Dear Lupe Fiasco

If there's one thing that bothers me about 'conscious MCs' (the terms sucks, but that's another post), it's that they feel comfortable discussing politics on a large forum, regardless of how wacked out their opinions are. Just because you are an MC that follows politics, does not mean that you have an open invitation to be on a soapbox 24/7. Lupe, I've had it up to here *raises hand above head* with you and your constant diatribes regarding politics, President Obama, or what have you.

First of all, Lu, why don't you vote? Are you out of your mind? You sit there and say that if a politician doesn't represent your agenda then you can't endorse him... WHAT? That's like saying that if a football team doesn't call the play you're screaming from your couch, then you'll cease to become a fan. NEWSFLASH: Politicians aren't your puppets, nor can you dictate the direction that their allegiances lie. You'd be better off trying to teach a doorknob how to bark. That you decry the merits of voting simply because no candidate has dropped a hand-written letter to Wasalu Muhammad Jaco, asking for your endorsement is sickening. Yes, the American political system is fatally flawed. Yes, we have a whole fistful of assholes in places of power. Yet the way to change this system isn't to sit on your ass and talk about why candidates don't suit your needs. The solution is to VOTE! Get up off your ass, vote for your Congressmen, Representatives, Mayors, Attorney Generals, Senators or whoever, so we can get good people in office, instead of talking out of your ass.



Second of all, where do you get off calling Obama a terrorist? You can sugarcoat it all you want, but you said the words. Stand by them. Like I said above, no politician is there to serve your exact needs. If they did, they'd only have one voter: YOU. Either way, calling Obama a terrorist because of some supposed link to war-mongering is not only ignorant, but extremely short-sighted. Do I agree with everything that Barack Hussein Obama has done in his almost 3 years in office? Absolutely not. Yet, not everything is of his decree. As much as I'd love for Barack to end the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, it's not like he can pull an 'I Dream of Jeanie', wiggle his nose, and suddenly have every US troop, envoy and diplomat back in the country. As much as I hate the amount of money dedicated to the military, I'm not sure Barack is going to stand in front of a tank and do his best Tiananmen Square impression. These things take time and diplomacy, something that Barack is a lot better than you at. Give the man a break. He's got the GOP putting up a steel-reinforced brick wall in front of all his initiatives, a crumbling economy and infrastructure, and little to no help from his own party. You'd think that being such a polarizing figure yourself, you'd have a little empathy for Barack. Maybe it's all of that hair pulling the nutrients from your brain...

Thirdly, there's a distinct difference between a fact and an opinion, Lupe. It's obvious that you've got the lines blurred to monumental levels. Where have you come up with some of these theories? The last time I checked, every one of your claims is completely unfounded. Did Wikileaks come out of nowhere with a new round of leaks that they only sent out to you? Or has Barack been having secret meetings with you on the weekends discussing foreign and domestic policy? Somehow I think neither of those happened, so where are you getting your intel from? If FOX News is one end of the spectrum, then I'm pretty sure that your recent comments are at the other end of the Loony-o-meter.

Finally, Lupe, I'm tired of you yammering your mouth. From about early 2010, you've been on this 'holier than thou' escapade where you fling mud at everyone who doesn't agree with you. You sound childish. Being one of my favorite rappers, it was an arduous task trying to defend your words, but it's gotten to be too much. It's almost like you're trying to make people dislike you. LASERS might've sold a million and counting, but you're losing supporters at just as fast a pace. As much as you've made good music with intricate social commentary, that doesn't give you a free pass to become a political pundit. No, I'm not sitting here trying to quell your desire for political change, Lupe. In fact, in terms of overall zeal, you're probably one of the few MCs who has the cojones to say what's on his mind. I'm just imploring, begging, pleading with you. Please get your facts and head on straight, man. It's like watching Jack Nicholson being brought into the lobotomy room in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest; sad, yet you couldn't help but predict it. Do me a favor, Lupe. Make some good music so defending your outlandish political views doesn't become a case of cognitive dissonance.

Dear Lupe Fiasco

Buy Lasers HERE

It's been well over 3 years since your last album, The Cool. That album was a dedication to hip-hops obsession with... well, being cool. It painted a picture of the game and what's cool as being these destructive, yet enticing entities, that would tempt even the most righteous among us. I suppose that is one of your appealing traits as a rapper: your ability to reveal what we celebrate in this 'game' for the detriment it is. When it was revealed that Lasers would finally be released, I rejoiced, not only as a fan excited for new Lupe, but also because it would be a far cry from your usually pithy tone. No longer would the listener not be subject to the thought of how much we're losing. We're lasers, not losers! We don't have to be all melancholy about the way hip-hop is going! We can protest in front of Atlantic Records and get your album released! We don't have to let the labels decide what we have to listen to! That's what I thought Lasers would champion. It turns out we were wrong. Lasers was a disappointing reminder that no matter how much 'we' push, there's a huge chance 'we' won't get what we want. And you were the first person to learn that, Lu.

I won't get into the fact that you derided the album after it leaked or have been lambasting your own effort. That's for you and only you to live with, given the high standard of work that you usually hold yourself to. As a listener and fan, that happening is a bit disconcerting. Even if you weren't doing that, the album still doesn't live up to the height. It starts with a rousing piano solo on 'Letting Go', then delves into an abyss of half-baked choruses and muddled verses. You spoke a lot about war on this song and did a lot of introspection, but not in a palatable way. It was almost like you were writing an angry letter to yourself about everything that grinds your gears, but the letter had no direction and no point.

Lasers continues with probably the best song on the album 'Words I Never Said', a powerful political statement reminiscent of the Lupe we know and love. The song was persistent, unyielding, and unashamed, reminiscent of what I imagine you wanted the album to sound like. You definitely threw that in second so that you could get it off your chest, and then the album takes a nosedive from there. Between 'Till I Get There' and 'I Don't Wanna Care Right Now' the pop-esque instrumentals seem better suited for Flo-Rida than you. Hell, he might as well have been on one of those songs. This is clearly where Atlantic had their way with you. The Trey Songz feature couldn't have been more misplaced, and the track, 'Out of My Head', had the depth of a Jersey Shore reunion. Given how easily you tended to speak about love on your other albums, this was a huge disappointment. You rapped in circular monosyllables, all about superficial things and not the romantic minutiae that endeared you to the fan (think 'Sunshine'). I felt horrible bopping my head to the song. You and Trey could've definitely collaborated and come up with a better song, though I'm not sure Trey has the capacity to go 'deeper' anymore. Even so, 'The Show Goes On' saved Lasers from the dreaded 'halfway point pause-and-never-play-again curse'. Its uptempo vibe brought the listener in and while you didn't RIP your verses, it was hard not to like them.

After that, the album takes another nosedive. It seems like you were sleepwalking through those next two tracks featuring MDMA, and it was hard for me to keep awake during them. You talked about the future constantly, but had a flow sounding like it was stuck in the mud:

They like 'how come you don't rap that' / Cause that's a backtrack / and I ain't tryna back back

Really, Lu? We're taking it back to preschool? This is coming from the guy that wrote 'Dumb it Down'. What happened to digging deep for conceptual greatness? What happened to challenging the listener? What happened to the type of tracks that make you rewind them dozens of times just to catch one line or metaphor or punchline? It seems like you're faking the funk, or just simply f*cked the funk up. 'State Run Radio' got some brownie points back, but the irony of the track was hilarious considering the puppet strings pulling you throughout the whole album. 'Break the Chain' and 'I'll Never Forget You' were snorefests. By the time I got to 'All Black Everything', I had had enough, regardless of how good a song it was. The damage was done. You had successfully shown how 'conscious' hip-hop could have its manhood taken from it and served on a platinum plaque.

Ultimately, Lupe, Lasers failed because you failed to paint the vivid picture that your manifesto for the album did. Rather than champion 'substance in the place of popularity', you got a #1 spot on the Billboards with what was your least substantive album. Rather than 'think (your) own thoughts', Atlantic spoon-fed you 9 concepts and you choked. Lasers wasn't the revolutionary work of art you promised, and no matter how much you downplay your involvement, it's your album. I'd rather you take ownership for this and come back harder with LupEND or Friend of the People or whatever your next work is (you never know now with you, especially with your precarious label situation). To say this was a bad album is a bit much, yet I can't give this one my stamp of approval. It'd not only be going against my better judgment, but your own words. So, Lupe, enjoy your platinum plaque. Like I said, ironically your best-selling album was your worst content-wise. Lasers or losers, this album proved that it is possible to win and lose at the same time. If that's not enough reason to come back with a vengeance, then this should be your last album just like you said 2 years ago, Lupe...

Kanye West & Mos Def - Blue Note Jazz Club Freestyle

Kanye West & Mos Def - Blue Note Jazz Club Freestyle

No Freestyle Friday this past week. Sue me. Apparently, Kanye and Mos blessed the Blue Note Jazz Club in NYC on Saturday by crashing Lupe's show. The Robert Glasper Experiment backed them up with a soulful, acoustic Dilla beat. Kanye goes off the dome and speaks on why he hasn't begun touring yet, his ties to Illuminati and random vices that have held him back. Mos more just flexed his lyrical muscle and shouted out the crowd. All in all, that would've been a nice way to end any Saturday night. I really wish there was video footage of this, but the audio does the trick just fine. Check out some GOOD Music...

Lupe Fiasco - All Black Everything

March 8th!! Have you pre-ordered yet?


Lupe Fiasco - All Black Everything

There's something to be said about when a rapper makes what would be called a 'deep' track. Whereas most 'conscious rap' gets compartmentalized because it talks about the same things with the same condescending, 'I hate you n*ggas!' mentality, Lupe tends to not get boring. He finds new and innovative ways to bring light to the ills of the world, and it's most evident in the concepts of his tracks. Lupe called this one of the best tracks he's ever penned, with good reason. 'All Black Everything' is a song that speaks on its namesake, recounting the fallacies, inconsistencies and little tidbits of misconstrued logic that pervade our understanding of Black history. That it's hitting the interwebs in the middle of Black History Month is perfect timing, and Lupe seems to drop more historical gems per bar than most of this year's XXL Freshmen. Whether you love or hate Wasalu, you can't debate that the man's got a good head on his shoulders. Check the rhymes...

Freestyle Friday (2/18)

Happy Friday, people! Whoever and wherever you are, I'm sure some ciphers will start your day off right, and we've got a few good ones today. The first one is by the Ohio representer Stalley on Toca Tuesdays. After dropping his 'Intelligent Trunk Music' mixtape last week, he swung by Tony Touch's studio and did a quick 2-minute verse with some nice background vocals. The second one is from none other than the Money Making Jam Boys, also on Tony Toca's show. The cipher is over 8 minutes long, with all 5 of the Philly rap collective spitting some vicious writtens over Big L instrumentals in remembrance of Harlem's Problem Child. If you didn't get their mixtape, you've loafed in the worst way. The third freestyle is by Lupe over 'H.A.M.' on Tim Westwood's radio show. I'm not sold on the beat for H.A.M., but somehow Lupe does wonders with it, crafting the most intricate of rhymes off the dome. It wasn't nearly his best, but the fact that he did a true 'freestyle' makes it impressive. Check out all three ciphers and keep it locked to Dear Whoever...

Lupe Fiasco - Words I Never Said (ft. Skylar Grey)

Lupe Fiasco - Words I Never Said (ft. Skylar Grey)

There's something that can be said about the idea of holding one's tongue. Sometimes it's for the best, with one's (possibly) hurtful observations being held from the right people. Other times, it's for the worst, keeping people in a lap of beautifully-veiled ignorance. In Lupe's case, it's been the latter for years. Lu's label situation has held a lot of great music back and kept him from saying a lot, hence the title of this next track off LASERS. Quite honestly, if these are the things that Lupe's held back, then imagine what the man's still got cooped up in his noggin. Check the next single and make sure you're not holding any words back today...

Freestyle Friday (1/14)

Okay, so Freestyle Friday kinda went by the wayside to begin the new year. No need to worry though, Dear Whoever's got you covered to go into the weekend with two freestyles to rock to. The first one is by Lupe Fiasco on 97.3 in Connecticut. As always, Wasalu goes off the top and puts most rappers to shame. I wouldn't say it's his hottest freestyle ever, but compared to the dire lack of good ciphers out ther, Lu stands head and shoulders above most. The second one is by my new favorite rapper Show TuFli on Deal With No Deal Radio (#shoutout to Hunter College). Show does a three minute, swagger-laced verse a capella and has the guys in the studio going nuts with his punchlines. I'm still looking for a mixtape or a serious release, but TuFli's consistency is something to marvel at. Check out both freestyles and keep your browsers locked to Dear Whoever. Happy Friday people!!!

Lupe Fiasco - The Show Goes On (Music Video)

LASERS comes out on March 8th, 2011. I repeat: LASERS comes out on March 8th, 2011. What was becoming a Detox-esque wait for stans such as myself, is almost over. That's not to say that this is my favorite song, but sometimes some music is better than none, especially when there's not a lot of good music coming out. Lupe shows the viewer his path to the stage, complete with high-res visualizations and random cronies helping him put on his performance attire. It's a simple video but exemplifies the title of the song as well as the way to alleviate his label woes: by letting the show go on. Check out the visuals and keep waiting for LASERS...

Super Lupe Fiasco - Super Lupe Rap

Super Lupe Fiasco - Super Lupe Rap

Lupe Fiasco went on a Twitter rant (what else is new?) after seeing Soulja Boy say this:

“I don’t want to be super-Lupe-Fiasco-lyrical and n***** don’t know what the fuck I’m talking about,”

Honestly, it doesn't matter what the hell Soulja Boy says because he's pretty stupid when it comes down to it. Lu clearly took offense to the comment and decided to accompany said Twitter rant with a track making light of Deandre's idiocy. The track is nothing short of 6 minutes of lyricism that deserves nothing less than a bunch of rewinds. Lu goes off on a sub-par beat, stuffing it full of wordplay, metaphors and punchlines, and it's hard to debate that he's one of the best rappers out right now. Taking up the persona of Super Lupe Fiasco, Super Lupe Rap is only a tidbit of what we hope will be on 'Friend of the People' and 'L.A.S.E.R.S.'. PLEASE check the track out and remember what real lyricism sounds like, especially since you'll be rewinding it so many times...

Freestyle Friday (11/5)

Hey people, it's Friday which means Dear Whoever is posting freestyles for your listening pleasure. Today we've got Lupe Fiasco up first, dropping some freestyle bars while on Tony Touch's radio show. Lupe doesn't go too hard. He seems a little laid back, if not tired, but manages to piece together a half-decent verse. The second freestyle is by the homie Diggy Simmons over the beat "Rising to the Top". It's an interesting cipher for two reasons: 1) the random, but well-intentioned, Uncle Murda cosign, and 2) the instrumental, which is well before Diggy's time. Even in lieu of #2, Diggy does the beat justice. Check out both freestyles and keep it locked to Dear Whoever...

Lupe Fiasco - The Show Goes On

Lupe Fiasco - The Show Goes On

Lupe Fiasco recently celebrated his triumph over his label's apathy towards him by announcing that he's got a new mixtape on the way. Of course, I'm beyond excited for that, especially with the really boring state hip-hop is in right now. Apparently, Wasalu is Atlantic's new favorite guy, considering the quickness with which they allowed him to let this new track loose. It would seem as if the loosie is slated to be on LASERS, but with the shenanigans coming out from every which way, who knows? What I am sure of is that Lupe seems a lot happier on this track... Maybe even content? I suppose the title of the song is as truthful as it can get when it comes to the man's situation and with all of the backlash he's gotten from the blogosphere (myself included). Whatever the case, Lu sounds like an uncaged bird on this, which for fans is the best Lupe, isn't it?

All-City Chess Club - I'm Beamin' (Remix)

All-City Chess Club - I'm Beaming (Remix)

In April, Lupe Fiasco tweeted about a remix to his single 'I'm Beaming' featuring a group he called the All-City Chess Club. The accompanying blog post I put up talked about a lack of group cuts in hip-hop. Lupe's collective, featuring Asher Roth (PIFF), Charles Hamilton (cool, but weird), Diggy (killed it), The Cool Kids (mehhh), B.o.B. (decent), Blu (NICE) and Dosage (1st time hearing him; somewhat impressed), delivers on that call with a bunch of verses over the original beat. I think the best part about the song is the fact that no one recycles flows or tries to mimic the other on wax. Maybe it was just a coincidence, but for a fan of all of the rappers on this track, it's a welcome surprise. No word yet (maybe ever) on whether there'll be another cut by the All-City Chess Club, but at least we know Lupe's not shelved anymore. Check the track out...

Child Rebel Soldier - Don't Stop!

Child Rebel Soldier - Don't Stop!

In 2007, Kanye West, Lupe Fiasco and Pharrell recorded a song called US Placers, under the group name Child Rebel Soldier, which set the internets ablaze. The beat, by Skateboard P was a minimalist piano and snare-laced instrumental where the three waxed philosophical about the ills of their combined riches, dropping rhymes like dimes (10 e-points to whoever knows that reference). Now its 2010, and up until yesterday that was the group's only known recording, and a project standing in the Detox-mold, maybe never to be released. Lo and behold, Kanye has not left the CRS faithful down in his GOOD Friday series, dropping a track with one of the funkiest beats I've laid ears on in a while. Reminiscent of mambo and salsa music, Don't Stop features CRS going, as we say, dumb. P actually raps again, and he sounds refreshed from not having spit a bar on wax in a while. Lupe (the best verse in my opinion) then jumped on, riding the beat and fitting more words and wordplay in one line than a lot of songs. Ye gets the beat switch-up and does it justice with a few hilarious punchlines. All in all, I'm trying to hide my excitement for this project (apparently, you can't like something without being a d*ckrider), but this track is great. Check it out and enjoy a GOOD Saturday...

Dear Lupe Fiasco

You hear that, Lupe? The industry called.. It wants to know when you're handing your manhood over...


Lupe Fiasco - BMF (Building Minds Faster)

Let me get this off my chest first Lupe: That BMF freestyle was WEAK!!! Now that we've gotten that out of the way, here goes:

It's a sad day in music when a person has to finally admit that their favorite artist, contrary to popular belief, CAN do some wrong. Lupe, You've been my favorite rapper for the latter half of the decade, replacing whatever crap I was listening to previously. For those years of fanhood, I've had to sit through countless hip-hop arguments with people who thought you were lame, convoluted, whiny, overrated, too nerdy, not hood enough, and whatever other knocks they could find on you. For those years of fanhood, I toiled scouring lyrics and songs for instances that you shined. For every Weezy punchline, I had an entire verse that trumped it. For every Jay-Z song that became an earworm, I had a track bumped harder. Yet, for every album you released, I had a complaint. Yes, a complaint, Lu. You see, for an artist as talented as yourself, there always has to be a catch, and with that catch, a complaint from fans:

Your first album, while good, was NOTHING compared to the original, leaked version. From beginning (Theme Music to a Drive-by is one of the best intro's I've ever heard) through the middle ('Trials & Tribulations' and 'Real Recognize Real' still are in rotation) to the end, the ORIGINAL Food and Liquor was damn near a classic. Pulling it, then re-releasing it with wacker versions of original songs and throwaway tracks was a mistake. Your second album 'Lupe Fiasco's The Cool' was also good, but was riddled with tracks that probably should've been B-sides rather than album cuts. I'm not going to lie and say I didn't bump both of them into the ground due to my immense fanhood, but 3 years without a release makes for a rough time as a fan.

It is now 2010, three years since a Lupe Fiasco album, and 6 months since an official Lupe Fiasco mixtape. In today's industry, and to today's fan, that's entirely too long. Your name is out of the loop, people forget about you, and then give you the 'huh?' look when you claim you're the best. As much as it sucks to admit, promotion is EVERYTHING, and you've been lacking in that department for a while now. Now that Lasers is supposedly done, and you're being held from releasing it by Atlantic, you want to whine and complain about label woes and how their not pushing it for you. Lupe, you've got to remember that the industry owes you NOTHING!!! You hear that? NOTHING. The amount of artists who've had their careers chewed up and spat out within the course of a few months is constantly rising. And here you are, signed to a major labor, sporting a large and dedicated fanbase, getting mad because your stuff gets leaked and the label won't do anything about it? Lupe, grow up!

You ever take note of Wayne or Gucci when they went to jail?? No one really missed their presence in hip-hop because they constantly have stuff coming out, whether it's throwaway tracks, mixtape features, or just mixtapes in general. Lupe, in the last year, I think I've heard a total of 10 tracks from you. That's sad. No artist can put out less than a track per month and expect a label to be behind them (except Jay Electronica). Lu, going back to the fans (myself being one of them), there's been a #WeWantLASERS trending topic and petition on Twitter for about a week. Is it just me, or does it look like these fans are going to be tweeting and petitioning for naught? I know you'd like to say no, just so it sounds like you're trying, but we know that the Lupe we love on wax may never find his way back. It's not that you've lost your talent. It's that you got caught up in trying not to be 'the Cool' and stopped putting out what made you in the first place: the music. It's not enough to just sit there complaining about what people aren't doing for you or are doing to you. If you don't try to overcome it by doing what you do best, they win; labels, leakers et. al. Please Lupe, put us fans out of our misery and put out music that's worthy of your imprint, not random freestyles complaining about why you've got no buzz. If you're ever going to 'blow' you'll need a lot more than a subpar freestyle to a Rick Ross track...

Lupe Fiasco - I'm Beamin' (Music Video)

#allblackeverything now, Lupe??

People always seem to have one major point of hatred about Lupe Fiasco: that he's too convoluted, archaic, confusing or 'smart' in his rhymes. Waka Flocka would call that 'dictionary rap'. Lupe, however, never is unwilling to try something different. The video for the first single off Lasers takes the advice of every critic that Lupe's had, and dumbs down the video completely. There are kids with cardboard cutouts acting out Lu's bars and bright, multi-colored lights flashing around him as he raps. Hell, it's like a show on Nick Jr. Whatever the case, it still turns out brilliantly. Lasers is coming closer. I wish he would hit us with a release date though. Enjoy the video....

Lupe Fiasco - 'Love Letter to the Beat' x 'Horn Synth' (Snippet)

Looks like the nuttiest photoshoot ever...


Lupe Fiasco - Love Letter to the Beat (ft. Alicia Keys)


Lupe Fiasco - Horn Synth (ft. Pharrell) (SNIPPET)

Can you feel it in the air? I can. Lupe Fiasco's 'Lasers' is drawing nearer. Today we got two leaks from the new album. The first one, 'Love Letter to the Beat,' is a star-studded lineup, with Alicia Keys jumping on the track, which is produced by Chad Hugo. It's a really jumpy synth beat with a lot of drums during the breakdowns. I think Alicia plays the keys along with her vocals. The second one, 'Horn Synth,' I didn't even want to post, because it was a snippet, and I HATE partial leaks and snippets. But the one minute and sixteen seconds of music that Pharrell and Lupe were so dope that I had to. The beat, the lyrics; EVERYTHING. If this is the caliber of hip-hop music that Lupe's bringing for Lasers, then I for one can't wait. Check both tracks out...

Dear Lupe Fiasco

It's funny how with one piece of news, hip-hop can look like it's reviving itself. Not that a hypothetical collab bringing the likes as (long breath) J. Cole, Asher Roth, The Cool Kids, B.o.B. Wale, Diggy, Charles Hamilton, Blue, and yourself, Lupe, would merit that kind of happiness. It's just that the last time I've seen a musical work in progress with so many dope names on it was.. never. Aside from Ski Beatz' tape (which still hasn't come out) and Young Money, no one's putting out good mixtapes or albums with a gang of MC's. It's all about the solo act, and pretty mediocres one at that. I remember when putting out a compilation meant everybody brought their A-game and not just their wallets. Then again, no one can really complain about that with you, or most of the artists slated to appear in the work, tentatively entitled "All City Chess Club." If there was ever a time for group and posse cuts a la 'Triumph,' 'Flava in Ya Ear,' '4,3,2,1', and 'Banned From TV,' it's definitely now. Hopefully your collective and Ski Beatz' situations work out. One thing though: What happened to Child Rebel Soldiers?? All this talk about collaborations and we're missing an epic one. Get to work on that after LASERS...

Freestyle Friday (2/5)

It's Freestyle Friday time, people! This week we have Lupe doing a true freestyle while at Tony Touch's studio. Lupe has to be one of the best out with the bars he was dropping, completely off the dome, mind you. The second one is from Styles P at a recent concert. The DJ equipment kept messing up, so the Ghost did a quick cypher while the issues were worked out. Enjoy the freestyles and keep it locked to Dear Whoever...

Lupe Fiasco - Enemy of the State: A Love Story

Lupe Fiasco - Enemy of the State: A Love Affair

Honestly, I was feeling some type of way about Lupe a few months ago. Dude had released a song for the New Moon soundtrack, resulting in a resounding 'Huh?' on my part. I thought the man had gone mad. I thought the Lupe I'd lost amid weird wardrobe decisions and an utter disappearance on his part, was ACTUALLY gone. He looked ready to retire, but as you can see, that's not the case. Lupe is back, and he is simply the best. Metaphors. CHECK. Punchlines. CHECK. Flow. CHECK. Lyrics. CHECK. I cannot put it more simply. Get this mixtape. I'm not even putting any videos or loosies or even my picks for this 'Enemy of the State' (just the tracklist and . There are no weak songs. The mixtape is perfect and again, Lupe is back. Download now.

1 Intro
2 The National Anthem (Radiohead)
3 Turnt Up (Travis Porter)
4 Fireman (Yoga Flame) (Lil Wayne)
5 L.A.S.E.R.S. Manifesto Interlude
6 Angels (rmx) (Dirty Money)
7 So Ghetto (Jay-Z)
8 Say Something (Timabaland)
9 Thank You (Jay-Z)
10 The One (Slaughterhouse)
11 Popular Demand (Clipse)

Freestyle Friday (10/30)

Okay, you know what it is. Freestyle Friday time. The first freestyle is from Lupe LIVE. Again, reiteratively, LUPE IS BACK!! Okay, that's the last time I'm saying that (unless dude just keeps dropping loosies & freebies like babies). The second freestyle is from Sean Price. I really wasn't familiar with him. All I knew was that he was from Brooklyn and used to be in Heltah Skeltah. Apparently, he has a mixtape out recently. You (and I) should probably be checking it out ASAP...