Music
Related Stories ...
- Mouse Rap
May 13, 2004 - Turning the Screw: Dustin Prestige, Lupe Fiasco, Katy Perry/Travis McCoy, Dr. Dre, DJ AM, Lil' Kim, Damon Dash/Jay-Z, Talib Kweli and More
January 5, 2009 - Aftermath: Common and The Roots Crew's Private Engagment at the Corinthian, With Special Guests (Cough, "Nite and Day")
October 6, 2009 - Aftermath: Talib Kweli at Meridian
June 24, 2009 - Talib Kweli
June 18, 2009
Most Popular
-
Getting Off
Attorney Tyler Flood says he wins 80 percent of his clients' DWI trials, even if they were 100 percent drunk as a skunk.
-
City of Coffee
Is Houston about to become America's coffee capital?
-
Looking for a Bull Market
Killen's Steakhouse in suburban Pearland is probably best during boom times.
-
BBQ Buffet
Korea Garden Grille offers a stellar selection of barbecue items in unlimited quantities — and new and interesting ways to eat them.
-
Enough About Mi
Is the authentic little Vietnamese noodle shop Banh Cuon Hoa #2 too adventurous for your tastes?
-
BBQ Buffet
Korea Garden Grille offers a stellar selection of barbecue items in unlimited quantities — and new and interesting ways to eat them.
-
Getting Off
Attorney Tyler Flood says he wins 80 percent of his clients' DWI trials, even if they were 100 percent drunk as a skunk.
-
Looking for a Bull Market
Killen's Steakhouse in suburban Pearland is probably best during boom times.
-
Down the Rabbit Hole
Lose yourself discovering Michael Bise's work at Moody Gallery.
-
City of Coffee
Is Houston about to become America's coffee capital?
Most Popular sponsored by
Reader's Picks
Top Recommendations
A short list of Houston's most popular hot spots.
Top Recommendations
A short list of Houston's most popular hot spots.
Top Recommenders
People who share the things they like! More often than most.
user content provided by: LikeMe.net &
Recent Blog Posts
Fri Nov 20, 4:54 PMFri Nov 20, 4:19 PMFri Nov 20, 4:30 PMFri Nov 20, 3:30 PMFri Nov 20, 4:39 PMFri Nov 20, 3:30 PM
National Features >
City PagesYou don't need to read Sarah Palin's book to hear the ravings of a mad woman. By Matt SnydersMiami New TimesThe rise and fall of a chubby sex-cult leader. By Natalie O'NeillRiverfront TimesTom was a hot-tempered cross-dresser with a garage full of guns--and then he became Rachel. By Nicholas Phillips
Lupe Fiasco
Lupe Fiasco's The Cool
Published on January 08, 2008 at 2:27pm
Though some believe Chicago's Lupe Fiasco is too smart for mainstream rap, that's not exactly true. Most of the lyrics on sophomore release Lupe Fiasco's The Cool are pretty basic, clichéd stuff, right down to the CD's opening monologue: "They thought it was cool to tear down the projects and put up million-dollar condos, gentrification. They think it's cool to stand on the block hiding product in their socks, making quick dime-bag dollars." As on Common and Talib Kweli's latest albums, Fiasco seems to believe that paying lip service to problems plaguing the black community is the same as substantively addressing their causes and potential solutions. Much of Cool is wrapped around a complex street narrative involving characters called The Cool, The Streets and The Game, which will make for a better comic book (as Fiasco has promised) than it does a concept album. Oddly, Cool works better when serving up frantic club bangers and radio-friendly R&B: "Go Go Gadget Flow," a tribute to his hometown, might be the single of the year, "Superstar" is a winning empowerment jam and "Hi-Definition," featuring Snoop Dogg and Pooh Bear, shows Fiasco has an unmistakable ear for concocting hits.
|