By Jack Major
Staff Writer
Known as a meditative, sociopolitical lyricist, Lupe Fiasco’s newest studio release “DROGAS Light,”is his worst album to date due to a lack of cohesion, a blend of trap and electronic infused beats, and mediocre lyrics.
Lupe Fiasco, born Wasalu Muhammad Jaco is a 34-year old rapper, producer, and entrepreneur from Chicago, Illinois. He is known as a socially conscious and skilled lyricist who commentates on social issues in his music. He has released seven mixtapes and six studio albums to critical acclaim.
Photos: Lupe Fiasco Performing Live with Photo Shoots
“Drogas Light was co-released by 1st and 15th Entertainment, Sony Records, and RED Distribution on February 10th. It features production from Fiasco himself and famed producer Soundtrakk, as well as features from many artists including Rick Ross, Big K.R.I.T, and Ty Dolla $ign.
The album was refreshing with songs such as “Kill”, “It’s Not Design”, and “LAW”, where he manages to blend a modern beat, composed of heavy bass and simple chords, with interesting lyrics that either teach a lesson or flex his rhyming ability. This is an attribute to the album because many popular modern songs lack lyrical talent.
There was an overall lack of flow and unity between songs that leaves the listener disoriented. It sounds like a collection of throwaway tracks that could be from multiple artists. A notable example is the two songs “Jump”, and “City of the Year.” “Jump” is a distinctly electronic-based beat while “City of the Year” is a trap-oriented loop, two distinctly unique genres.
Lupe Fiasco’s Official Website
The album lacks Fiasco’s normal collection of beats based on pianos, drums, and bass to form the backdrop for his incredible wordplay and rhyming. The beats on the album, however, often feature a heavy bass and hi-hats with little to no emphasis on lyrics while electronic beats often feature rising notes and a heavy bass drop. Although the sound is original to Lupe, there is nothing special about the beats and they sound like any other modern hit songs.
Lupe’s stardom is based on his ability to weave complex metaphors, intricate rhyme schemes, and clever wordplay into a story or lesson for the listener. However, on this album, he seems to abandon his style and conform more to the mainstream, using trap beats and talking about basic subjects with copious amounts of profanity. Despite some songs having good rhyming and metaphors, the majority were simplistic drivel that gave listeners nothing to ponder.
Throughout his career, Lupe Fiasco has been known to make music outside the norm of contemporary music. With previous albums including “Food and Liquor”, “The Cool”, and “Tetsuo and Youth”, Lupe resurrected a 90s hip hop atmosphere, with simplistic looping beats that allowed the lyrics to shine. However, on “DROGAS Light”, Fiasco conforms to the banal style of modern trap-based hip hop, leaving fans disappointed with the mainstream and unoriginal sound.
Overall, the album’s generally pedestrian lyrics, generic beats, and overall lack of unity make it Lupe Fiasco’s least appealing work to date. Instead of using his unique style that appeals to his fans, Lupe attempts to experiment with a different sound, which ultimately failed.
The album is available on streaming services including Apple Music, SoundCloud, and Spotify and is available for purchase at $11.99 on iTunes.
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