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One of the most memorable tracks on Lupe Fiasco’s Food and Liquor, “The Cool” captivated listeners with its spacey, techno-sampled production, and a harrowing tale of a slain hustler who digs himself out of his own grave, hoping to regain control of the streets. It’s one of the best examples of Lupe’s skills as an MC, combining solid storytelling, clever lyrics, and a near-perfect delivery. The cautionary tale would prove so effective that it served as inspiration for Lupe’s sophomore album, The Cool. 

Forgiving the tiresome slam poetry of “Baba Says Cool For Thought”, “Go Go Gadget Flow” kicks off The Cool, with Lupe showcasing the rapid-fire, tongue-twisting rhyme style adopted by several rappers hailing from his native Chicago. The catchy hook and dirty synth beat make for one of the few club-worthy tracks on the album, but Lupe moves into darker territory with “The Coolest”. The track is charged with thunderous keys and moody choir vocals, as Lupe builds on the legend of Michael Young History, and how he was ultimately seduced by the cool. “Superstar” elaborates on the promises and perils of fame and materialism, but there’s a significant shift in tone, thanks to the breezy, atmospheric production and guest vocals from Matthew Santos. Even lighter in tone, “Paris, Tokyo” is a fun and romantic track about being away from a significant other while on tour, but promising to always come home. The subject matter is a great fit for the lyrical delivery, reminiscent of early 90s hip-hop groups like The Pharcyde and Souls of Mischief. Things eventually go down for Michael Young History, though, with “The Die” and “Put You On Game”, especially. The latter track pulls no punches, chronicling a dark path not only for those who choose to live for the cool, but also their friends and loved ones, even if they have no choice in the matter.

While themes of materialism and the glorification of violence in various forms of mainstream media are handled in a fairly literal manner throughout The Cool, there are a few tracks that are more inventive in their structure. With the drummer-boy beat of “Little Weapon”, Lupe puts himself in the shoes of a child soldier in a developing country, while guest MC, Bishop G, imagines himself as a suburban teen, pondering the ramifications of dispatching enemies in a video game, as if they were real. Meanwhile, “Gotta Eat” is one of the quirkier tracks on the album, as Lupe spits rhymes about a drug dealer as if he were a cheeseburger.

As great an album as Food and Liquor is, The Cool manages to surpass it, much to my surprise. The concept is effective throughout just about every track, as Lupe’s rhymes are smartly crafted and thought-provoking, while managing several moments of playfulness. The album also benefits from strong, if at times, unconventional production; several tracks are handled by producer, Soundtrack, while producers like Patrick Stump, and UNKLE (on “Hello/Goodbye”), pick up the slack. It all comes together to make for one of the best hip-hop releases of the year.

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