Wednesday, December 24, 2008

28. Lupe Fiasco feat. Matthew Santos "Superstar"

In some parts, Lupe Fiasco is known as just Kanye West's little protege. That's too bad because Fiasco is one amazing talent in an increasingly lackluster hip-hop pool. Like Talib Kweli and Common, Fiasco strives against mainstream hip-hop's obsession with material possessions and lack of imagination. Food & Liquor and The Cool showcased Fiasco's flair for words and disdain for the negative elements in hip-hop (poor treatment towards women being one sore point). He's not quite a mainstream star (and rumors of a last album might not change that) yet "Superstar" was quite the single. Smooth with a piano riff practically lifted from a Coldplay track, Lupe Fiasco's easy and calm flow and a sick hook by Matthew Santos. "Superstar" is filled with exquisite lyrics and show Fiasco's dexterity as a storyteller. If those rumors of impending retirement are true, then it'd be a sad loss for hip-hop; Fiasco is one of the genre's best lyricists.

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