Foodo and Liquor 2 Track by Track Review
Reading Time: 5 min read
'Food & Liquor 2' is another strong album by Lupe Fiasco that relies more on critical success every bit opposed to commercial aspiration.
Lupe Fiasco as a musical artist is both anticipated and unpredictable. He is anticipated in the sense that listeners can wait cognitive and socially conscious lyrics. Often, his lyrics are indiscernible upon an initial heed. Lupe Fiasco is certainly slated in the intellectual rap sub-genre. Likewise unpredictable is the blazon of anthology yous can expect from him equally of late. Returning with Nutrient & Liquor Ii: The Great American Rap Anthology, it'southward some other strong album by the MC, but relies more on critical success every bit opposed to commercial aspiration. Information technology's not an anthology that you will totally empathise upon the starting time heed. At nearly 70 minutes, it's certainly difficult to digest without isolating it into pieces. This exhaustive length might be what hurts the lot of the album more than than its socially-conscious material.
"Strange Fruition"
The album begins socially-conscious (large surprise, correct?) Lupe'due south sister, Ayesha Jaco delivers her verse that incorporates every social issue, almost notably Jim Crow, Traevon Martin, and "…the west side of Chicago/where food and liquor stores still occupy the cake…" It is well written, setting the tone of Nutrient & Liquor Two.
"Strange Fruition," featuring Casey Benjamin, serves as the kickoff total-length cutting. It plays true to its strange title. Produced past Soundtrakk, "Strange Fruition" is well produced, incorporating a lovely sample and difficult drum programming. The chorus is mysterious featuring illy decipherable lyrics:
"Many things, strangest things you e'er seen/oh, look a how they swing/embedded they get, no eyelids gone low/or gone past sundown/they're dodging 5-0."
Again, the strangeness all plays like a tone poem, which ultimately makes "Strange Fruition" effective.
"ITAL (Roses)" has less of a mysterious vibe, with standard hip-hop product work. The hook is chocked-full of words and filled with social references:
"May nosotros have some roses for the ladies/a little appreciation for the gentlemen/and here's some kisses for the babies/some peace and inity for the whole wide-wide-wide world…"
Lupe'due south second verse is pointed for sure:
"I know you're sayin', 'Lupe rappin' bout the same shit/Well that'due south cause shit ain't changed bitch/and delight don't alibi my language cause I would hate for you to misrepresent…"
Dense though cerebral, none can deny he'due south good at what he does, even if the roses are a fleck hard to digest hither.
"Around My Way (Freedom Ain't Free)"
"Around My Fashion (Liberty Own't Free)," the first unmarried, is anchored by old-schoolhouse samples. Lupe'due south flow is incredibly agile on the verses with his best lyrical reference materializing in third poetry. Here, he alludes to Wu-Tang Association: "Greenbacks rules everything effectually these n*ggas…" The claw is wordy, but plays well into his antiestablishment mindset every bit he throws punches at the media:
"Live from the other side what you see/ A agglomeration of nonsense on my Television/ Heaven on world is what I demand/ Simply I experience I'chiliad in Hell every time I breathe… /Rich homo, poor human being, we all gotta pay/ Crusade freedom own't free, peculiarly 'circular my way…"
It requires assay like everything else on Food & Liquor 2, merely "Effectually My Style (Liberty Ain't Gratuitous)" is a highlight.
"Audubon Ballroom" continues 'The Lupe Manifesto,' with notable punchlines to convalesce some of the heaviness. Amongst the cleverest punchlines include "Only it'due south so Titanic to be iced out," "In other words, lyrical Zuckerbergs," and "Black panthers, black anthems, black blues." If that wasn't enough, there'due south a racially-charged claw:
"Now white people, they tin can't say n*gga/so I gotta take it dorsum/now black people, we're not north*ggas/God made us amend than that…"
"Bitch Bad"
"Bitch Bad," the 2d single, is arguably the anthology's best cut and most controversial. The hook is one of the simplest of the attempt, just the pregnant transcends simplicity.
"Bitch bad, woman good, Lady amend, they misunderstood (I'm killin' these bitches)."
As usual, everything has double and sometimes triple meanings with Lupe. The initial read one gets upon hearing "Bowwow Bad" is that Fiasco is scolding parents for promoting free 'endearing' use of a formerly derogatory reference towards women. At the same time, he plays on the give-and-take. "Bitch Bad" is incredibly clever, even it its title might turn off some.
Remaining on 'autopilot,' "Lamborghini Angels" continues to pack a punch. "Lamborghini Angels" contains more commercial fodder than say because in that location is more of a 'sensationalist' edge. The claw attracts:
"I meet diamond flooded demons/ Lamborghini angels…halos down with the doors flapping when they come through."
All the same, it'south the content of the verses that are most characteristic of Lupe, particularly the socially-charged final poetry. His flow continues with dandy agility.
"Put 'Em Up" continues to keep things rolling lonely, near notable for the malicious production piece of work. The hook is catchy, at least by the end, which is welcome. On "Heart Donor," Lupe brings Poo Bear along for the ride, riding a beat courtesy of The Runners. Poo Acquit delivers. Ultimately, it'southward a lovely cut, though it doesn't eclipse the heavyweights.
"Battle Scars"
Bilal steals the prove on "How Dare You," while Lupe Fiasco sounds less electrified than the indie-R&B star, who is on burn down. He regains his swag with a niggling assistance from a soulful Guy Sebastien on the exceptional "Battle Scars." Lupe hands atones for any miscues, while Sebastien shines. Soulful, nuanced, and pitch-perfect, Lupe and producers made the right move to consider Sebastien equally an equal entity equally opposed to 'featuring' Guy Sebastien. Follow upward"Brave Heart," is a downgrade. Poo Carry reappears, but is less effective here.
Thankfully, the top-notch, soulful "Form Follows Function" gives Lupe Fiaco another dynamic solo spot, sans collaboration. "Form Follows Function" reminds fans of the soulful-productions that graced his debut. Socially conscious, agile, and confident, he slays hither. Follow-upwards "Cold State of war" finds him active, though more casual. Jane $ $ $ delivers the claw that unsurprisingly provides the listeners with a history lesson:
"Said it's a common cold war/ain't nobody win similar the government/in the U.S.S.R."
"Unforgivable Youth" features Jason Evigan(frontman ofLater Midnight Project), whose hook performance is quite casual:
"This earth, my middle my soul/ Things that I don't know/ The icicles hey grow/ They never let me go/ Scars are left as proof / But tears they soak on through/ Things I've done/ My young, my unforgivable youth."
With the standard popular/rock thing that Lupe features on every album going on, the cutting is solid, non exceptional. The closer, "Hood Now (Outro)" is too long, merely certainly enjoyable. It's more relaxed than many of the exciting cuts.
Final Thoughts
Overall, Food & Liquor Ii: The Great American Rap Album, Pt. I is very much a Lupe Fiasco effort. There are multiple messages, double and triple meanings, and more plenty socio-political messages to 'bladder a gunkhole.' Cerebral, enjoyable, overstuffed, and bright would all be adjectives to describe this effort. Substantially, it would've benefited from another edit, which would have made a 'solid' anthology a truly 'keen' one.
Gems: "Strange Fruition," "Around My Way (Freedom Ain't Free)," "Bitch Bad," "Lamborghini Angels" & "Battle Scars"
Lupe Fiasco • Food & Liquor Two: The Great American Rap Album, Pt. I • Atlantic • Release: 9.25.12
Photo Credit : Atlantic
Source: https://themusicalhype.com/lupe-fiasco-food-liquor-ii-album-review/
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