Lupe Fiasco's The Cool is the best hip-hop record of the year.

[miseducation]

Seriously. I liked his old stuff but this is on another level. I like this better than American Gangster and better than Graduation and 8 Diagrams. His verbal dexterity is amazing and his storytelling is bar none.

He reminds me of a Stankonia-era Andre 3000 or a Black on Both Sides Mos Def. I highly recommend everyone listen to it, even if you're not usually into Hip-Hop.

[summerkid]

I think some of his ideas are bigger than he can chew and it just gets too silly at times.

[full on idle]

I'm looking forward to hearing this.

[J~$$$]

This album is in my top 5 of 2007.

[Trick Loves The Kids]

"Lupe Fiasco's The Cool is the best hip-hop record of the year" actually translates to "I have yet to hear Ghostface's album"

[summerkid]

"Lupe Fiasco's The Cool is the best hip-hop record of the year" actually translates to "I have yet to hear Ghostface's album"

Graduation. It was a really bad year for rap. Aesop Rock's new album didn't do anything for me. Big Doe Rehab is better than the Cool though.

[gaypalmsprings]

He was very good at Vegoose.

[wmgaretjax]

Ghostface
Lil Wayne
Spank Rock

[full on idle]

I didn't think Big Doe Rehab was anything special. It sounds just like Fishscale and More Fish. Too many skits. FOR ME.

Can't wait for Carter III.

[ruetheday]

I'm over skits. They are too annoying. M.I.A. had the best hip hop album of the year.

[ADrunkPoet]

toss up between the cool and graduation..need more time to let the cool kick in
and yes, i have not listened to big doe rehab yet. i think i was the only person in the world to not think fishscale was that great.

also, i may stand alone on this one, but i really liked saul wiliams new record, but that only has rare traces of hip hop delivery.

[Trick Loves The Kids]

What did Spank Rock come out with this year? Just that 2 Live Crew EP right?

[miseducation]

"Lupe Fiasco's The Cool is the best hip-hop record of the year" actually translates to "I have yet to hear Ghostface's album"

Yes, this is actually true. I liked Fishscale but pretty much didn't need to listen to it after a week. He's a fucking genius but I just don't find myself in the mood to listen to the ghetto version of Masterpiece Theater all that often.

Coming from Miami, where middle school pretty much exclusively feeds you a diet of Uncle Luke and ten year old Booty Bass songs - Spank Rock's EP was nothing special to me. I liked his shtick before, but being so tongue-in-cheek that even your production is 100% tongue-in-cheek is a bit much for me.

So I stick to my guns, Lupe's is the freshest, most consistent, best rapped and best produced rap album of the year.

[John Peel is My Co-pilot]

Agreed.

Not Hip Hop's finest year, I'd say, however.

[superfiction]

He reminds me of a Stankonia-era Andre 3000 or a Black on Both Sides Mos Def. I highly recommend everyone listen to it, even if you're not usually into Hip-Hop.

a bold statement. i dig him, but careful my friend youre treading on holy ground

[Cpt. Funkaho]

I agree with the claim espoused by this thread. Other notables: Aesop Rock, El-P, Brother Ali. Coachella went three-for-four, which isn't bad at all. Maybe we'll get Aesop Rock next year.

Also, I really can't see what M.I.A. does as hip-hop. Is anyone else with me on this?

[full on idle]

I am.

[Trick Loves The Kids]

Have you guys heard the Federation album "It's Whateva" ? I don't think anybody knows them outside of Northern California but their shit is fucking great. There are like 8 bangers in a row on that album. It's up there with Ghostface for my favorite of the year.

[slurpee]

I must admit some of you have replied with some GREAT responses within this thread. Might be the best I have read on this forum.


On another note.

I have been in the Chicago skateboard scene for 15+ years and know/recognize everyone. I think it is great Lupe came out with "kick push" (the skateboard song), the track is real dope. The funniest part is that I have seen Lupe skate tons of times and he is not even that good (actually kinda sucks). Now when he shows up at skate spots, there is an entourage of people and he hardly skates.

Lupe is real talented and I am not hating on him. I just think it is ironic. The song would have meant so much more to me if a truly talented skater became this popular. There are tons of musicians within the skateboard scene and no one seems to go anywhere.

[woogie846]

Listen to Superstar or Paris,Tokyo if you haven't picked up the Cool yet.

[PassiveTheory]

I won't profess that this record is the best Hip-Hop record of 07' (since I only got it and the new Aesop Rock record), but it is still a damn good record... Minus the hamburger song.

[Cpt. Funkaho]

The song would have meant so much more to me if a truly talented skater became this popular. There are tons of musicians within the skateboard scene and no one seems to go anywhere.

I think the reason that good skaters don't make it big is that they spend more time skating than making music, and their music is thus less good than an artist who spends less time skating and more making music.

Of course Lupe sucks at skating... he's too busy making gold (platinum?) records.

[Cpt. Funkaho]

I am.

Thank you. It's good to have validation (in this case, Valariedation?) of my viewpoints from time to time.

[full on idle]

So I finally listened to The Cool and it's pretty solid. He switches styles alot which makes each song sound fresh, but sometimes I found myself going "oh he sounds like Tribe Called Quest on this one" then "oh he sounds like Kanye on this one" and so on so I don't know what that says about it because everything sounds like something else at first, I suppose. I need to give it more listens. That singer that he uses sounds like Chris Martin, I was surprised that he is from Chicago not England.

Also my friend and I were talking about going to see him at the Fillmore in January but it's sold out. Weird. The ads on Craigslist for tickets are asking $125.00 each. That's redonkulous.

[ThomThom]

I'm actually shocked he sold out a venue like The Fillmore. I believe tickets for all of his HOB shows in southern CA are still very much available. But then again, northern CA concertgoers have much better musical taste.

[suprefan]

All HOB so cal shows are sold out

[J~$$$]

$30!? damn! its Jan 20th here in denver....maybe.

[iv3rdawG]

He was good on Letterman tonight.