Lupe Fiasco - Tetsuo & Youth ALBUM REVIEW

Listen: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jImuiXl7oL-ei6s
With what might be his final project with Atlantic Records, Lupe Fiasco releases his most conceptual and headiest album in years, backing these tracks up with an instrumental set that's a step above what he delivered on his two previous LPs.
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FAV TRACKS: MURAL, DOTS & LINES, PRISONER 1 & 2, MADONNA, ADORATION OF THE MAGI
LEAST FAV TRACK: NO SCRATCHES
LUPE FIASCO - TETSUO & YOUTH / ATLANTIC / 2015 / CONSCIOUS HIP HOP, JAZZ RAP, POP RAP
7/10
Y'all know this is just my opinion, right? What did you think of this album? Love it? Hate it? Why? What should I review next, eh?

[@WhoaNellyJake]

9/10. The amount of bars in Mural and Chopper is untouchable. And I didn't dislike a single track on the record.

[@MrBjnelson]

Me either

[@vladimirklizschko9337]

Deliver is incredible with the lyrics too.... Ab souls verse on tron is nice as well

[@Lbcnu24]

Those two songs were the most personal... FYI

[@randomuruk7230]

Mural is insane

[@shaman3069]

I feel a strong 9 almost a 10 on this thing. Traaansitiion

[@SaifKhan-kv1hc]

lupe fiasco's mural is one of the best rap songs I have heard - legitimate poetry

[@eyezuel5307]

Summarised all rap is poetry, and not all poetry is good. But yeah mural is cool.

[@jsonstrees8507]

EyeZuel murals is cool ? Whoa bro murals has got to be the BEST rap song to hit the game bro

[@eyezuel5307]

J'sonstrees different strokes for different folks, dude. You think it's the best thing ever, i just like it. Take what you can get.

[@Portthefirst]

EyeZuel if you think that Mural it's just okay, then tell me some songs that you think are the greatest ever? Just don't go with the flow and say Lose Yourself or some other overrated mainstream song.

[@vibe9155]

Port Mural is probably number 1 ever honestly.

[@Agent00gaming]

Lupe's music is like poetry. There is no way you'll understand it the first time out.. or the first 20 times for that matter. But once you do understand it, you'll understand and appreciate why he is the best MC in the game.

[@MR.HANDS-]

Agent what’s up dude. Never thought I’d see u on a fantano vid lol

[@TheRiceKrispie]

jake edelen lmaoo ikr

[@zahaan867]

Damn Agent on a Fantano video???

[@ADonline20]

Agent got taste lol

[@reece5007]

Agent got good taste

[@Ghostface2point0]

Chopper being 9 minutes long was an accident. Lupe said in an interview that he sent the beat to everyone individually and somehow they all sent him back 36 bar verses. He wasn't gonna tell them no because the verses were all dope so he said fuck it😂👌🏾

[@SamuelGarciaPerez1998]

DJ Beard omg

[@mfscarce6740]

DJ Beard That's kinda magical.

[@mfscarce6740]

DJ Beard the way music moves people enough to write such long verses.

[@Ghostface2point0]

Kai Turner that's how music should be. Artists should want to put out the best music they can, even if it means going against what they expected to happen

[@ptrcrispy]

He really wanted to get these verses cut but wouldn't approach. Trouble would've definitely given him....trouble to say the least

[@spaceepandaa]

Prisoner 1 & 2 is absolutely incredible. To be able to tell a story from 3 different perspectives in the 1st part and flip it for the 2nd... that kind of writing is special to say the least.

[@HappyGuy343]

One of the best songs he's ever written. And that's saying something.

[@mrcrackdonald_1]

the production, flow delivery and hooks are the best I ever heard

[@ghtraining1]

Love it!!!!!!! I played that over and over when I first got it

[@Poopconnaisseur]

Mural was THE best verse of 2015

[@ricksanchez7296]

Salomon Lubin More like one of the best Verses of all time

[@ankitkumar4356]

Rick Sanchez totally agree

[@ilovecody7514]

@@ricksanchez7296 whoa whoa whoa, you got too much dip on ya chip.

[@IvefoundthetruthonMay]

@@ricksanchez7296 Facts

[@moresoulthanasockwithahole3493]

mural was THE best thing of 2015.

[@TFDMarcDriftz]

Spring - Celebrations in a baby shower. They.Resurrect.Over.New - T.R.O.N, a video game that came out during Lupe's birth year (1982). Adoration of the Magi - He's just another baby at the time adored by The Game. Madonna - Song for the only mothers raising their babies (Lupe did have a great father figure though). Deliver - After he grew up a little, he's starting to see the unfairness he's been given. Chopper - He's starting to see the true dangers of the ghetto and the violence. Winter - Shit gets real so he's forced to stay inside No Scratches - He came out unscathed and starts wondering why his people are doing this to each other. Little Death - as the guns start killing each other, a part of the black communities dies one after another. Body of Work - Lupe's take on the drug game and the stereotype of his skin color that leads his people downwards. Prisoner 1 & 2 - Lupe's friends go to jail for drugs (like Chilly Chill) where he's the visitor meeting up with them. Fall - Lupe makes it rapping and finally sees sunshine up the road ahead Dots & Lines - Talking about his Deal with Atlantic and how much a disaster it really was. Blur My Hands - With the death of his deal, he can move on to another world. Mural - The final boss of the album, a lyrical slaughter that shows Lupe at his full potential with no boundaries Summer - The future of Lupe as an independent rapper and the freedom he feels.

[@ExpresswayMusic]

Woah. Never thought about it that way

[@chakaoliver7835]

Ok

[@TwoEnZ]

this is dope thanks for this

[@kalinda619]

Unbelievable. You are not a hip-hop fan if you actually think Jello is gross. You are just someone who wants to eat the same comfortable things over and over. You are the reason food will never progress as an art form.

[@kenlam709]

😂😂

[@tylersinclair1544]

10/10 good meme

[@lukejamesbgn]

B4DA$$ is legit but I think this album is much better. Joey's album is great but a bit too comfy, in my opinion. I don't understand why some people in the comments are saying that Tetsuo & Youth doesn't have replay value - there's just SO MUCH to dig into as far as the lyrics & concepts go - but then again, I can see how it can be a bit much to decipher, which might turn some listeners off. I thought this album was damn near perfect though - and I haven't been a big fan of Lupe's music for a long time so I'm not "stanning" here. At a first glance all those long songs had me skeptical, but as I listened through the album (and listened to the songs individually, too) it all worked. This was a 4.5/5 for me but I can certainly understand why some people might go lower. It can feel a bit preachy and "finger-waggy" at times, but I appreciate the social commentary. Now everyone relax and accept Anthony's OPINION.

[@agfromdai.e3806]

Naw it shouldn't be lower

[@willgeorgiadis2025]

As far as replay value, it’s 2024 and I’ve got prisoner and Madonna on replay

[@NineOuh]

I feel you were right on the Youth part, but Tetsuo is actually a reference to Tetsuo Shima, the protagonist of Akira. This has more to do with his love for nerd ephemera which is probably why he's packed this one with way more nerd culture references such as Anime, and Video Games.

[@DMsubble]

another reason this dude aint shit when it comes to reviews hes literally just blogging here... and people are ragin about it like this guy has the say so on whats actually any good..

[@hexsahgon]

Lupe stated otherwise, why the fuck do people speculate lmao.

[@orangedalmatian]

+Ninouh >Tetsuo Shima >protaganist you've seen the film, right? Tetsuo is not a good guy, not at all.

[@NineOuh]

Fair enough, Kaneda is more of a protagonist, but Tetsuo is the emotional core of the movie.

[@DMsubble]

Mal Nexus nah this isnt a review he has almost zero information on how or why a track has meaning and just adds his personal feeling towards the albums. thats a blog about what he likes not what is actually getting reviewed.

[@gramztoker842]

Deliver is a hella underrated track. It's a radio song too controversial for airplay and the hook and TD$ vocals are chilling.

[@TheTinyTimmyTimTim]

+Gramztoker god that track is amazing. Gave me newfound respect for TyD$

[@ChrisSizzly]

Deliver is my favorite track on the Album. Ty bodied those vocals.

[@Italianastuff]

The usage of "pizza man" to discuss the "peace of man" is just phenomenal

[@Arian545]

Tetsuo is a character in Akira, clearly Lupe is an anime fan.

[@RealCGH]

Yeah but wtf does Tetsuo have to do with this album lol...

[@imjustsayin3210]

@@RealCGH Good question?

[@BReedhomies]

When he spit the naruto lines my jaw dropped lol

[@Portthefirst]

Chris Heyward maybe Tetsuo is the first part where Lupe describes cold things, ans Youth is the second part? We still get new details bout this album. This album can be listened not in just normal order, but even in reverse order. One of the greatest concepts ever, and his lyrical complexines is just above 90% of rappers.

[@erboch7124]

Akira spoilers: Tetsuo, was a teenager/gang member in post apocalyptic Japan who stumbled across this supernatural explosion after running away from his boys, and throughout the movie he gained these superpowers that he used to terrorize people. In the end he turned into a monster and this one big explosion took him as well as everyone else in Japan out. So on one hand it might be Lupe breaking out of Atlantic and becoming his own monster musically, and might also be a stance on how the influence of gang culture turns kids into monsters, and it also has to do with death and rebirth, as Tetsuo went out the same way up came in, an explosion.

[@amrit6252]

How about instead of focusing on the score he gave this album, actually listen to the 16 minutes of context for that score and his opinion on the record as a whole. You can agree and disagree all you want, but stating something like "a 7? Man, I'd give it like a 8 or 9" or something lower doesn't make for a good discussion because all these internal and personal rating systems are completely arbitrary and differ from person to person. Talk about what he actually said about the album, and not the number he gave it.

[@calgsus911]

kurapika a bitch bruh. He aint no killua

[@amrit6252]

Oh come on calgsus911, dat Phantom Troupe arc doe! Kurapika is dope as hell. Nice to meet a fellow HxH fan though. :)

[@1PceXperience]

Kurapika92 Can't see how anyone can hate on Kurapika. Dude's smart and rabid

[@boyarmira999]

11:44 Lupe said on Twitter the line on "deliver" was "piece of man don't come here" not pizza man but its a play on words :)

[@theofficialshed3690]

It's both ways "Pizza man don't come here no more, too much dough" or "peace of man don't come here no more, too much dope"

[@SavingSoulsMinistries]

@@theofficialshed3690 too many niggas on the porch

[@theofficialshed3690]

@@SavingSoulsMinistries so the pizza man don't approach no, no, no

[@moresoulthanasockwithahole3493]

its a double entendre

[@agfromdai.e3806]

It goes both ways

[@andysutherland4731]

tbh the album conseptually is way better if u listen to the track list in reverse because it tells Lupe's life story

[@avanishpank7572]

+Andy Sutherland i was gonna say the exact same thing

[@emekaonochie8097]

+Andy Sutherland wow, haven't noticed that before

[@andysutherland4731]

yeah its super cool. lupe talked about it in a interview a couple weeks after it came out

[@H3L1Xify]

+Andy Sutherland That's completely true,as in the "Winter'' part you can see obviously his childhood and "Mural'' is exactly what he is doing now with this album(Painting an history with his songs and making someone submerge in his life,as well as it shows his point of view now).

[@stevequeef7131]

I'm too high for this, when you think about how adoration of the magi and Madonna etc were about kids and songs like mural and blur my hands were about celebrity life in a way that's crazy

[@AnotherGradus]

I'm glad it wasn't a fiasco. *cough*

[@OfficialKinglm]

that joke really threw me for a loop....e? . . . . *cough*

[@Ehh.....]

Kinglm Kicks both of ya in the head.

[@yungforensics]

I'm going to (tet)SUE(o) you guys for these bad puns.

[@uriahmora743]

Mloclam Nomdnih *kick push

[@ThexStarxGazer]

Uriah Mora oh god your comments just "Hurt Me Soul"

[@52BLUE]

fun fact: the banjo intro and outro for Dots & Lines signifies Lupe going independent with this album (heading for the country over the city). Breaking away from the shit that caused Lasers & Food & Liquor 2.

[@orangelightdistrictgaming4729]

Woah woah woah, food and liquor 2 is fucking amazing. Super underrated. That shit has some fire as tracks.

[@orangelightdistrictgaming4729]

+Lebbz Tetsuo is a masterpiece. Won't be appreciated for a time to come. But Food and Liquor 2 had substance. Tracks like form follows function, brave heart, Lamborghini Angels, hood now, ITAL, Audobon Ballroom, around my way, put 'em up, heart donor, Cold War, go to sleep. Man that album was fire bruh smh.

[@iandotson7954]

I would say Food and liquor 2 was half Lupe's genius splitting through, half dictated fluff material People definitley can't sleep on the whole project but the rest of it makes it as a whole only decent

[@agfromdai.e3806]

@@orangelightdistrictgaming4729 facts 9/10

[@lankinenp1]

This album really changed my life when I listened to it on LSD

[@kwl6251]

8.5/10 in my opinion

[@SuisLBC]

Yep strong 8 for me also

[@SocietyIsTwisted]

I knew he wouldn't give this album a proper score. Inb4 a 7 is a good for Fantano. It's not a good score for Tetsuo and Youth. This album is at least an 8. To say a light 7 just completely shows why people constantly call out your inconsistent ratings and hipsterness.

[@KleinHendrixTheCool]

"Y'all know this is just my opinion, right?" -Anthony Fantano

[@usernameof5]

It's still a green number.

[@SocietyIsTwisted]

Ik his opinion. It's just annoying because he makes no sense. Thats why I only watch for his breakdiwns and not his scores because his scores are straight ridiculous.

[@Punjabispitta]

Shawn Jones Right? It's like he liked the album, had nothing negative to say, and contradicts everything by giving it a 7. Like wtf? lol I thought it was a great review, he did everything I hoped for: explained each song and get a little into the concept and discuss the production. The rating just makes no sense to me, it's like it came out of no where.

[@henryhill92]

Harnoor Singh Nothing negative to say? He mentioned quite a few concessions to the radio and some uninteresting beats. I'd say that constitutes a 7/10 easily. 7 is a very good score for an album, get your panties unbunched.

[@KleinHendrixTheCool]

7/10? uh oh the angry comments are coming *hides* 😬

[@omcronaldo969]

7/10 is pretty high score from Anthony, he likes this album. I'd give it a 8 though.

[@TheD1995B]

I hope you're gonna see a check for Lupe using your name in the album.

[@Punjabispitta]

Obviously, he had nothing negative to say about this album and understood a good amount of the concept, he even said Prisoner 1 & 2 is one of the best songs of this DECADE, so why did he give it such a low rating? Over-lyricism? Exactly, stfu fuckboy.

[@KleinHendrixTheCool]

Harnoor Singh *plays worlds smallest violin*

[@laurin7079]

Harnoor Singh Obviously is only that you didn't listen to what Anthony said since you claim he had _nothing negative to say_

[@sultana123ish]

This was a strong 9 to me but absolutely great review Anthony.

[@Citygbb]

7 is way too low for this album, this is more than just a rap album this is art at its finest imo

[@joedorben3504]

Lupe Fiasco The Cool to Lasers was the greatest fall off in the history of hip hop

[@theadi8296]

Joe Dorben Marshall Mathers LP to Relapse/Encore and Nas are up there

[@brandonroberts2297]

mmlp wasn't anywhere near the cool? debatable

[@iamjp1]

Joe Dorben lmao you stat that as if it is objective and that we should trust you because you "studied" both albums.. ok sport.

[@ravanaRTT]

Joe Dorben lol that's a really dumb fucking comment. You can "assure us" that you're opinion is more valid than anyone else? Haha ok

[@bbpoisonrorty]

Nas? No way.

[@JareBralTer]

This album deserves a 9 minimum. Maybe not a 10 because sometimes the sound gets a bit old but the entire concept and the lyrics are amazing. If you really understand the meaning behind the songs and how they contribute to the whole message of the album, it's a breathtaking experience.

[@siinboondaba1302]

If you guys want to know the full definition of the season interludes here you go: Summer:When Lupe was first starting his career and releasing mixtapes with freedom without pressure from a record label. Fall:He releases his first 2 albums with still high quality music but begins to get limited from freedom when he signed with Atlantic Records. Winter:He releases Lasers and F&L 2 and begins to be forced and limited by Atlantic Records for his music. Which forces him to release sad music. Spring:He is released from Atlantic Records and now can be independent. Which lets him release projects with more freedom.

[@MarauderM00gi]

As I stated earlier in another post: I liked Joey's album far more than Lupe's. I spent a long time listening to T&Y trying decipher the meaning of certain bars and such. Yet I find myself listening to specific songs over and over instead of the entire body of work. I can't really let T&Y play all the way through. I can do that with Badass. but don't get it twisted: lyrically Lupe is far superior. This shouldn't even have to be stated but stans will do philosophical drivebys on my house if I don't state it. They probably still will. . .

[@MrJordan3023]

I just don't like joeys lyrics as much but I respect that.

[@Punjabispitta]

maybe because T&Y had 4 different seasons of different vibes while Joey's was like what? One season at most? lmao

[@MarauderM00gi]

Harnoor Singh The theme didn't revolve around "seasons". Stop debasing the work of another to "prove" your point. I admitted that Lupe's album was dope and I acknowledge his lyrical superiority. I just didn't fucking like his album as much as I liked Badass.

[@Punjabispitta]

Y-G-J I mean.. you said that you couldn't listen to the whole thing through, why though? because you didn't think the songs sounded a like? It's supposed to be like that, it's not you're everyday conventional album, this one is different. Listen to it again with the comparision of the song to the part of the year it's located in in the album. Keep that in mind and see if you like it because that is true "art".

[@MarauderM00gi]

Harnoor Singh You want to know? Because it's like a piece in a museum (a fucking mural, if you will). You walk by it, admire the creativity, muse over the artists' influences and you move on. You might visit the museum in a month or two but you don't go back every damn day. I mean, you keep attacking from the standpoint that I must not comprehend Lupe's artistic nature or appreciate his lyricism. That's not the case, I just believe Joey presented a more entertaining body of work. It has far more replay value than T&Y.

[@TrevorReis]

I'm surprised no mention of the track 'Body of Work' I just can't help but replay that song 2 or 3 times whenever I listen through the album... That bass line the flow, the hook. It's all so good.

[@QWICC5HOTT]

No he didn't mention it ! That song is amazing by the way

[@Khusuke]

Body of work was amazing!!!! The hook and everything, and boom that ending.. beautiful

[@Gambino635]

Lupe fans deff know this album was 8 and above. You'd have to be a lupe fan for a very long time to comprehend and understand his lyrics. I started listening to him 7 years ago and he's been my favorite rapper since. Joey's album was great but joey lacks diversity on his album. Its all boom bap type beats with the same flow almost all the time, not hating on joey bc he's deff one of the reasons real music is coming back. But theres no way in hell Joey could make something like " Mural " like Lu did , just 8 mins of purse raw unfiltered lyrics. Nice review tho needle!

[@Gambino635]

Edit - For his album Lasers btw Atlantic Records kind of fucked him over with that. They wanted mainstream shit , he wanted stuff like The Cool Etc, they constantly bumped heads on that.

[@sunnydays405]

Revisiting this review, I'm not sure how this is a 7. As far as hip hop goes, this is not a good project, it's a fucking amazing one. I get it's opinion, but this hits literally every element of hip hop you could think of on the head: lyricism, production, concept, and depth.

[@redpillproductions7187]

Me currently. Nd what sets me off is not only did he rate this a 7.. its a LIGHT 7 like its barely a good album or its just decent. He literally said "Overall this is pretty good album....a BULK of the songs are really, REALLY good" huh?

[@raj8294]

People always complain about his rating on MBDTF. This one is worse in my opinion. A light 7 when it should be at minimum a 9.

[@SlaysIsolation]

Came back years later because I don’t understand. It hits everything on the head that Fantano would have for an 8+ album. Maybe it just didn’t resonate with him but a light 7 is insanity.

[@Tnice2nice]

On "Deliver" it was kind of a double entendre...while it's referring neighborhoods heavy on crime where pizza men don't deliver to, it's also a play of words, "Pizza man" ..."Peace of man"

[@iBalgruuf]

+Tnice2nice Actually it's a triple entendre. "Pizza Man", "Peace if man" and Piece of man" which correlates with the next song in the album "Madonna".

[@xMiDniTe17]

+Nigga's Trippin I'm glad there's people that caught this. It's crazy how on the surface the song refers to a Pizza Man who is afraid to go to neighbourhoods' filled with crime, but once you dive into the song and recognize the play on words of 'Peace of man' and 'Piece of man', it adds a whole new meaning to the song. This is why Lupe is one of my favourite artists' right now. Kendrick, Lupe, and Cole are the people I'm looking forward to seeing what they can do now. Especially since Lupe is going to release his supposedly last 3 albums all this year. Knowing Lupe, it'll be the most heavy, introspective, incredibly organized, incredibly written, and best instrumentation we'll be able to see in a long time.

[@productplacementadz24-73]

deliver is one of the best song of the decade

[@nameloading5692]

Tnice2nice it was a triple Antendre

[@MrPerfect468]

Really a frickin 7! Best hip hop album i have heard for quite a while now. A 9 easily.

[@Pyromaniac963]

Y'all know this is just my opinion, right? - Anthony Fantano

[@Punjabispitta]

***** Y'all know that my rating contradicts the shit out of my review? - Anthony Fantano

[@Pyromaniac963]

Y'all know I'm salty as fuck that someone else doesn't rate an album as highly as me? - Harnoor Singh

[@Punjabispitta]

***** No, I'm just wondering why he didn't say anything wrong about the album, he actually gave a lot of positives and ended up giving it a 7.

[@eddyspreciouslittlelife]

Y'all know this is STILL just my opinion, right? - Anthony Fantano

[@tmoney88888]

I dont get you guys fantano gave this album a 7 which is good by his standards because he rarely gives scores over a 6 and you guys are mad because he gave joeys album an 8 and that he enjoys that one more? why cant we just enjoy great releases and it also seems like he cant win with you guys. He should just give every album he reviews a 10 so people wont sacrifice their first born because he didnt give his is favorite rapper an 8. Dont worry guys its ok hip hop wont die because he gave this album a 7 and I guarantee you he validates his opinion better than any of you could other than "its so good, hip hop savior"

[@MonsterxKlipz]

I agree with every word here👏

[@AFunkyDiabetic]

its the youtube comment section man, they're all idiots. I'm an idiot for commenting as much as i do

[@htxflow]

And they just keep coming back, video after video, bitching and moaning because the artist they love puts out a decent album. People need to accept the truth. C'mon every knows Lupe is a fucking beast lyrically...especially his older joints. Personally, it's the same way I feel about Eminem.

[@tmoney88888]

na don't get me wrong I think this is gonna be album of the year nominee when its all said and done I just don't get even when fantano does give a good score people still aren't happy it's ridiculous

[@mrmovieguy1000]

KANEDAAAA and oldness

[@benlink202forever]

7 is a pretty overthought score when the album has Chopper and Mural as it's two head hitters. Not only that, but it's thematic approach to the seasons is way more commendable than other artists who have tackled that given theme.

[@Ohneisan]

TETSUOOOOOOO

[@thegreatgamer7]

KANEDAAAAAAA

[@KleinHendrixTheCool]

bruh

[@TheThirdChild]

All I thought of seeing the title of the album haha

[@raoulduke2924]

KANNEEDA!

[@RealCGH]

Akira give me nightmares

[@InfiniteUmbra]

7? No. This album is a masterpiece..

[@kingdeedee]

On Deliver, "Pizza man" is actually a play on words for "Peace of Man." Both sound similar when said quickly.

[@biller97]

BBQ_Chicken its a triple entendre. "Pizza man dont come here no more" (area has become too dangerous), "Peace of man dont come here no more" (cannot live in peace/be in a peaceful mindset), & "Piece of man dont come here no more" (Males are nowhere to be found, often leaving kids with single mothers because of the drug game & tainted souls due to the streets

[@kingdeedee]

Billy94 I didn't even know about the 3rd one. Damn, Lupe is something else.

[@15ritolaj]

BBQ_Chicken at first I thought it was preacher man.. 🤔

[@vibrationtherapy7296]

The reason why I love Lupe's music is because he doesn't shy away from telling the audience how it is. People say he is too "preachy" or talking "down" to his listeners and shunning them but most if not all of his points on human anatomy and struggles are accurate. Drugs, Violence, Promiscuity, and many other setbacks in our race as humans all come from us. The things I just listed never act on their own. He's telling us that if you want things to get better and change for the greater good of mankind we all have to look in the mirror and confess that maybe we are ALL a part of the problem by demanding change and higher learning but never seeking it. Sometimes the truth hurts.

[@vStayPoised]

Best song of 2015 - Mural. But Deliver and Prisoner are fire too.

[@marcobazan4187]

the Blacker the Berry or Mortal Man?

[@zakkofficial7045]

The Blacker the Berry and Mortal Man don't compare bro.

[@orangelightdistrictgaming4729]

+marco bazan not even close to Mural

[@marcobazan4187]

OrangeLightDistrictGaming mural of course is better lyrically, Lupe has always been a better lyricist than Kendrick; but looking at all aspects of the songs, mortal man takes the cake for me. it was truly amazing and perhaps the greatest closer I have ever heard on any album

[@orangelightdistrictgaming4729]

I'd say this, the outro where he Isco versing with Tupac was....pretty interesting. He drove home the point of the album very well with that track. Had great lyrics, great tempo, and a great message no doubt. But if you subscribe to the idea that Tetsuo and Youth is a story told in reverse and that mural is in fact the last track and not the first, the last bar of that song perfectly captivates the overall theme of the album and society as a whole today. "Defeat Samsara achieves Nirvana and brilliance". One of the best bars I've ever heard to end a track as intriguing as Mural. It's subtle and brilliant, doesn't have as much shock value as a conversation with Tupac, but none the less the the perfect summary to the message being pot rated throughout the album. Songs like Adoration of the Magi and Deliver perfectly embody to the message in that one line. Mortal Man was great, Mural is pure genius.

[@RazorGrimTv]

Deliver is much deeper than just about a pizza man. Pizza = Bread & Cheese, get it?

[@AFunkyDiabetic]

looooooooooooooool. Sometimes i really believe Lupe thinks like this

[@brotherchason]

AFunkyDiabetic no like that's really what the song is about

[@AFunkyDiabetic]

***** got dammit, lupe did it to me again lol

[@brotherchason]

AFunkyDiabetic lmao

[@Punjabispitta]

In the video, the pizza man was wearing the "bred" 11's too ;)

[@cortezstanley9524]

I've been a humongous fan of Lupe for the past 10 years or so, and i can say that this album is by far my favorite out of his entire discography. A lot of the tracks that people dislike on this album are the tracks that dive deeper into the religion and spiritualism. Lupe uses his understanding of the cycle of reincarnation in Buddhism to relate to his Abrahamic faith as well as tying that into themes of resurrection in video games, as well as finding enlightenment and making it out of the ghetto. The issue is that most people want this explained to them rather than taking the time to break down the bars and understand them. But even if you did take the time, you still wouldn't get it unless you have a strong understanding of biblical teaching and an understanding of samsara.

[@kringewithak2209]

how you feel about DMIZ

[@mr.j410]

Yeah, this might be my fave lupe album.

[@davidmustafaraj4097]

This is by far one of the best rap albums of the decade in my opinion. From instrumentals and lyrics it hits the head on almost every track. Very few artists can actually tell stories like Lupe can. The only other ones I can think of that can storytell rap are Vinnie Paz, Joyner Lucas, Immortal technique, and Jedi Mind Tricks, Hopsin, and a couple others. Unfortunately, the people I just listed usually focus on rapping like every other rapper. Basically very few rappers story tell. They may have 1 or 2 songs that do it but, Lupe's whole album delivers it. It is a breath of fresh air listening to a song like Prisoner 1 and 2 and Adoration of the Magi. Very few rappers can tell stories that not only keep you hooked but, present great replay value. 10/5. Amazing album by Lupe. Wish his other stuff was just as good but whatever.

[@drewcharpentier8670]

ah the infamous "too preachy."

[@aznevilboi]

Anthony, I am shocked you didn't catch the double entendre of "Deliver". When Lupe says Pizza man, it also works to say Peace of man. When you think about it in both ways, it is simply mind boggling. In the the sense of peace man, since peace does not come to the ghetto, it does not get its "deliverance" which is one of the many lyrical puns that Lupe throws around. I don't think you're giving Lupe enough credit . Deliver was the best or one of the best songs on this album.

[@SamurottThePro]

I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say he may not watch some interviews with the artist. Because the story behind this album is crazy imo. Lupe stated that most of these songs didn't even come to fruition at the time. The songs that were previously made for Tetsuo and Youth were more not his style. Soft songs that didn't define who Lupe was/is. Almost worst than Lasers. His record label, "Atlantic" made him produce those type of songs. But because of some issues with the songs, they were scrapped and we got such a really good album that is Tetsuo and Youth. We could've got a really shit album or "Laser 2". But instead we got "Tetsuo and Youth" which I appreciate even more. Which is why I also found this guys Logic TITS review a bit bothering but I digress. Personally I give Tetsuo and Youth a 8.5

[@ChewyRibbit]

Unbelievable. You are not a hip-hop fan if you actually think Joey's album was better. You are just someone who wants to hear the same comfortable things over and over. You are the reason hip-hop will never progress as an art form.

[@MaxxD510]

Preach

[@hinglemccringleberry11]

Lupe is a punk bitch tbh

[@xxxWolFangxxx]

I always see you get so upset over Anthony's opinion and insult him. Why do you keep coming back?

[@MFMEME]

Since when has hip hop been an art form?

[@canikickit7]

anthony hates redundant music, he loves experimentation. just as long as the experimentation is done well

[@draybush1112]

Someone please tell me why I love Dots & Lines so much. It's god tier imo

[@loganwendt778]

+Dray Bush It's fucking genius.....that's why. Honestly, this albums is so complex.

[@52BLUE]

+Dray Bush fun fact: the banjo intro and outro for Dots & Lines signifies Lupe going independent with his next album (heading for the country over the city). Breaking away from the shit that caused Lasers & Food & Liquor 2.

[@draybush1112]

***** I thought I was a good rapper until I heard this album. Lupe is just a god among men

[@STXRMxxx]

Dray Bush addicted to the hook

[@eroccube]

I appreciate how Anthony puts his opinion on an album out there no matter how popular or unpopular his opinion is. He explains his point-of-view as best he can to justify his rating of an album. I do appreciate this. I was quite surprised with this rating however, but kind of expected it based on Anthony's predisposed taste in Hip Hop. I though this was at least a 9/10, and even drew a lot of comparisons between this album and MBDTF in terms of it being a cinematic Hip Hop album. Also, no one should be comparing his rating of this album with Joey's new album, because they are two completely different albums that are both great works in different areas of Hip Hop. Still though, Tetsuo and Youth is definitely a 9/10. You know that's my opinion right?

[@Quakeinc14]

Mural is singlehandedly the best display of lyrical mastery ever recorded and this album gets a 7? Mural alone can be the whole album and that album would be a perfect 10.

[@nikk796]

Revemupman mural is 11/10 no doubt about that but album is kinda 8/10

[@Mightbejean]

9 years later…honestly, I think this album is 10

[@Sirnayooo]

Thank you for this lengthy review Fantano. I love to hear other peoples thoughts. And you hit a lot of points. Really looking to hear/see more long reviews from any albums you do.

[@coolguy5772]

Please review Illmatic! Even though we already know your opinion. :P But elaborate.

[@AFunkyDiabetic]

illmic is good sang

[@zaKkyBoY121]

Johnny Mav LOL

[@Punjabispitta]

What's to review about it? We all know everything there is to know about it, unlike Lupe's albums that will keep the earth wondering for 100s of years.

[@StickyGrenades]

Didn't he already review that for classics week?

[@STKisCOOLIO]

Harnoor Singh lmao hahah

[@Supersupee]

so much better than B4.Da.$$

[@Will-uy6in]

false

[@dragon-54-]

No both albums are good

[@ethanielclyne5810]

That was by far Joey's worst album

[@Ayan_721]

easily

[@jones520]

I loved Food & Liquor II, how tf were Bitch Bad and ITAL forgettable

[@ckscopez]

Tetsuo is the main character from a dystopian anime called Akira from the late 80s

[@TheInferno0420]

Metacritic 86/100 HipHopDX 4.5/5 stars The A.V. Club B+ Complex 4/5 stars RapReviews (10/10) About.com 4.5/5 stars The Michigan Daily A- Artistdirect 5/5 stars XXL 4/5 stars (XL) The Early Registration 4.5/5 stars theneedledrop - 7/10 -_-

[@ADAJ3KINGANGEL]

Why do you value his opinion so much?

[@remix16ification]

It's just his opinion. Chill b.

[@Hawkeyes907]

Ever heard of that thing called opinion?

[@StickyGrenades]

Anthony the only one who's usually on point imo compared to all those other review sites man those other guys have pretty low standards for the most part.

[@nathanieldurgasingh6700]

XXL was supposed to be XXL and not XL (look at the ratings of GKMC and LIG, same scores). Anyway, it's anthony's opinion- for me, this album will become a classic based on the complexities and different narratives (i don't think Anthony caught on to all yet)

[@TheDavydan]

I'm happy with the review. Lupe stated in an interview that those more "poppy" tracks were forced on him by Atlantic, and without them the album wouldn't have even released, so if those are the downside, then that's not too bad.

[@ZoFiProductions]

I think you missed the double meaning behind the seasons here. The seasons here are also a representation/progression of life, with Summer representing the peak of life(or youth), Fall is the adulthood/late adulthood, Winter being death, and Spring being rebirth. The songs themselves encompass elements of those various of those stages in life and may highlight perspectives and perceptions that Lupe has endured or empathized with (or lives of those within the confines of the inner cities like Chicago). This is further solidified with tracks like Little Death(aka "Orgasm" if you brush up on your French) during the Fall phase, Chopper during Winter, and They Resurrect Over New ("Proceed to the next level", etc) before Spring. I think this album was created to be looked at as a complete work. A concept album, and we have not gotten one of those from Lupe since The Cool, which is why it feels more of a return to form for him instead of his recent departures (Lasers [which was mostly crapped out due to Atlantic's heavyhandedness] and Food and Liquor II). Just something I thought I would share since you seemed to be a little unsure about the breakup of the CD during the review.

[@jakegraskey]

You're not capable of comprehending Lupe's greatness & the codes he's speaking in. Your mind is far too linear.

[@aryman6589]

This was a masterpiece, 9.5 for me

[@MArs23JOA]

I hate how people keep sleeping on lupe so underrated

[@hazwel221]

This might have been my favorite review from you. This was a very complex album to my ears. And a lot of what you said opened my mind to the gems I passed over with my first couple listens. I liked the album from the first taste of it. Thanks Fantano!!

[@unclebris30]

Very Helpful! thank you, the way you lay out your reviews are excellent

[@crowing3886]

I'll never understand how Anthony completely outweighs the negative with a bunch of positives. One bad songs an gives the person a LIGHT 7 lol. This album is honestly a hard 9 especially when you listen to it backwards for a great conceptual analysis. It was better than TPAB imo. I wish he could revisit this album now.

[@ig_a_rogerss23]

Tpab is much more groundbreaking and out there.

[@tylersinclair1544]

Deliver, Prisoner 1&2, Mural, T.R.O.N, Dots & Lines and Madonna were just straight impressive tracks that are lyrically insane

[@rckon777]

Let's understand Anthony's scores. 1-4 = Did not like 5=Meh/On the fence 6-10=Liked where 8-10=Love So, a 7 is very good so people should stop getting angry just because he didn't like it as much as you did. Just remember this description of the scores for future reviews.

[@laithellabban]

this is an insane album. easily one of the greatest albums of the 2010s

[@0nzer0]

REMINDER FANTANO GAVE THIS A LOWER SCORE THEN DRAKES NEW MIXTAPE REMINDER

[@UltracoreUltraUranium]

Best Album of all time IMO

[@geezmusicals]

You're the truth my man! Your analytical depth is just astounding. I may not always agree with everything you say, but I definitely appreciate the work you do. Much LOVE bro

[@yousaf564]

For me personally this is the most enduring 2010s hip hop album on my rotation. I'm still blown away by the deep cuts even now as we approach 10 years down the line

[@yobake7586]

I think it 1 of the most underated albums in the last 10 year. Shits a classic.

[@parmar__12]

It's flawed album Can't be a classic

[@ivangutierrez0324]

zoro roronoa well food and liquor is a classic tho and good kid maad city is a classic as well and has minor flaws so what are u rlly saying?

[@tazmoir]

@@parmar__12 Classic album does not mean 10/10. Classic album means a very good album which has a lot of influence. For example, most people would consider Michael Jackson’s Thriller a classic, but simultaneously most people would not consider that album a 10/10. To be fair though, I don’t think T&Y is a classic because it doesn’t have enough influence.

[@mitchiegotmovesy7635]

@@tazmoir but will it have influence? We don’t know yet. It definitely seems to have influenced other artists

[@tazmoir]

@@mitchiegotmovesy7635 Influenced who?

[@floko43]

Pls someone explain to me how this is a 7 when DROGAS light is a 6

[@paulm394]

The album in reverse is Lupe's life story doe

[@gamer22887]

This album is super deep and complex It deserves higher than a 7

[@SymbiSpidey]

*spends entire video basically praising this album* "I'm feeling a light 7..." u wot m8

[@TommyJohn1]

Lupe's album is amazing. He should receive no less than a 8.5/10 rating because every song was excellent except arguably two songs. I would give this album a 9/10 just because he proved to everyone that he still has the best lyrics and should still be recognized as one of the best rappers alive.

[@umairsyed2583]

I wasn't really feeling No Scratches and Little Death but that's just me. Every other song is amazing though

[@TommyJohn1]

I agree 100%.

[@xcvsumextra]

Umair Syed little death is actually quite profound

[@nicholasnevola4811]

+Adam Halim Definitely.

[@RazorGrimTv]

Whaat?? With that concept, and so many great songs this album really deserved more than 7..

[@ShizAudi]

This is one of the best hip hop albums of our generation....let us thank Lupe and have a moment of silence.

[@stevencross6189]

i love how people say lasers has no content when the first fucking song is Words I Never Said.... the first words on the entire album are "I really think the war on terror is bunch of bullets, just a poor excuse you use up all your bullets".....

[@tylercryer6675]

steven cross it's "I really think the war on terror is a bunch of bull shit"

[@stevencross6189]

Lil Bliss yea i think i spelled it wrong and it auto corrected lol i didn't even notice but yea what i put would be a lot more redundant and make no sense really lol

[@sn0wfalling]

Lasers is fucking great from a lyrical standpoint. It's just the beats are pop trash.

[@ErikGiovani]

Prisoner 1&2 using them stock GarageBand loops, can't unhear it

[@cobrabosse]

There wasn't a song for Spring on the album because there isn't much of a Springtime in Chicago. By the time it gets warm in Chicago, its Summer

[@zeaitervelli]

I agree, Lupe seemed to be pressured by his label to put out more pop songs with his previous albums, but he's back and has grown masterfully to a more stronger artist, looks like Kendric Lamar's grammies performance was a tribute Lupe's prisoners 1- 2 song, or at least, a copy. If you don't believe me, check out the performance and then be thankful you know Lupe.

[@shawnt1170]

We need a redux review on this I don’t think people realize how good this album is I feel if Kendrick dropped the same album word for word he would have given it a 9 or 10

[@cioccolato2124]

3 best albums if the year by now: 1TO PiMP a butterfly-Kendrick Lamar 2 Testuo & Youth- Lipe fiasco 3 Joey Badass -B4.Da $$ Does everyone agree

[@nicholasnevola4811]

+Laurent Duvall 100% agree.

[@R-V1]

Lol u need to dig deeper than mainstream

[@TMSBMC]

+*RH93* kendrick is the only mainstream artist there

[@cioccolato2124]

After the year is passed i would say: 1.Testuo and youth-Lupe Fiasco 2.To pimp a butterfly-Kendrick Lamar 3.Jamie xx- In colour 4.Donnie Trumpet and the social experiment-Surf 5.The weeknd- BEauty BEhind the madness Just my opinion.

[@R-V1]

Taylor Sanders Son if u think Lupe and badass aint mainstream then that shows how much u don't know about what underground HipHop actually is

[@georgethompson7742]

I fucking love Blur My Hands!

[@Ayplus]

1. Food and Liquor 2. The Cool 3. Tetsuo and Youth

[@Datguy931]

This album is amazing. Don't know bow you cant see that deliver is one of the best songs on it. How he discusses the the problems in the hood by talking about something as simple as not being able to get pizza is genius. And his chemistry with dollar sign is amazing.

[@Grnvolpe]

I haven't listened to this album yet but it's because I have to prepare for listening to Lupe Fiasco. Nobody in hip-hop patronizes and talks down on the listener quite as much as he does

[@AFunkyDiabetic]

How do you prepare to listen to a rapper?

[@Grnvolpe]

AFunkyDiabetic Be in a certain mood. Its like preparing to watch 12 Years a Slave or Lone Survivor, which are depressing as hell if u let them

[@devilface97]

I honestly don't like him for those reasons. I have never heard a guy who values his own opinions as much as Lupe.

[@MrJordan3023]

What

[@pingpongbro88]

Applejuice Cottongin Doesn't really come out in his music as much as it does in his interviews.

[@RashaadJustice]

KANEDA! TETSUO! Glad to see Lupe doing stuff again. When I saw the title, a part of me was hoping for an Akira sample somewhere :P

[@cupofkoa]

7:40 The Bango was in there because its awesome.

[@kermitfig97]

I'd give this album a 9/10

[@DrascoFilms]

Mural is the greatest song ever written literally

[@xavierturner5590]

Nahhh... Canibus - Poet Laureate Infinity is The greatest

[@DatEraa]

DrascoFilms I think only the first 25 bars were written though...everything else after was freestyle

[@nikk796]

DrascoFilms can't argue with that

[@devhaynes]

good review yo! i really like this album.....super surprised that you didn't highlight Body of Work though!

[@thebestkidouthea3599]

Review sorry for the wait 2 Love the vids keep it up

[@KareemHillJr]

I heard that listening to this album will grant you a metal arm, godlike powers and a giant head.

[@aryaa9900]

It's true. Have you tried?

[@TheSportsandFilmFellowship]

Album is really good. Lupe did his thing

[@josephnivar5265]

This album was a masterpiece. The tracks I didnt like grew on me, especially once I learned the breakdown for every line. Lupe's officially back.

[@BigMouthPrick33]

This is one of the best hip hop albums i heard in years,i literally listen to it 5 times in a row and i still can't get enough of it