Man, I love Drogas Wave and I love one-take videos.
Those two loves combine in this wonderful work of art above as Lupe recites the poetic “Mural Jr.” alongside NYC’s Williamsburg Bridge. Does one of the album’s lyrical standouts feel even heavier now?
Yup, this does it justice.
The GOAT blesses us again. Lupe is a spark of Light in the music industry.
Please make more records based off some Caravaggio’s, Da Vinci’s, Bernini’s and Raphael’s.
Also Freud, Jung, Plato, & Socrates. Thank you.
Before we go any further, we have to show some more love to… dare I say… the hip hop album of the year.
Go Alan! Go Alan! Go Alan! (Gold Island?🤔)
Lupe’s a genius storyteller, guys. I mean, we all knew that. But I’m still amazed at not one, but two tracks across Drogas Waves that reimagine the lives of newborns taken too soon and too tragically.
Speaking of Genius, after the first couple of listens on your own, you’ll want to follow along, song-by-song and pick up references like this one (via our own @hetalbot). Lupe continues to reference Canada in Alan’s reimagined story because his family wanted asylum in Canada. And the more references like that you catch, the more we see that next-level where only Lupe resides.
“Jonylah Forever”, after Jonylah Watkins, a 6-month old baby tragically succumbing to crossfire gunshots, was originally released shortly after her death in 2013.
The one reference I didn’t catch until five years later was the Jimmy Neutron/neutron term for not being gang affiliated in Chicago.
Sadly, “Jonylah” has even more of a somber tone and now I have the feels all over again. There’s much more I want to write about the album as I, still a week later, want to continue to digest. Until then, sit back, and listen to these back to back (and out of order). Maybe the connection will be even clearer…
“I bet you didn’t know that you saved yourself…”
Lord have mercy.
*TIBS FAVS.
The G.O.A.T. is back!
2 months to the day, Lupe Fiasco revealed what looked like a new EP, Pharaoh Height 2/30, a play off, and double that, of his Fahrenheit 1/15 mixtape series.
Welp, at midnight tonight, Lupe threw this on the gram with the download link below.
6 new tracks! DOWNLOAD HERE.
Just popped it in the iTunes, and uploaded it to Soundcloud for ya’ll! Back with more thoughts soon (below.) Enjoy!
EDIT: 1st listen thoughts… Whoo, nothin’ but bars. With everything Lupe, you gotta digest this as one entire piece multiple times but if you’re lookin’ for individual tracks, “Valleys”, “Pyramid”, and “Schemes” were the 3 that especially jumped out to me. Lu saved the best for last too. “Schemes” had so much to rewind with some ever-changing production across the 5+ minutes (outro excluded). Looks like we all have some new weekend tunes, huh?!
If you’re wondering, Lupe did splice in the Metal Gear Solid V trailer into the intro. What a way to start it.
ICYMI: Lupe Fiasco f/ Nikki Jean “Prisoner 1 & 2” LIVE on Why? with Hannibal Buress
Gowhere Hip Hop 