LUPE FIASCO: "LASERS" (Review)

CD Review: Lupe Fiasco "Lasers"

Lupe Fiasco has had a hell of a career going for him after his debut album "Food & Liquor" started turning heads back in 2006. Following that up with "The Cool" a year later, Lupe proved that he was able to beat the sophomore slump and even surpass the appeal of his previous work. Four years have passed, and it's been a long wait for album number three. With only the very solid "Enemy of the State" mixtape to tide fans over, anticipation couldn't have been higher.

In an industry so flooded, and misconstrued with materialistic gangster rap, it's refreshing to hear someone spitting conscious rap for the mainstream. Fiasco is unafraid to spit fierce political statements, even if they are surrounded by candy-pop hooks as in his latest "Lasers". Nearly every track has the makings of a Top Ten radio single, due in large part to stunning production values. Yes, these songs are studio tweaked to the max, in which a furious Fiasco has stated is the reason it took so long for the studio to release it. From the vocal distortions and shimmering synths of opener "Letting Go," to the booming handclaps and nostalgic piano of closer "Never Forget You," there's hardly a moment where the album doesn't sound "really good" in a really substantial way.

Although this 3 studio album from Fiasco is more of a "radio play" successor, other then the usual "Cool" type music he has dropped earlier, fans are still hooked by it's outstanding lyrical content. Fiasco says he sees his music, which pulls influences from prog and experimental rock, as a way to bring different groups of listeners together — including those who are wary of hip-hop. 

Fiasco: On how Lasers finally got a solid release date: “The fans came and put their lives on the line in some instances—because you never know what could happen, it could have been a stampede. I look at that as very inspiring and motivational. That was one of the only reasons the label got on the phone and wanted to have that meeting, they seen the outpouring of support and the critique that was beginning to mobilize via the Internet.”

 -Side Note- In my opinion Lasers is not a conventional Lupe album, and has a mass radio audience appeal to it, but still as I have waited for this for four years, I can honestly say that this album has not let me down, as most reviews would tell you. Yes it's more pop-type, with long chorus repetatively played on each track, but its lyrical content is more important to me then a club banger, or top 100 type track you hear now-adays. I just can't wait for what's next on Lupe Fiasco's future.   

" I'm just trying to do the opposite of left, as long as there's the opposite of death, ya know 
Yes, ya test and I just might bring the opposite of life, til' there's no one the opposite of right" Lupe Fiasco.... 


Lasers is available to buy on iTunes and all good stores worldwide now.