You wouldn’t know by listening to most of the rap/hip-hop that makes it to radio today but there was once a time when rappers used their music to get across their feelings. Not how they feel about ‘bitches or hoes” or how much bling they have, but instead their feelings about politics and other things close to their hearts. Well Lasers shows that Lupe Fiasco knows how to stay true to that old-style rap philosophy.
While the world has fallen at the feet at rappers like Usher and Kanye West, the very talented Lupe Fiasco has been plying his trade in the shadows and now Lasers sees him break-out into the spotlight and truly announce himself as one of the best rappers going around at the moment.
Lupe Fiasco teams up with Sarah Green on “Letting Go” and shows the world that not all commercial R&B has to be crappy and lame, and then he really announces himself with “Words That I Never Said”, a track that seems call the War On Terror bullshit while also taking a swipe at some Muslims… see a rapper that has the guts to come out and say what he feels.
“Till I Get There” sees Fiasco get heartfelt about his career and why he is in the rap game while the very-electronic “I Don’t Care Right Now” is catchy enough to be the next radio single. “Out Of My Head” sees Fiasco team up with Trey Songz and momentarily head down the commericial track with a song about a girl, it doesn’t fit his normal style and the only thing that saves it from being a complete disaster is that it has a real Michael Jackson sound to it.
“The Show Goes On” is an amazing track but you can’t help but wonder if the fact that it has been played to death on Australian TV may mean it has lost it’s heartfelt message. MDMA steps up to the mic on the emotional “Beautiful Lasers (2 Ways)” and once again Fiasco’s great songwriting abilities are on show.
“Coming Up” is a truly forgettable song while :State Run Radio” may sound cheesy but if you listen carefully it takes a fair swipe at modern radio and the military. Fiasco mixes his styles up with the Ministry Of Sound-esque “Break The Chain” and then takes his fans on a poetic history listen with the very important ‘All Black Everything”. Lasers then closes with the smooth “Never Forget You” which is sung with true meaning by Fiasco and John Legend.
