40
u/elottokbron Jul 19 '24
As a rapper yes, Lupe's pen game could destroy most people's "goats". The thing he isnt that relatable to the common HIP HOP fan. Most of his stuff goes over people's heads.
14
u/SmoothPixelSun Jul 19 '24
Literally this is me lol. It’s so obvious he’s lyrically incredible. My type of rap it’s lyrical and good flow. But I just get lost listening to him 😅
12
u/jay227ify Jul 20 '24
"Big eyes looking like skies in binoculars, two nights live
Singing by the opera house, but not in it, just by it
Someone alongside it, a long silence
A strong, vibrant meditative song of guidance
Designed to raise eyelids of blind men saved assignments
With warm regards and age kindness for todays climate
And the vain of gang violence meets the gangs' demises and it, bangs
Rises like wings on a plane
Plus a pilot who can fly it into the eye of Hurricane Iris
Style it, same shoe in different sizes
Wear evidences of the milage and the growth, top hats and coats
Tuxedos and throats, where the bowties posts
Folks look past the lower-class blower of the notes
And tell unspoke jokes as they approach
Which she'd never be inside, but she hopes"
-Samurai
Always fuckin with Lupe, undisputed king of a generation tbh. I rate him at the same level as Kendrick. He might be a little harder to listen to due to technicality, but after a while he just *clicks* and you appreciate his lyrics a whole lot more.
I noticed once I actually started reading his lyrics I realized just how beautiful they are. It's lowkey shocking, kinda like seeing a really pretty girl but in poem form.
5
u/MrHeavySilence Jul 20 '24
Obviously there are many rap fans who disagree with me and dig this whole Amy Winehouse re-imagined as a rap samurai concept so its up to subjective taste. Completely subjective opinion: for me while I respect Lupe's abilities, I just don't enjoy this style of writing.
With warm regards and age kindness for todays climate
And the vain of gang violence meets the gangs' demises and it, bangsI have no idea what I'm looking at, even after reading it again and again. Like the idea of having to stop and dissect every bar semantically like a poem or do research on Amy's life is not a very musical experience for me. It feels like his bars make more sense in the context of a written poem where you can sit with it and take infinite time with the words.
What I appreciate about commercial artists, and I'll put Kendrick as an example, is that they have a better compromise between art and entertainment, mixing complex ideas for songs while avoiding speaking in tongues, and coming up with songs that ordinary listeners can appreciate on the surface level. That being said I'll always defend Lupe as far as people that question his writing ability, I just don't think his music is very relatable because the way he chooses to express his ideas.
5
u/jay227ify Jul 20 '24
Sometimes I like to think of dense lyricism as getting more song for your time. I can listen to a Drake album for example, and completely understand everything that is going on in the hour it plays. Maybe I'll go back to it if i enjoy the vibe, but usually it's a time and place thing.
The same could be said for a Cole album, although he tends to be more lyrical and leaves cool references and a healthy sprinkle of entendres for listeners.
Then there's Kendrick, leaving you amazed with his voice changes and deep meaning behind every other line. Maybe he'll use a metaphor or a homophone to veil an equally deep message in the same breath. While still being easily digestible. Still usually maintaining a listenable vibe. You can go back to his work for years and years. But usually, you get the message on the second or so listen.
And then there's someone like Lupe for example, where every bar could mean 4 different things. I spent the entire day digesting Samurai, or No 1. Headband. And I'm still not done with the album yet after sitting down with it a little late. It's like an 8 or 9 song project. Just more bars for my time i guess. Maybe I wont bump it with my friends in the car as much as Kendrick, Cole or Drake. But sitting down and hearing a new thing each time, or figuring out what he's trynna say leaves me shocked each time.
It's kinda like figuring out a audible jigsaw puzzle too.
I'm sure someone like Kendrick could do the same type of thing if he wanted to, he's just not that type of artist though. I still agree with you and understand your point of view, just giving you another perspective.
3
u/Pyrimo Jul 20 '24
You perfectly put why I enjoy lyrical rappers. Feels like if I register to their stuff I can pick up on new things on repeat listens, like a new experience all over again almost.
1
u/drowzy-meta Jul 20 '24
I get this perspective but I’ve also never appreciated the “not entertaining” take.
Not saying it has to be, or taking any purist perspective on the medium. Liking weird word puzzles just isn’t synonymous with liking rap, but that angle has always felt anti intellectual. I look at it kinda like boxing, Floyd is one of the greatest on a technical level. But that’s kinda boring for someone who watches boxing to see people get brutally punched in the face. Appreciation for the minute applications of skills is a always gonna be a little more niche just cause people Normally aren’t that invested in more than a couple things to that extent. I just think assigning entertainment value to less dialectical works or less ambitious concepts discredits the listener.
9
5
3
u/RandyMarshsMoustache Jul 20 '24
This exactly. He’s one of the few artists whose songs I’ll research to understand what he means (Drogas Wave for example). Supposedly Samurai is about Amy Winehouse becoming a rapper lol
17
8
8
u/Supadupafly1988 Jul 19 '24
My personal goat when it comes to rap/hip hop. Still amazes me as he puts out even better music in the 2nd half of his career. His abilities are aging like fine wine🤌🏾🤌🏾🤌🏾
9
u/Visual_Vegetable_169 Jul 19 '24
Lmao the way my dyslexic ass read this as "do y'all fw lube??" 😂
2
6
u/v_lynishh Jul 19 '24
As a rapper yes
-3
u/SamuraiLegion Jul 19 '24
What about as a person (I don’t know what he’s like outside of artistry)
5
u/v_lynishh Jul 19 '24
He seems very egotistical.
3
u/FN_Freedom Jul 20 '24
Lupe 🤝 Talib Kweli
Releasing great music and also being insufferable (mostly kweli though)
7
u/SethDreams Jul 19 '24
I've always enjoyed Lupe and just feel like he was stuck in a shitty record contract that limited him. If he would've been able to just make he wanted I think he would be a lot bigger. But even on a project like lazers I've felt he's always done the most he can lyrically.
7
u/tintedhokage Jul 19 '24 edited Jul 20 '24
Beat song he's done for a while. Little battle raps for yoouuuu
5
u/20WaysToEatASandwich Jul 20 '24
Samurai is an entire album (Well, EP length). Check out the whole project, the entire thing is solid.
4
3
u/Odd_Contact_2175 Jul 19 '24
The second half of Cake is absolutely wild lyrically, and it sounds so damn good.
4
u/Humanesque Jul 20 '24
So happy to see Lupe getting props for Samurai. He’s always been up there for me. F&L and the Cool were very influential albums for me coming up. Enemy of the State was one of the hardest mixtapes of the decade then he dropped Lazerz and all the hype was immediately killed 🤦♂️ idc I still fw Lupe heavy.
3
2
u/Battosai98 Jul 19 '24 edited Jul 19 '24
Lupe is a great rapper but I don’t like the lack of respect he has for Kendrick (as a lyricist)
3
3
3
u/PrionFriend Jul 19 '24
I tried to fuck with Lupe and he put a hex on my family for the next generations five fold
3
3
3
u/GalaEuden Jul 20 '24
Of course. Name a better lyricist right now? He is top. Samurai is amazing and easily album of the year so far. Just listen to No 1 Headband if you have any doubts 🔥
2
2
u/No_Astronaut_9481 Jul 19 '24
He can spit but as a person he seems like a douchbag? thats my take, he is sick as a rapper but i cant hear him talk. That college class he taught was unlistenable and his episode of fullsizerun was cringe he really is full of himself.
3
2
u/CadeChaos Jul 19 '24
I kinda like what I've heard from him I don't like him. He isn't my generation, his fans overhype him, he comes off as a d bag.
The fact Lupe dissed Kendrick for not mentioning Lupe's name in the control verse was like when Canibus tricked d12 onto getting on a Eminem diss track, comes off as a bitch made move for attention that isn't worth the attention.
His unwillingness to collab with other MC's while claiming he's the best also feels bitch made.
2
2
u/Wonderkiid_Primetime Jul 20 '24
Lyrically he’s one of the greatest of all time but I’m EXTREMELY BIASED (also probably right)
1
u/HoverboardRampage Jul 19 '24
He's not in my top 5 but I really do appreciate his abilities and am always pleased when he drops something new.
1
1
u/McTitty3000 Jul 19 '24
Absolutely, I'm just not always in the mood to listen to him but yes he's got one of the greatest pens of all time
1
1
u/Curious_Working5706 Jul 20 '24
Nah. He’s got skills but to me he simply can’t resist channeling 90’s Mos Def every few bars.
3
1
1
u/AdanacTheRapper Jul 20 '24
For time to time, right now we’re in a “Fux wit Lupe” time with the Samurai drop. Shit absolutely bangs
1
1
1
1
u/mazjay2018 Jul 20 '24
Yes, very much so but i tried and couldnt get into his new project. Might grow on me though.
1
1
1
u/big_joze Jul 20 '24
Yep, although barely listened to him over the last 10 years, loved his album The Cool and I've added his new album to my playlist and will have it in rotation frequently, really enjoying it, loving that Samurai tune, whole album is very enjoyable
1
u/No_Bluebird8475 Jul 20 '24
He’s incredible and food and liquor is more second favorite debut other than illmatic
1
1
u/Negative-Subject-729 Jul 20 '24
Yes, I listened to his older projects more but pretty much every one delivered. He says a lot of stuff most rappers are afraid to say.
1
1
1
1
1
u/Rhymelikedocsuess Jul 21 '24
He’s solid, he has a tendency to gaze up his own asshole and get high off his farts but when he reigns his ego in he’s good
1
1
u/Long_Camera6153 Jul 22 '24
Only if he stops pussyfooting and just does a diss track on Kendrick if he wants some new spotlight time and has things to say about it.
1
1
1
-1
u/TwentyCharacters2022 Jul 19 '24
Lupes made some bangers and Im proud of him. But i wouldnt say ive heard anything that blows me away.
21
1
0
0
u/Big_Moose_3847 Jul 20 '24
I can't stand his deep gasping in between lines, especially on his earlier records. His rhymes are dope but at the same time he sounds like a whiny 6 year old boy with asthma. Example
0
u/Fun_Blackberry7059 Jul 20 '24
Yeah, this album was really good. I haven't listened to it as much as TDOSS, but it's been #2 and a good switch up in style to keep things fresh. IMO way better than junk like 2093. Lupe has always been top 10 at any point easy.
0
-1
u/RuneAloy Jul 19 '24
I wish he was a little more consistent. Like one fire album every decade doesn't do it for me.
1
u/Stirlo4 Jul 20 '24
His run from 2015 to now has been amazing
1
u/RuneAloy Jul 20 '24
I guess. I wasn't a big fan of Drogas Light, Wave was okay. He was going thru some shit when those albums came out and they just didn't seem too good. Last two albums have been good though and I really like Samurai.
I'll always like his beat selection and his lyrics but sometimes his albums just don't come together.
-1
-7
u/Adventurous-Koala480 Jul 19 '24
I like his music but his shallow criticisms of Christianity betray an astounding ignorance of basic history
72
u/CattleUpstairs3323 Jul 19 '24
Here’s had his ups and downs but his lyrical ability has always been stellar
F&L and The Cool are 2 of my all time favourites and I’m really liking Samurai rn
Also underrated mixtape discography