11.
Lupe Fiasco
“Mural” (prod. The Buchanans)
Tetsuo & Youth
Lupe Fiasco is arguably one of the great lyricists in Hip Hop. On “Mural,” the first true song on his oft-overlooked January release, Tetsuo & Youth, the Chicago native does his best to prove that. In just under nine minutes, Lupe unleashes a barrage of head-spinning metaphors and images conjuring bars using some of the best alliteration techniques and wordplay maneuvers the genre has to offer. If you listen closely, you can even hear his delivery intensifying as the song traipses on, but boredom never strikes thanks to a sprightly use of a (somewhat ubiquitous) sample by The Buchanans. Given the volatile nature of Lupe’s dealings with his label, many were wondering not only if T&Y would ever get a release date, but what it would sound like. It’s fitting “Mural” is the first song listeners are treated to, proving Lupe’s claim “I can still be the man if the dam breaks.”
