HOUSE X LUPE FIASCO

 

Do apologize for the recent gap in posts, but we are back once again!

HOUSE X LUPE FIASCO

Release Date: 7.24.2020

Number of Tracks: 5

Duration: 22 min

Favorite Track: Dinosaurs

The year is 2020, and I think I speak for everyone when I say it has been a hell of a year. The rap world was still reeling from the death of Nipsey Hussle, when the community was dealt another blow early with the unexpected death of Kobe Bryant. Shortly after that, the world was hit with the pandemic known as the Corona Virus, the effects of which we are still suffering from today. And while there are a litany of experts who offer their opinion on how best to “flatten the curve,” one message is clear amongst most of them: stay in the house.

Enter one Lupe Fiasco, who first saw his rose to fame in 2006 with the instant classic “Kick, Push.” Instead of building on that fame to become a top mainstream name, Lupe seemingly disappeared for many years to go underground. According to him, he wanted his fans to be able to take something away from his raps, and he became one of the forerunners for the genre that would be known as “conscious rap.” And while Lupe did put a few mainstream albums out under his initial label, ensuing projects like Tetsuo and Youth, Drogas Light, and Drogas Wave all followed his goal for his raps to mean something.

As the US began to recover from the pandemic, the numbers began to spike again, making it clear that the message of staying inside in order to be safe was needed once again. On July 24 2020 the House EP was released. Produced by Kaelin Ellis and accompanied by Vigil Abloh with spoken word, the EP is 5 tracks and just 22 minutes long. That being said, we will depart again from the normal review format, and take a look at each song individually. So let’s get right into it.

Homme Made

Virgil Abloh recounts what a person may call a house, and how it will be different from someone else on the other side of the world. He finishes his recount with “Everything is man-made.”  There are no raps by Lupe that accompany this track.

Dinosaurs

If you did not know who Kaelin Ellis was prior this track, you will by the time you have given it a spin. The smoothest track on the EP, Lupe rides the waves set by the production to give his own thoughts on what dinosaurs may have experienced. This is consistent with his previously mentioned projects, as he has given his take on sea life and nature in general.

Seldom

In addition to the global death toll, the corona virus has had a tumultuous impact on our economy. With a record number of unemployment claims that grow daily, the need for money has turned many young people towards using their pictures for “modeling.” This is the topic covered in Seldom, and there is not much more to say on it, except that Lupe laments that modeling can be done in more ways than today’s societal norm.

Shoes

The most meaningful track on the EP, Shoes is narrated by Virgil as he attempts to “add emotion to in adamant objects.” Lupe tells a tale of standing in line for a limited shoe release. His recount tells a tale of a very prepared, seasoned sneaker head. He is even gifted the front spot in the line by a white kid who “let me go first cuz I was black -said it was only right- he was used to having head starts his entire life..” Both Virgil and Lupe use this track to make their voices heard on the current social injustices we have seen this year.

LF95

Lupe begins this track by rapping how he made the beat, and goes on to recount some of his experiences during this quarantine period. There is no spoken word on this track, as Lupe doubles down on his message to “STAY IN THE HOUSE,” hence the project’s title. If any listeners were unclear on Lupe’s take on the virus, they are given clarity on LF95.

“If you didn’t know me call me rap Antony Fauci.”

House is an extremely thoughtful, well put together EP that is hampered only by its length. I would have liked to see at least 8-10 tracks out of Lupe, and because the first track is spoken word only, it only further shortens the EP. However, while I am usually not a fan of spoken word, I believe it fits well here and Virgil does a good job of helping Lupe get his points across. The strength of the album is in its production, and while this is the first I have heard of Kaelin Ellis, it will not be the last, as he did a fantastic job on this project. Finally, Lupe brought his message about the state of 2020 in a smooth, melodic, and consistent way that does not deviate from his brand. And because we here at ORR place such a high value on consistency, we strongly recommend House for your pandemic spins.

8.10.2020 – The Oracle