REVIEW - Lupe Fiasco: Samurai

Lupe Fiasco - Samurai 

Yo, what's good, fam? It's ya boy, Dondi White back at it again, AKA The Dude Born to Criticize, AKA the illest rap critic alive. Now that we got the intros out the way, let's get down to biz.

So we got a new drop from Lupe Fiasco, one of the top lyrical heads out there, right up there with Em and Kendrick. Lupe been caught up in some random drama lately, but forget all that noise, 'cause word on the street is this album's straight fire. We gonna find out. It's a quick one, just 8 joints clocking in at 30 minutes.

Samurai - Yo, this beat is mad smooth. I'm vibin' already. It's got that old-school '90s jazz feel. This joint's setting the tone for the whole album. Lupe’s spittin' now. Almost acapella, and I'm feelin' it. His rhymes are tight as hell. That hook slaps too. This joint's mellow but still packs a punch. Solid opener.

Beats - 7/10  

Lyrics - 9/10  

16/20

Mumble Rap - This beat is taking me back to the '90s. The flow? On point. This track’s a banger. The album so far got that "Midnight Marauders" vibe but with some extra lyrical heat. Might be a damn near perfect track if it wasn't for some of that singing on the hook, which is kinda meh.

Beats - 9/10  

Lyrics - 8/10  

17/20

Cake - The intro's different, but I'm diggin' it. The singing? Pretty solid. Then Lupe comes in with the bars. He’s killing it. Some of these rhymes got me thinkin' of that new Em tape but done right.

Oh snap, the flow and rhyme scheme on the second verse is straight up nasty. You gotta check this one out ASAP. It's crazy dope.

Beats - 7/10  

Lyrics - 10/10  

17/20

Palaces - This one starts off light with some piano. More singing vibes. This got me thinkin' of some Nigerian soul music. Now he’s rappin’ like he's having a convo with God. It's a cool track. Not as much lyrical acrobatics like on "Cake" though... Oh, it's over. Not bad.

Beats - 6/10  

Lyrics - 7/10  

13/20

No. 1 Headband - This intro is wild, kinda out there, but I’m with it. Lupe starts scattin’ randomly, then he hits you with those hard bars, and it’s fire. The rhymes are tight. Those flutes on the hook? Funky as hell, perfect choice. Second and third verses go hard too. This joint's crazy, it's got that Kool Keith kinda vibe. Mad dope.

Beats - 8/10  

Lyrics - 10/10  

18/20

Bigfoot - The slow flow on this one is mad chill. I’m diggin’ it. Not too slow though, it’s got that perfect balance. I like how he switches up the flow without losin’ the message. A lotta rappers can't pull that off. Solid track.

Beats - 7/10  

Lyrics - 7/10  

14/20

Outside - This one’s givin’ me MF DOOM vibes, but without the weirdness. The lyrics are clear and crisp, which I appreciate. They’re solid, not mind-blowing, but they get the job done.

Beats - 7/10  

Lyrics - 7/10  

14/20

Til Eternity - This joint is pretty tight. Lupe's flow here is like he’s having a laid-back convo. His rhymes are mad clever, no cap.

Beats - 7/10  

Lyrics - 8/10  

15/20

Let's tally this up:

124/140

88%

Best track: No. 1 Headband  

Favourite track: Cake  

Worst Track: Palaces

This album's the truth. It's a dope display of skill, and I’m hyped it's gettin’ the love it deserves. The rhymes are what you really wanna check for. "Cake" is mad ill. Cop this tape, it's worth it. Shout out to Lupe for keepin' it short and sweet too. Perfect length.