Chicago born rapper Lupe Fiasco has come a long way since the nerdy, glasses wearing persona he once encapsulated early in his career. Straying from the traditional hip hop standards of the time, Fiasco conveyed an alternative, counterculture approach to his music, likely possible due to the popularity of Kanye West, who first defied hip hop norms, and paved the way for a new generation rappers. His debut album Lupe Fiasco’s Food & Liquor was released to critical acclaim, receiving four Grammy nominations. Fiasco, initially put off by hip hop’s subject matter, premiered the single Kick, Push in 2006, which detailed the life of a young skateboarder.
Lasers, Fiasco’s third studio release, was a commercial success, debuting at number one on the Billboard 200. The album sold over 200,000 copies in its first week. Despite the success of Lasers, critical response was lukewarm, many put off by the mainstream pop approach Fiasco had taken. Although not quite as successful as his previous effort, Food & Liquor II: The Great American Rap Album Pt. 1, seemed to stray away from Lasers pop induced influence, in favor of a more conscious effort, with mature lyricism that tackled misogyny and race. This return to form was further exemplified with release of last year’s Tetsuo & Youth, which many agreed to be his most satisfying project in years.
On May fifth, Fiasco released the tracklist to his upcoming album Drogas Light, which has yet to receive a release date. You can see Fiasco at The Belmont later this month on the 30th.
w/ special guests Rxmn, The Boy Illinois
Price: $39.50
Doors: 6:00 pm
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