thought that the sound of a gun cocking was so cool? M.I.A., ever the pioneer.

2. Patrick Wolf- The Magic Position
With the Magic Position, Patrick Wolf was no longer only for those with 'eclectic' musical tastes. Some critics have accused him of taking the easy 'pop' route, but when the results are so encouraging, it really doesn't make a difference. Patrick recieves very little recognition, which may have been the reason he moved in a 'poppier' direction, but even on unfamiliar ground he excels. The title track is the definition of happiness, but halfway in, things turn dark with Bluebells. Other than the confusing Secret Garden, this is a flawless, undervalued album.

Favourite Track: (Let's Go) Get Lost

No explanation required- listen, and you will be swept up by this song. Happiness, wrapped into a 3 minute package.

1. Lupe Fiasco- The Cool
This album was the latest, and best, addition to this list (full review here). Quite simply, Lupe Fiasco is a legendary rapper, and its a massive shame that he will be retiring after LupEND, his next album. Both Food And Liquor and The Cool are both serious contributions to the musical archives, and illustrate that Lupe is not your generic rapper. He really has something to say in every instance, and a lot of his rhymes contain content that is 'now'. He will also go down in history as the only rapper to ever record a succesful concept album, and a rare lyrical talent. Truly revolutionary...

Favourite Track: Little Weapon (I've bought the album, and its now out, so I feel okay about posting one track)

Fallout Boy singer Patrick Stump produces, and in the process creates the best backing track of the year. Lupe pulls a trick, opening with the line:
"I killed another man today
shot him in his back as he ran away"
All is revealed at the end, when we realise that this is, in fact, occuring in a video game.

Rating: Red Hot

Don't ask me how I know this, but Lupe Fiasco's sophomore album, 'The Cool', is killer, meeting my 'sky's the limit' expectations following his brilliant debut, 'Food And Liquor'. Not content producing a bog-standard rap album, Lupe has tread into dangerous territory by recording a concept album (yes, a rap concept album!). Thankfully, he emerges untouched on the other side, and even with a few more strings to his bow. Not only does Lupe outclass his peers on their ground- in terms of beats- he repeatedly demonstrates that he possesses a keen eye for a good rhyme, producing unbelievably brilliant metaphors from his bag of tricks. We, the fans, can only hope that Lupe receives the credit he deserves second time around, and finally becomes recognized as the modern savior of hip hop/rap.

When rap started off, the focus lay on the lyrics, and yet over the years personality has been slowly sucked out of this genre, and what we are left with is a group of bland,(mostly) untalented people who drop "rhymes" about their money, girls and cars. Thankfully, these are exactly the things Lupe attacks on 'Dumb It Down', establishing himself as a variation on this theme. This album is a breath of fresh air in a genre dominated by glamour and money, both of which Lupe is privy to, despite not having sold his soul by producing identikit rap. This album is almost a statement of war: both against the majority of other artists in this genre and bootleggers. If I remember correctly, 'Food And Liquor' leaked a full 6 months before it was released in September 2006. Second time around, Lupe has been more careful, but he still hasn't completely stamped out leaks; tracks from 'The Cool' have been around for a couple of months now.

Lupe album's are different in that they challenge you, just as music should. And that's just what is missing in rap nowadays. Out of the current rappers, most of the ones I rate have been around for a while: Nas, Common, Wu-Tang Clan and Talib Kweli, who focus on the lyrical content of a song, and let the beats come as a bonus. It doesn't take a genius to work out what Fiddy is talking about when he says:
"She know's just how to move to seduce you
She gone do the right thing and touch the right spot
Dance in you're lap till you're ready to pop"
A world away from this, on the other hand, lies Lupe, who crafts songs that unfold after each listening. Every time I hear the album I decipher a new rhyme, and there are many that I still don't understand... 'The Cool' is chock full of pop culture and rap references, almost like a puzzle that is waiting to be solved. It actually hurts to think about how he comes up with some of the stuff on this album, and after two intelligently executed albums there can be no doubting that Fiasco is a pretty smart guy.

In his sophomore effort, Lupe adopts a darker tone than 'Food And Liquor", and Fiasco has obviously vented his emotions over a tough few months directly into this album:
Complex Magazine- "So would you say that this album is darker than your first?"
Lupe Fiasco- "Oh yeah, it's much darker just on the strength of the situation that I'm in, in life right now is kind of a happy period. It's a lot of success but it came with a lot of sacrifice and having my pops pass away and just recently having an aunty pass away and then having a friend pass away, Stack Bundles, a rapper in New York who got murdered out here and then to also have my partner get locked up, to get 44 years, all that stuff came along with the situation. It made the setting for me a more darker because I'm a little bit sad."


'The Cool' gets of to a relatively slow start with 'Baba Says Cool For Thought'. We are welcomed to Lupe's world by the familiar voice of Iesha Jaco, who replicates the 'Intro' on 'Food And Liquor', a cool theme which Lupe has stuck with, finishing with impact:
"Freeze- cause the problem is we think its cool too.
Check your ingredients, before you overdose on The Cool."

'Free Chilly (ft. Sarah Green & Gemstones)' doesn't have a lot of good things to its name: at this point I found myself waiting for the album to kick off, and we are deprived of Lupe for this one minute song. I'm not quite sure I understand the point of an interlude before the album has started. But hey, its got some great soulful singing by Sarah Green and Gemstones... unfortunately, they aren't who I paid to hear.

'Go Go Gadget Flow', despite possessing a popular sample (from Go Go Gadget) and a repetitive hook, kicks off the album on Lupe's terms. He switches up the flow: I'd never heard him rap this fast, and its a refreshing change. The beat is solid, Lupe is on point, and whilst its not the intro I was expecting, this song still kills most of competition. Lupe's rhymes are ridiculous, and he almost out-Twista's Twista...

After track three, things start to get interesting, and you are hit by a barrage of truly brilliant songs.

'The Coolest' is where the concept comes into the equation. Lupe fans will remember 'The Cool' off 'Food And Liquor', which told the story of The Game, The Cool and The Streets. This is a direct continuation of that story, with parts of the dark tale coming to a close over this album (see here for a full explanation). I absolutely love this song (42 plays on iTunes and counting): my fave rap/hip hop song of the year.

'Superstar (ft. Matthew Santos)'- We've all heard this one by now, and its really growing on me. Relative unknown Matthew Santos should replace Chris Martin as rap's male vocal go-to-guy (after the horrendous 'Beach Chair' with Jay-Z and the passable 'Homecoming' with Kanye). Boldly, Lupe has obviously chosen him to sing all male vocals on this album, which is a good move IMO. The combination works well...

'Paris/Tokyo' is textbook Lupe, with a catchy beat, brilliant chorus, great flow on Lupe's part and solid production by Soundtrakk. This is a potential second single, which I could see doing well on the charts due to its crossover potential. Ace.

'Hi-Definition (ft. Snoop Dogg & Pooh Bear)'- I've heard a lot about this one, but I really wasn't blown away by it. There is almost too much packed into 4 minutes: Lupe, Snoop Dogg, Pooh Bear, samples from Common, synths and heavy beats. Snoop Dogg slots in an amazing verse, but there's something grating about the overall sound of this song. And as good as Snoop is, Lupe still walks all over him. A possible mis-step, but disaster is averted through the sheer awesomeness of Lupe and Snoop's rhymes.

'Gold Watch'- Dominated by a sample which threatens to drown out everything. Has enough bass and instrumental to save the day once again. The subject matter is sensitive, concerning the effect of fame. A little less volume on the sample, and this would have been brilliant- how could something so easily altered get past post-production? This and Hi-Definition are the two weakest tracks on 'The Cool'- from here on it's plain sailing.

'Hip Hop Saved My Life (ft. Nikki Jean)'- The story of Michael Young History, a rapper from Houston, Texas. A strong vocal contribution by Nikki Jean (a Fergie sound-a-like) and the most commendable piano instrumental (it turns up quite a lot on 'The Cool'). Lupe is dependable as ever, telling Michael Young History's (=My Cool Young History) story:
"Reps north side so he rocks them braids,
1100 friends on his MySpace page,
stack that cheese got 700 plays,
producer made him take it down, said he had to pay"

'Intruder Alert (ft. Sarah Green)'- A really ominous song about the outcasts of society, and those with some serious issues. Someone give Sarah Green a solo album already.

'Streets On Fire'- I can't do this one justice: you have got to listen to it to understand how Lupe owns this song. Get over to MTV now to listen!

'Little Weapon (ft. Nikki Jean)'- Produced by Fall Out Boy's Patrick Stump, this was a very pleasant surprise. To start with, a slow-mo voice over, with some gothic chanting, had me worried that Stump had gone all emo on Lupe. What comes next, then, completely blew me away. The beat on this track is unbelievably new and unfamiliar, with a catchy snare and vocal hook. The originality of this rock-influenced track is a blessing, and its one of my favourite tracks on 'The Cool'.

'Gotta Eat'- A song from the perspective of a cheeseburger. Again, intriguingly fresh, this song works due to its creativity, a general theme on 'The Cool'.

'Dumb It Down'- This song is the most complete display of Lupe's lyrical abilities thus far. He absolutely trashes it:
"'I'm flying on Pegasus you're flying on the pheasant
Writer of the white powder
Picker of the fire flowers
Spit hot fire like Dylon on Chapelle's skit"
Check out a more complete review of this song here

'Hello/Goodbye (Uncool)'- Another rock-rap song, produced by UNKLE, who does a great job with the instrumental. This is a really gritty song, and is one of the darker on this album. A tune in the mold of 'Little Weapon'.

'The Die'- Gemstones really compliments this track with his Twista-esque rapping. A continuation of the story, with a little interlude ending. Listen carefully to the radio, and you will hear 'The Cool' from Food And Liquor' playing in the background. The song ends with gunshots. On a Lupe record? Thats a new one, but its a concept album after all, and from here on the album tends towards the darker end of the musical spectrum.

'Put You On Game'- Sinister is the name, a classic track is the game. Lupe invades 90's rap tradition on this song, harking back to the old Wu Tang albums, and emulating their grimy sound. Its a valiant effort, and he pulls off the new (or should I say old?) sound.

'Fighters (ft. Matthew Santos)'- The end is in sight, and things begin to slow down, aided by Santos' melancholy vocals (which just get better and better, by the way). Lupe reveals a devoted fan's blog address at the end of the song: check it out- http://www.lupethefiasco.blogspot.com/

'Go Baby'- A bit cheesy, but a jubilant ending it most definitely is. Lupe signs off with a cheer, and we are left astounded by the greatness of this album. Hip Hop/Rap album of the year, hands down (pipping 'American Gangster' to the post).

There are two occasions when the brilliance of this album is almost shattered: 'Hi-Definition' and 'Gold Watch'. Catastrophe is averted, however, and this is mainly down to Lupe himself. Convincingly pulling of a concept album is unbelievably difficult, but Lupe has succeeded in this endeavor and rewarded with a brilliantly fresh rap album, with some unassuming rap songs and interesting stories to boot.

You can listen to 'The Cool' in full here: what do you think? A good follow up? Or has Lupe dropped the ball second time around? Oh yeah- don't let history repeat itself... buy this record when it comes out and support Lupe. Get him on top of the Billboard chart. No tracks, as I don't want to spoil Lupe's chances this time around. Here's an old gem though, to keep you ticking over until you buy 'The Cool'.

Lupe Fiasco- Cold Blooded

Lupe Fiasco is a talent to watch- at the age of 25 he already possesses far more lyrical prowess than most of the other members of this genre. He is unique, bucking the trend at each and every turn. On 'The Cool', he really has something to say, and delivers on the promise of 'Food And Liquor'. It's a shame that he's retiring after his next album, LupEND; hopefully he'll pull a Jay-Z on us. This album is a masterclass in lyrical skills, and Lupe's peers could do worse than take a leaf out of his book, and write about something meaningful. Somehow, coming this late in the year, 'The Cool' has already found its way into my top 10, even before its release. There is an unprecedented amount of variety on this album, and everyone is bound to find many things that they like. 'The Cool' is a masterpiece, and I hope you all buy it when it hits on the 18th.

Nas made the claim that 'Hip Hop Is Dead'. Well, it may have been, but Lupe has most definitely brought it back to life.
.

Another late night, another great track that I can't not write about. Lupe Fiasco's latest 'The Cool' is leaking like nobodies business, and I've only heard the results this afternoon. 'Dumb It Down', the last track to break camp, is a brilliant verbal tirade of abuse against the rap industry. And lets be honest: it deserves it.
"pour champaign on a bitch
(dumb it down)...
you'll sell more records if you
(dumb it down)..."
Go on, admit it. The rap industry is rapidly deteriorating, and individuality is a rarity nowadays. There are three or four topics which conclusively find their way into rap and hip hop songs, and you don't need me to list them. So 50 Cent makes shed-loads of cash from a song called "I Get Money", with abysmal rhymes and a great beat? Who the hell buys this shit? I could make you a better beat on a drum machine or Garage Band... Why would you want to listen to someone telling you how rich they are, when there are numerous alternative rappers who have more talent, and actually deserve the cash? Well, at least we have one young guy going against the current; Lupe probably doesn't even know the meaning of the word stereotype.

Food And Liquor, Lupe's first album, can be bought here.

The Cool (December 18th) can be pre-ordered here

Lupe Fiasco- Dumb It Down (ft. Gemstones & Graham Burris)
Lupe Fiasco- Superstar (ft. Matthew Santos)
Lupe Fiasco- The Coolest

I was just sent this new track by Lupe Fiasco, from his new album 'The Cool' which comes out later this year. This is the best of the 3 tracks I have heard, so enjoy. If you like this track, Food And Liqour, his Grammy nominated first album is still on sale here..

Lupe Fiasco- Cold Blooded