Lupe Fiasco Albums Ranked Worst to Best

Today on Culturalist Theory we are ranking Chicago rapper Lupe Fiasco albums from worst to best. This list will not include mixtapes, although we highly recommend you check those out if you slept!
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#lupefiasco
This is Lupe Fiasco Albums Ranked Worst to Best!
Written by Kamaron Moir
Performed by C Jay Williams
Edited by Culturalist Theory
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[@brandonreed3670]

Having Lupe’s best album at 5 is crazy.

[@Eyby2013]

go go gadget flow, superstar, Paris-tokyo, gold watch, hip hop saved my life, fighters, streets on fire, the coolest. I bet they listened to this album one time and placed it at number 5. Ridiculous. The Cool will take you to a whole another dimension, literally his best work!

[@tupla1122]

@@Eyby2013 nah food is his best for sure

[@javarisjamarjavarisonlamar7517]

@@tupla1122na bruh the cool is different 🔥

[@beatsbyzer0]

Dumb It Down as a throwaway is an insane take

[@jjwalkerjr5288]

right.

[@CoachMunMun31]

They wild for this list 🤦🏽‍♂️

[@brandonreed3670]

This man really said Dumb It Down was a throwaway. Aight, imma head out. I know CJ doesn’t write all of these but y’all gotta start having the writers “perform” their own lists. Y’all out here tryna get the messenger shot lol

[@flyking6622]

Dumb it down was blatantly too abstract for him 😅

[@shawnt1170]

Putting The Cool at 5 is worse than putting Life is Good at 2 for Nas

[@badmeetsevil6163]

Life is Good at 2 is fine. Putting The Cool at 5 is worse than Stankonia at 5, Before I Self Destruct at 5, Hell on Earth at 3 and just as bad as Laugh Now Cry Later at 2.

[@KeyTez]

The Cool #5 is CRAZY

[@iAintSayDat]

Rass Kass and Canibus are guys who’s skills never translated into good records. Which is may be why Lupe cut some pop records. He didn’t wanna be stuck in a lyrical miracle lane.

[@George_bonnaire]

Canibus has plenty of good records out but just nothing commercial

[@kenterminateddq5311]

Has LocalColor ever heard of 2nd Round KO? @@George_bonnaire It's, IMO, one of the best diss records of all-time.

[@fellowbloke741]

I thought soul on ice by ras kass was a classic

[@fernandoreyes680]

​@@kenterminateddq5311 it's good but could've been a lot better, specially going at Cool J

[@reylopez8433]

​@@George_bonnaire Facts. Mic Club & Rip The Jacker. If you know, you know.

[@shawnt1170]

My face dropped when I saw The Cool at 5

[@loyallfc7239]

I disagree with 'He Say She Say' being off the mark, that's a beautiful track with an insane catchy hook. Good list overall though! Tetsuo and Youth will always be my favourite Lupe album.

[@kahjeemwilson9452]

That's crazy I feel like The Cool is his best arguably lol. Food & Liquor is right there at #2. Tetsuo & Youth, Drill Music in Zion & Drogas Wave definitely in the top 5 tho I agree.

[@t-god2439]

Okay if we doing Lupe then we gotta get the big krit one

[@anthonystoner7160]

Facts!

[@DFMusic811]

As a massive Lu fan, I actually don't think Cool at 5 is a terrible take. Calling Dumb it Down a throwaway is nuts, but to play devil's advocate it's got a couple weaker moments, not every aspect of the production has aged the best, and yeah the concept is very loose (though its numerous highs make it better than DMIZ imo). However, T&Y not even being top 3 is crazy. My favorite of his for sure.

[@kenterminateddq5311]

You know you are a great artist when (arguably) your most successful album is ranked at the bottom of an album ranking list of most critics. Ironically, 0:32 and Food & LIquor II are the two albums that got me interested in Lupe's music. Lupe Fiasco is still one of my favorite MCs of all-time. :)

[@cr5cc]

Shit I thought he only had two albums

[@kenterminateddq5311]

@@cr5cc Definitely not, Lupe had many LPs and full albums. Most are really good.

[@cddevri]

1. Drogas Wave 2. Tetsuo & Youth 3. Food & Liquor 4. The Cool 5. Drill Music in Zion 6. Food & Liquor 2 7. Lasers 8. Drogas Light huge gap between 5 and 6 3 & 4 are a toss up for me

[@imperialstats]

This the accurate List

[@paulm394]

Still can’t put wave above t&y but otherwise this is perfect. Crazy that dmiz goes 5th and I consider that shit fine art

[@CookingwiththeCritics]

Best list I’ve seen I would probably swap lasers with drogas light but those are def the bottom 2

[@CookingwiththeCritics]

@@cddevri where do you think Samurai fits in this list I’m thinking it’s comes in above the cool

[@cddevri]

@@CookingwiththeCritics id put it above dmiz but below the cool for now probably, my aoty so far though

[@xcwilliams7980]

If you consider yourself a huge Lupe Fiasco fan, please take a deep breath. This list will probably make want to say some bad things.

[@retroesso]

As a Lupe Stan I don’t 100% agree with this ranking I do respect it though! I’m glad someone’s covering Anything Lupe!

[@JSwannSoOfficial3]

Why is the cool so low. That’s so disrespectful.

[@anthonymcmillan8273]

VERY👎!!

[@TheRealLeonardWashington]

Food and Liquor will always be my number 1 Lupe album. And that could be nostalgia talking but I love F&L1 and it’s aged well imo. I think the only 2 Lupe albums I tried going back to and will never go back to again are Lasers and Drogas Light. Never was a fan of those albums. Nevertheless this ranking isn’t bad. The Cool could be higher but it’s not like the albums that you placed above it don’t have the argument to be above it. Now if F&L1 was at #5 we got a problem CT 😂

[@RoddyRodbb]

1. F&L 2. The Cool 3. Tetsou and Youth 4. Drogas Wave 5. LASERS 6. F&l 2 7. Drogas light Haven't heard Drill Music from Zion

[@seanjjpaul]

Your missing out not listening to Drill Music in Zion

[@joepankey97]

I agree with this list and would put Drill Music at #4.

[@CS_1989]

The CooL hands down his best , the time & tone of this album was perfect

[@jwood8769]

I never cared that Lasers was his worst. It’s to this day my most played album from him next to Food & Liquor 2 and The Cool. I just love that electronic pop hook rap songs era. It’s nostalgia for me. And that album saved my life. Beautiful Lasers is low key one of his darkest records

[@lethalmfg1]

The cool is at least top 3 of his albums y'all wilding

[@khulekanimagubane9153]

Last year, Lupe told Hot 97 that the album cover for Drill Music In Zion was inspired by Pac Man. The more you know...

[@ImInYourBrains]

Pac Man is a meta narrative. It didnt inspire the cover. The cover was painted several years before the album. The painting was a part of the same collection that he pulled Tetsuo & Youth's cover art from. When I say meta-narrative, I mean a story that is outside or beyond the mains story/narrative. The main narrative is about Drill Music and the hood/culture being paralleled with the scene in the Matrix where the killer overlords discovered the last safe haven of the resistance and proceeded to drill down and attack it.

[@fernandoreyes680]

Yep. Even the "ee-err, ee-err, ee-rr" sound Lupe does at the end of the hook is a reference to Pac Man's sound. Pretty cool

[@SarBChild]

I did liked Drill Music a lot. Another dope list 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

[@nikeboy3211]

Dumb it down is a throw away?!?! you trippin that song is FLAMES

[@soniqonline]

The Cool should NOT be #5. That simply doesn't feel like the right decision. Also, the Ed Sheeran collab did materialize; just not on any of his albums. It's a good song. Big ups for giving Lu his flowers, though!

[@SterlingStarksIzHere]

The Cool should definitely be #1. That’s groundbreaking hip hop album that set the tone for a lot of music today. Just sayin! Love the channel tho😂 Mixtapes are golden too!

[@bencromwell707]

Lupe One of My Favorite Rappers Ever Another Solid List Keep Up The Great Work 1. The Cool 2. Food & Liquor 3. Lasers

[@michaelpatterson6512]

The goat. Drogas Wave top 1

[@Wiggywoo1977]

Always on my radar but never got onboard. This was very helpful, so thank you.

[@kevinrobinson4848]

Lupe one of my favorites. When I think of artists who has "it", he comes to mind fast. I am very surprised to see The Cool that low on the list but props for being different. I always thought The Cool was overrated but still dope. I personally don't think Lupe has a sure classic album but I respect that most think his 1st two are classics. Here is my rankings from fav to least fav: F&L- The Cool- F&L II- Tetsuo & Youth- Drogas Wave- Drill Music In Zion- Lasers (All Black Everything is top 5 Lupe for me)- Drogas Light. I had to revisit Drill in Zion, that being #2 on your list threw me off fa real.

[@chriscastro2936]

The real top 5 list 1. Food & liquor 2. The Cool 3. tetsuo and youth 4. Drogas wave 5. Drill music in Zion

[@TheNewGuyNiro]

The robot is how he sees the projects in Chicago. Listen to Daydreaming

[@teasystableent]

The cool and his debut are his best albums..bro wilding

[@ghostlyripper4403]

Anyway this is my Lupe ranking: 1. Tetsuo and Youth 2. Food & Liquor 3. The Cool 4. Drogas Wave 5. Drill Music In Zion 6. Food & Liquor 2 7. Drogas Light 8. Lasers

[@enigmasept927]

You got it right.

[@MadiAbara]

Although I would've ranked The Cool a bit higher, I do agree it's not as great as others make it out to be. Btw, I would love a vid on Common.

[@goodvibestv707]

F&L & The Cool is Lupe Fiasco best work hands Down 💯

[@flyking6622]

Once this man said throw "Dumb It Down" away, I had to stop the video 😅

[@Lars256.]

My personal ranking: 8. Drogas Light (fav song - Kill) 7. Lasers (All Black Everything) 6. Food & Liquor II (fav song - Around My Way) 5. Tetsuo & Youth (fav song - Blur My Hands) 4. Drogas Wave (WAV Files) 3. The Cool (fav song - Gold Watch) 2. Drill Music In Zion (fav song - KIOSK) 1.Food & Liquor (fav song - Hurt Me Soul Oh and Bitch Bad is NOT a miss

[@CulturalistTheory]

Nice list!

[@Zuyi0217]

HURT ME SOUL huge w

[@Lars256.]

@@CulturalistTheory thx, keep up the amazing vids

[@ImInYourBrains]

Real ranking: 1. Tetsuo & Youth 2. Drogas Wave --------------------------------- 3. The Cool 4. Food & Liquor --------------------------------- 5. Drill Music in Zion --------------------------------- 6. Food & Liquor 2 --------------------------------- 7. Lasers 8. Drogas Light You can flip T&Y with Drogas Wave and you can flip The Cool with Food & Liquor and you can flip Lasers with Drogas Light and it would also be legit. The lines separate the tiers.

[@blakebrown84]

Lupe Fiasco is the best rapper coming out of Chicago since Common. He loved his albums The Cool and Food & Liquor, so those were my albums

[@thelashaunlove]

I think Lasers is way better than people give it credit for... I agree on Food & Liquor 2 though lol. FL2 had some bangers on it like Lamborghini Angels, but it's definitely not one I go back to often. I think Drogas Light is his worst album and I was at the Seattle Show where he called it trash 🤣

[@knighthawk12341]

I never realized people disliked food and liquor 2 that much. I love that album but having the cool at 5 is INSANE.

[@javarisjamarjavarisonlamar7517]

Bro your wildn putting the “cool” at 5

[@chriscastro2936]

The cool?!??! Five ????!?!? Fam… you had me prior but that is wild lol

[@majormind1584]

IMO: 1. Tetsuo and youth 2. Drogas Wave 3. Drill music in zion 4. Food and liquor 5. The cool 6. Food and liquor 2 7. Drogas light 8. Lasers The top 5 could literally be switched around in any order, I personally just feel Lupe's lyricism resonated with me most in his latter years. DMIZ was SO ON POINT lyrically and it hit hard af. Nothing he said went wasted, no duds, the project was fast paced, purposeful and it was not bloated. I love the cool/liquor and they are classic albums, but his latter work when you really digest it is on a different level sonically and lyrically. My personal goat lyricist.

[@majormind1584]

Did my guy call Dumb It down a throwaway? That's a lyrical masterpiece

[@koleon06]

Finally, some Chicago love! Lupe is definitely on the Chicago Mt Rushmore (not counting drill) . He is heavily underrated and one of the most lyrically talented MC’s ever. Lupe did rely on singers too much in his later albums, but those first three are staples in the city. Big dawg, Bitch Bad is FIRE! Aside from that i agree with the list, even tho Lupe tries too hard sometimes to be different, seeming forced instead of natural…. But Lupe has an undeniable catalog…

[@anthonymcmillan8273]

I just like his first 2. F.A.L(06) and The 🆒 (07). Lasers I was going to give a chance but the LONG delay of the release changed my mind. Lupe even said it himself to the fans to NOT buy it. In due time I'll listen to the rest of the 6. A very difficult list to put together. The video "Kick push" is the actual song that got me liking his music.

[@SD-vf1er]

Did this dude just say Sunshine and He Say She Say missed the mark? This channel stay suspect.

[@brandonreed3670]

Bruh said Dumb It Down was a throwaway lmao

[@Smoquan]

He Say She Say is literally one my favorite songs of all time lol. And Sunshine is also one my most revisited on the album. That's an insane take to me too.

[@brandonreed3670]

@@Smoquan Sunshine is beautiful. My only gripe with He Say She Say is that the 2nd verse is basically the same as the first one, but the first verse is basically perfect so that’s barely a complaint.

[@Smoquan]

@@brandonreed3670 I'mma assume you know why it's repeated from a different perspective. If you're saying he could've switched up lyrics to make it more personal from each perspective, I guess I can respect that criticism. But there's also value to it being similar and showing it hurts both in a very similar manner and only needing to switch the pronouns to change the perspective. Plus the vocal backings of the song are insane. Gemini/Gemstones is so fuckin underloved. Edit: Maybe a better way to put it is it's showing the pain he's causing is duplicated because he's effecting two lives simultaneously

[@brandonreed3670]

@@Smoquan I know why he basically repeats the verse but I just found it a bit lazy honestly. It’s still a great song though

[@bigzizzo]

I remember when Lupe used to be all around the city passing out his mixtapes, now look at him! Chicago in the house.

[@dswill2264]

And to say that a Wayne and Lu collab is more desired than a Nas & Fiasco track further cements you probably starting listening to LU around Drogas Lite.

[@mogamatyusufmartin9171]

As a big Lupe fiasco fan I loved this

[@23TDJ]

Bruh! The Coolest at 5 and Tetsuo & Youth at 4. Smh

[@MercDawg]

Yo CJ! Great videos, what about a ranking of Will Smith/Fresh Prince's best albums?

[@LeGacieColeman]

8: Drogas Light 7: Lasers 6: Food & Liquor II 5: Drill Music in Zion 4: Food & Liquor 3: Drogas Wave 2: The Cool 1: Tetsuo & Youth

[@Nerdstorm003]

1. DROGAS WAVE 2. The Cool 3. Drill Music In Zion 4. Tetsuo & Youth 5. F&L

[@thefm4506]

Out of all Lupe Fiascos album Drill Music is Zion gets the most plays from me such an incredible album from start to finish

[@BETHEINDIVIDUAL]

Damn "He Say She Say" is my shit. Dope list!

[@JustDraysonTV]

My personal ranking… 1. Tetsuo & Youth 2. Food & Liquor 3. The Cool 4. Drogas Wave 5. Drill Music In Zion 6. Food & Liquor 2: TGARA PT. 1 7. Lasers 8. Drogas Light

[@mafiosotruely]

I'd like to see a Westside Gunn album ranked, and you can even follow up with a Griselda ranked as well. Appreciate the content

[@FromThe36thChamber]

Cool being this low is just nuts I try and be reasonable every time, then EVERY SINGLE TIME he makes me revert to my take of "okay this is rage bait because he NEVER fails to put a classic too low"

[@KxNG_RxME]

I watch these episodes then explore catalogs. It's a healthy balance for the week

[@deviant4life25]

Quality Content as always. But deviant gotta ask for that E-40 and Too $hort list…. Tradition

[@GStatus8911]

Fun fact: Lupe apparently paints now? He painted the covers to Testuo & Youth and Drill Music. I personally thought F&L 2 is the worse in his discog but I guess I can see how Lasers didn't ring off either

[@devzeppilin]

CT, y’all are amazing with these videos. I’m never looking to “agree” with your list, just get different perspectives. This Lupe list is on point tho. 🤷🏽‍♂️

[@dewansharber8005]

The Cool is Lupe Fiasco best classic he has a few. It is one of my top 10 albums of time in any category.

[@demezmusic]

1. Drogas Wave 2. The Cool 3. Tetsuo & Youth 4. Food & Liquor 5. DMIZ 6. Food & Liquor 2 7. Drogas Light 8. Lasers

[@RighteousGemz]

*Kick, Push* was NOT about skateboarding.. it was about Chili..

[@TreFKennedy]

We lit , dope vid

[@BlackCat-v7v]

Lupe said his best album is The Cool” but we said #5. The Cool is Top 3

[@Zuyi0217]

not gonna lie I never understood why people hated lasers & drogas light. As a young and new Lupe fan, I went into both of these albums completely blind, not knowing what people geniuly thought about them. It happens that I had no skips on both of these albums and I put 5/12 songs from lasers and 6/13 songs from drogas light to my "liked songs list" which i only put songs I enjoyed a lot in. I understand that they are not as consistent as his top tier albums. But there is no way that people would consider lasers as 'trash'. I usually have good ears for music so I am not sure if I'm just tweaking here or people are actually overlooking and hating these albums. In my opinion F&L2 is his worst album but it's still a good album

[@stloushug9830]

American Terrorist is one of my favorite songs on F&L.

[@Summersismyname]

Lupe and ed do actually have a song. The cool was fire though intruder alert 🔥🔥🔥

[@kenkoastify]

Bro, the definition of a skewed review is saying MDMA "had no business being in the studio with Lupe" when 'Beautiful Lasers (2 Ways)'' was epic - beat wise, vibe wise, message wise etc. Yo, "Battle Scars" is a MISS??? You're tripping, CJ. Generally, you sound so CONDESCENDING whilst reviewing Lu. But I feel you; I ain't hating...Lupe is still that guy 😇 Anyway 😅✌ as probably the biggest Lupe fan in Africa, I'd rate his Top 5 as follows: 5. Drogas Wave 4. Tetsuo & Youth 3. The Cool 2. DRILL MUSIC IN ZION 1. Food & Liquor Keep bringing them man. Love what you're doing. ✊

[@dalej.rodriguez9209]

As long as Food and Liquor is #1, I honestly aint worried about the rest of the list. This is my favorite Lupe Album. Sunshine is my daughters ringtone.

[@robintetris]

HOW is dumb it down a throwaway? that's one of his best ever tracks mannnn

[@ramilleallen1101]

food and liquor revenge of the nerds (mixtape) the cool the rest weren't all that but he still makes solid songs from time to time

[@CoachMunMun31]

The COOL is one of the best albums EVER 🤦🏽‍♂️

[@wrenchreina]

W top 3, DMIZ is his most underrated joint fosho

[@vincewilson8969]

The Gold Watch erasure is wild. Respect tho.

[@hoc1992]

TETSUO & YOUTH NEEDS TO BE 2 at least !!

[@Tykillzem1]

Time out, did I hear that correctly? You think Dumb it Down was a throw away? That's the song that made me say ok, he nice nice But as always I respect the list. Solid ✊🏾

[@richieporter3798]

Top 5 who skills didn’t transition 1)cyhi the prynce 2)Memphis bleek 3)Tony yayo 4)ace hood 5)Corey Gunz

[@offthecouchwithjordan8128]

The Cool 5…

[@Onsite-With-RockstarrClarke]

Where is eminem ranks though ?

[@seanjjpaul]

Who cares lol

[@Onsite-With-RockstarrClarke]

@@seanjjpaulwho cares about you ?

[@FrancisWilly96]

I agree that the beats on The Cool aged horribly, but to not appreciate how Lu was really in his streetwear bag on Gold Watch before streetwear became cool or rapping in the perspective of a cheese burger on Gotta Eat is acute blasphemy. Otherwise, glad you still covered Lu! ✌🏼

[@bigzizzo]

The Cool is definitely his second best album in my opinion. I definitely agree with number 1 and the original leaked version is even better. Drogas Wave is brilliant, just a tad too long. Great video bro!

[@CulturalistTheory]

Respect

[@ROSETheCulture]

Lupe one of the GOATS easy!

[@dswill2264]

This list lost all credibility once "The Cool" was ranked at number 5. I'm out.

[@thebluemangoes8839]

Honestly I'd put Food and Liquor at number 5 instead. I think Tetsuo, Drogas, Drill, and The Cool are his top 4 best albums

[@Historicutuber]

Dude the Cool is so good. Dumb it down is fire

[@thearkhightek]

The plight of not having a positive male role model is a miss on He Say She Say? That's Crazy!!

[@lasonjittle7498]

Food & Liquor is a classic!

[@ghostlyripper4403]

Seems like every list video you guys miss the mark somehow. How in the world is The Cool only top 5 and Drill Music is top 2? 😂

[@banjoep.9674]

I'm starting to think, that these lists, are what the industry are happy with, you know, sales, singles, how much did the artist comply with the A&R. Not the artistic skill from the artist putting into the project. It shouldn't he called the culture list theory. It should be called, the industry list of what made them money

[@mkdadon2245]

When it comes to Lasers, that song Words I Never Said is a classic, Skyler Grey's voice blends very good with the track and Lupe's verses oh they are hard 🔥. So I don't agree with you guys when it comes to this

[@thelashaunlove]

Having The Cool at #5??? Idk about that one lmao. I'd at least have it at #2

[@PhantomEyce]

Bih Bad my shiiiiiit plus the cool and food and liquor is number 1 and 2

[@seanjjpaul]

I’m pretty much good with this list lol I have the cool at the same spot and the rest usually flip flop depending on the day or mood

[@kareemlyons3761]

I'm done yall wrong again smh