If ever there was a term that was completely and utterly subjective, it would be the word ‘cool’. For the last three or so decades, being cool has been something to strive for. It’s a difficult concept to pinpoint, because everyone has different opinions on what is cool. It may be a bold statement to make, but Chicago rapper and Kanye West protégé Lupe Fiasco (born Wasalu Muhammad Jaco) is the epitome of cool. Of course, this is simply the opinion of this reviewer, but given his meteoric rise in the world of hip hop, it’s hard to deny the man this status. Hailed by critics alike and hip hop stars such as West and Pharrell Williams as ‘the saviour of hip hop’, Fiasco appeared on West’s track Touch The Sky before releasing his debut album Food & Liquor in 2006. All of a sudden Lupe Fiasco was the name on everyone’s lips. But rather than rest on his laurels, he went back to the studio to record Lupe Fiasco’s The Cool, an album that simply elevates his position to the top of all things hip.

The Cool is somewhat of a concept album, stemming from the track of the same name on Food & Liquor, which told the story of a character named, funnily enough, The Cool. It’s a little bit darker than his debut, as Fiasco lost his father, close friends and business partners during this period. Iesha Jaco reprises her role as narrator of the intro just as she did on Food & Liquor. On Baba Says Cool For Thought, she flips the script and comments on a number of social issues such as Hurricane Katrina and Virginia Tech, bringing a negative aspect to the word ‘cool’. She states “Freeze. Cause the problem is we think it’s cool too. Check your ingredients, before you overdose on The Cool”.

It’s clear now that Lupe’s definition of ‘cool’ varies somewhat to the general population, given his darkened frame of mind while making this record. On Go Go Gadget Flow, Fiasco delivers his lines with blistering speed (much faster than usual) over a darker beat. On The Coolest, however, the storytelling begins. Here he introduces The Streets and The Game. No, not the English rapper, nor the West Coast rapper. These are characters in Fiasco’s story, representing just what their name suggests, but spoken of in human form. It’s a gamble he’s taken here, but one that seems to have paid off, as the track gives us an insight into Fiasco’s inner emotions. He spits “Streets’ got my heart, Game’s got my soul”, a seemingly never-ending battle of which there really is no winner.

The first single off the album Superstar is next. It features Matthew Santos and a slow but catchy beat, which has seen it receive plenty of airtime as it comments on the fickle world of celebrity. On Paris, Tokyo he employs a more positive jazzy beat, which is a good antidote to the sombre mood of the album thus far. It’s a simple track about love, but one that sticks in your mind long after your first listen. Much like the album as a whole.

Tracks such as Hi-Definition (featuring Snoop Dogg and Pooh Bear) make it more accessible and radio friendly, but Fiasco also mixes it up with some more poignant and eclectic choices. Hip Hop Saved My Life (featuring Nikki Jean) tells the oft-done story of music overcoming hardship, but somehow manages to avoid being overly preachy. Dumb It Down (featuring Gemstones and Graham Burns) is Fiasco’s attack on the state of the rap game. The words ‘pimp’ and ‘bitch’ get bandied around too often, as Lupe says, “…pour champagne on a bitch, dumb it down. You’ll sell more records if you dumb it down”. Gotta Eat is surprisingly not a story about poverty, rather it’s a song about fast food, made all the more better by the plucky string arrangement. The most surprising track on the album is the collaboration with UNKLE Hello/Goodbye (Uncool), a rock infused head trip.

While it might be labeled a ‘concept album’, it’s a complete album first and foremost. My only gripe is that at nineteen tracks, it might have overstayed its mark by a little, but it’s a brilliant excursion into the mind of one of society’s coolest individuals. While it probably won’t reach the commercial heights of his debut album, Lupe Fiasco has undoubtedly surpassed any creative heights that his potential suggested he was capable of.

Check out the tracklisting…

1. Iesha Poem
2. Free Chilly
3. Go Go Gadget Flow
4. The Coolest
5. Superstar [ft. Mathew Santos]
6. Paris Tokyo
7. High Definition [ft. Snoop Dogg and Pooh Bear]
8. Little Weapons
9. Hip-Hop Saved My Life [ft. Nikki Jean]
10. Gold Watch
11. Street on Fire [ft. Matthew Santos]
12. Hello Goodbye
13. Gotta Eat
14. Dumb It Down [ft. Gemini and Graham Burris]
15. The Die [ft. Gemini]
16. Put You on Game
17. Fighters [ft. Matthew Santos]
18 Go Baby Go

And check out the clip for the album’s stellar first single Superstar...