RR’s ’09 Best Mixtapes: #8 Lupe Fiasco “Enemy Of The State”
January 8, 2010 @ 11:10 AM EST
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Hold up. Before we get started, let’s get something clear. Just ’cause I don’t personally like someone, doesn’t mean I can’t document objectively their contributions to this culture which is bigger than all of us. I hate Kobe, but he’s three rings away from being the undisputed G.O.A.T. Yes, I’m not fond of Mr. Jaco, but there’s no denying his strong MC skills. His Turkey day-released gift to fans, Enemy of The State, is even further proof of that. Timbo’s “Say Something,” Slaughterhouse’s “The One” and the Clipse’s “Popular Demand” are just a few of the songs that get ran over by Lupe’s lyrical exercise. Hopefully he brings the same passion and preciseness to his third album and shuts up this gatekeeper for good. Ha. Good luck, kid.
Ah YN, you gonna get a lot of comments for this one. I respect it though. Well, there’s no denying 2 facts, Lupe does come off as egotistical, and ignorant at times and Lupe can spit. He really just needs to leave the blogwriting alone and just focus on music cause if that speaks for itself it will be hard for YN and others to hate.
About the mixtape, it was very solid. On most of the beats he sounded better than the original track (check “Say Something” ” Angelz” )Too short of a mixtape to be higher on the list but definitely solid throughout.
Good call.
This shit was great! I agree with Dashing, he did better on some of the beats better than the original artists. Shut I bumped this mixtape for about a week str8, nuthin else in my whip from Thanksgiving Day on…
Lupe=Lyrical G.O.A.T.
If we based how egotistical you’re allowed to be on how talented you are, Lupe is the most modest MC alive.
I’m not sure if I missed something, but why are people saying Lupe is egotistical & ignorant?
“Crack is wack and reefer sucks..you might think this deep as f*ck but this is like my weakest stuff. They ask “Is this his day-to-day?” but this is like a week to us…”
Lupe my nigga I met him down in dallas real cool dude. I hate when ppl say lupe killed drake on say something. Look man they went at the song in 2 different way. Lupe hit hit with sum random lines. Drake hit with a story. Drake say something>> lupe say something. Don’t hate on my opinion. Word 2 mac diesel
I didn’t say he was egotistical and ignorant, but he can come off that way with some of his statements. (The whole Fiascogate incident and then this most recent incident with “I’m Beaming” leaking.) He’s entitled to speak how he feels but it often detracts from his music and can alienate fans. I don’t know, maybe he just needs a publicist…
Anyway, dude can spit and F&L and The Cool are both near-perfect albums, give a take a couple of songs. His dopest rhyming was on that Revenge on the Nerds mixtape series a few years back though. (Check “Switch” or “Don’t Get It Twisted”) I’ll be looking for that We Are Lasers.
Wasalu! Shouts to the homie from the Chi. One of the dopest lyricists out right now. Is he without flaws? Of course not, hell, I know he’s lost me on a couple tracks. But when he can find that right balance (which is more often than not) of multi-layered metaphors, extended similes, and comprehensibility (even if you have to do a lil digging) there’s not many who are better. This was a dope tape, brevity being the soul of wit and all. YN, good shit on puttin that crazy Blackout shit aside (we don’t like when niggas go hard on our own, haha) and recognizing it’s bigger than us.
Sheee-cah-go meng.
MUCH RESPECT TO THE CRAFT, AND NOT THE PERSON…GOOD JOB YN
I guess my problem with “Fiascogate”, if that is referring to the ATCQ comments, is he was being honest. I listened to Tribe sometimes, but I didn’t grow up on that. MJG & Spice 1 made me fall in love with hip hop, for another it may be Nas, or Mitchy Slick, etc. My point is I think hip hop has gotten to a point where it became profitable for so many people that we have become snobs. I don’t care for Gucci Mane’s music, AT ALL, but who am I to bluster when someone prefers him to say Jay-Z. IMO none of the comments he made detract from his hip hop credibility because like it or not, he’s immensely talented and gifted. As far as the egotistical thing, name one rapper who isn’t…
proof that a mixtape doesn’t have to have 20 something songs and be way over an hour long to be considered a quality piece of work. Let’s hope Lupe hurries up his climb up mount Kilimanjaro so we can get that album already!!!!!!!
@MisterUpgrade: I feel that. Truth. Good shit.
how aint this top 3?? and how do u not like lup, clown ass duu
@ Misterupgrade
” I don’t care for Gucci Mane’s music, AT ALL, but who am I to bluster when someone prefers him to say Jay-Z. IMO none of the comments he made detract from his hip hop credibility because like it or not”
AMEN!
it’s funny because I had this exact conversation with a good friend a few days ago, and my response was very similar to yours.
All I read in that paragraph is the fact that Kobe can be the GOAT of anything. That cat can win 10 more rings and not be MJ CMON SON!
If y’all can’t guess that so far gone will be no 1 you don’t read this site enough
So Far Gone will most definitely be number one. The impact that tape had on THE MUSIC INDUSTRY (not just hip hop), hasn’t been witnessed in a minute. Aubrey deserves that number one spot.
his kicks are fire
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Good shit YN this mixtape was definitely the shit….probably my favorite from last year. So many hip-hop quotables in 22 minutes it’s just ridiculous. I can’t wait for the new album!
sometimes i’m surprised lupe can keep up the complexity of them lyrics so consistently…like that National Anthem shit…and Fireman (Yoga Flame) he was just going bananas on those joints. and its always so effortless, like the nigga dont even have to think about it. my favorites are Popular Demand, Say Something (which he did own the original no question), and….iono everything else. its dope all the way through, 22 min straight, lol.
@MisterUpgrade
^you said some very real shit. i hope yall niggas paid attention to that. i remember when lu was like “if i asked you up north niggas about the classic status of Ridin Dirty, most of yall wouldnt even know what it is”. yup. Ridin Dirty is classic to me, but i’m from atlanta. i only heard ATCQ albums by like age 20…and even then, i was the ONLY nigga around who was listening to them.
but trust and believe, everybody CD cases were full of UGK, 8Ball & MJG, Playa Fly, Three 6 Mafia, Outkast, Goodie Mob, Witchdoctor and a whoooole bunch of west coast shit. you see, the east coast didn’t fuck with the south until they were forced too. the only nigga that always showed love to the south from up there was Jay-Z.
@Nathaniel: Daaaaamn, Playa Fly. Da Game Owe Me was that shit.
@stupiddopemoves
YUUUUUP!
yea this mixtape was on point..Lupe is ill on the mic. the cool was definitely a great album, dont understand where all the hate come from. frankly, i just dont give a fuck, cause the boy has skills..
This shoulda been in the Top 5. Nobody can out spit Lupe, period.
Yeah it was short and somewhat monotone, but the lyrical ability is so far superior to everyone to not call this one of the absolute best mixtapes this year. Had it been like 20 tracks, I’d call it #1.
***btw, i KNOW that we all HATE it when ppl try to promote their own ametuer music on these sites! 99% of them are straight garbage MCs that have $20 mics….
BUT…. I know that this is a RR post that will have lyrical hip-hop heads looking on it!
SOOOO….
I’m going to be a hypocrite and tell ya’ll to download my FREE mixtape, “The Beat Killer”!
http://usershare.net/rhb0xy7hdk8h
If u wanna see the promo video for my CD: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yhOEELZPvM
****Sorry about the shameless plug but I promise that it’s phenomenal!***
this fuckin mixtape sucked major ass,I gave it an unbiased listen,even though I don’t rate this guy,he isn’t nowhere near as good as yall stans make him out to be,he’s average at best but better than most…yeah I said it
and the “Warm up” better be top 5 or there will be a reckoning lol
THE WARM UP –> # 2
^ I can live with #2
@thunderkush it wasn’t up when I posted this,I try not to be redundant
this nigga just a week ago he was ranting how he was wacc and his music dont speak for his attitude now he saying that his music is good despite his personal feelings
I dont understand how a nigga hate Lupe for being egotistical which I really dont hear in his rhymes but Support Kanye and Jay-Z who have two of the biggest egos in the game Real talk rapping Lupe Murders Kanye I dont give a fucc what anybody Say Kanye is not as good as he boast rappin wise like Kanye rarely rap on beats thats not his But A nigga like Lupe who rips thru songs on his own beats then rip on beats like Turnt Up You Put them two on a tracc together Lupe is always going to shine more Than Kanye Checc Arms Race remix Touch The Sky and dude not baosting how he the best snatching mics from lil white girls screaming about not getting any popeyes chiccen and shit like Kanye do
I agree w/ Will!! you talk shit about Lupe 1 week and the next week he in the top 10 mixtapes of the year..lmao..make up your damn mind! either you like him or you dont
[…] #8 Lupe Fiasco Enemy Of The State […]
Lupe is dope..always been one if my favorit MCs.. Makes it seem so effortless..I kno drake had the biggest buzz but I’m taking the warm up and enemy of the state as my top two