This is a great album by Lupe Fiasco. It is introspective, personal, controversial, and critiques current social and economic issues. The sound of this album is different from his previous albums in that it is more mainstream. If you listen to this album for what it is, it is a really good album. If you go into it thinking that it will sound like F&L or The Cool, then you will be disappointed. This album has a completely different sound from those two albums, which is not really a bad thing if you a fan of good music and have an open ear to music. Lupe is trying to push the genre of hip-hop on this project. The Lyrics are less complex on this album, but it's Lupe's (less complex lyrics, which is still better than 95 % off other rapper's lyrics). I enjoy listening to this album. To have battled his record company to even get this album released and still put out an album of this quality, I say that's a victory in itself. A great listen for a fan of music.
What's great about it: It's Lupe Fiasco Lyrics and subject matter
What's not so great: One or Two songs may have to grow on you, but that's true with all music albums
The entire album flows from one song to the next. You won't hit the skip button until the song "hate". Hate is an okay song, but the production and content of the song seems out of place. The chorus is on some auto-tune type stuff and the verses are not good by kanye or jay. It seems like he kind of forced that track onto the album just because. It messes up the flow of the album. It sounds like it should have been on 808's and Heartbreak. But other than that, there are 14 other great songs on the album. A must buy.
I got this album from bestbuy yesterday, and I'm glad to see Em is back to his old self. There are 20 tracks on the album with like 4 or 5 skits, so really like 15 songs. I like pretty much the entire album. The only thing is the accent that he uses. I like the accent, it allows him to ryhme words that he could not ryhme in his regular voice, which make the lyrics better. Some people don't like the accent, but trust me, the music on this album is great, once you listen to it, the accent won't bother you because the music is undeniable. The accent only shows that is he trying to grow as an artist anyway. I definitely would say buy this album for anyone who is a fan of hip-hop or just a fan of good music, you don't even have to be a fan of eminem to like this album.
What's great about it: Lyrics, beats, overall concept of album
Nas is a lyrical monster on this album. His ability to narrate and tell these incredible stories with such a high level of lyricism is crazy. A complete album might I add-didn't have to skip one track, the whole CD is dope. For an artist to talk about these topics on an album and not sound preachy about it is very clever of nas, but if anyone can do it, Esco can. This album is the best hip-hop album since Lupe's The Cool and truly something that the game needed and the people needed to hear. While this album is fun to listen too, you can also take alot from this album to think about on an intellectual level. It makes you think and reflect on the past and present times of today. Album of the Year in my eyes. Esco lets go.
What's great about it: Lyrics, Narration, Intellectual, just an overall Dope album