Lupe Fiasco set himself the ambitious challenge of creating a 10-song album from scratch in just 24 hours earlier this week.
The Chicago MC, unfortunately, wasn’t able to achieve his goal within the tight time frame, but after taking a day off, he returned to the grind to complete the project.
Having successfully wrapped up his new album, Lupe didn’t hesitate to heap high praise on the record by comparing it to one of the most acclaimed Hip Hop albums of all time.
“It’s my Illmatic…,” Lupe claimed of his new album in a tweet on Thursday (August 12), referencing Nas’ landmark debut from 1994, which was inducted into the Library of Congress earlier this year.
While most rappers would steer clear of making such a lofty comparison to avoid the likelihood of falling short of expectations, Lupe doubled down in his belief of the album’s quality by adding, “I’m not at all exaggerating either…”
In his series of tweets, Lupe revealed the as-yet-untitled project is produced entirely by his long-time collaborator Soundtrakk, who’s responsible for many of Lupe’s most defining songs including “Kick, Push,” “Superstar” and “Hip-Hop Saved My Life.”
The Food & Liquor rapper also teased a sequel to “Mural,” his dizzying, eight-minute lyrical display from 2015’s Tetsuo & Youth.
It’s unclear when (or if) Lupe Fiasco is planning to release his so-called Illmatic. After all, his fanbase is used to getting excited about projects only for them to not materialize (see: his long-delayed “final” album Skulls and the scrapped Roy).
Lupe Fiasco Is Making A New Album In 24 Hours + He's Live-Tweeting It
Luckily, Lupe fans have plenty of material to digest as they await the album’s arrival. The Chi-Town native has released a clutch of freestyles in recent weeks, including flips of classic Kendrick Lamar, Jadakiss, Dipset, Jay Electronica and Cam’ron beats.
Before that, Lupe put out two projects in 2020: the trap-influenced TAPE TAPE EP with Soundtrakk and the jazz-oriented HOUSE EP with producer Kaelin Ellis. His last studio album, DROGAS Wave, arrived in late 2018.
Mural trilogy is good news. Them paintings plural. But this is trilogy mural
Dude speaks about being pro-black, then proceeds to call Obama a terrorist on national television… #HardPass
lmao @ still thinking Obama was for black people
You still think any president was ever for black people
Trump pardoned Lil Wayne from a gun charge and some other rapper. People got it twisted, Trump isnt a racist. Republicans can be, you know the red neck ones, pick up trucks missing teeth looking motherfuckers. Presidents don’t focus on one race even Obama. Bill Clinton was probably the best president I saw with black people. He took pictures with Jay Z before he was a huge star, a fan of.scottie Pippen, he was in m opinion most caught up with pop culture until Obama
I hope this is good. C’mon man you cant compare your album to Illmatic. To this day Illmatic is my favorite album of all time. Lupe, you better bring some heat!!
He said “MY Illmatic” as in this is my best album just the way Illmatic is Nas best album. I think yall are hyping this up for no reason
Big dorky bag of douche
Ditto. English must be your 2nd or 3rd language if you think Lupe was comparing his album to Illmatic. I admit, it would’ve been better for him to say it’s his magnum opus and avoid the misinterpretation, but Lupe chose his words deliberately for the reaction.
No way Lupe is lyrical but his time has passed. His best album is Food and Liquor and closest thing to Illmatic I’ve seen is Good Kid Maad City… some body wake Kendrick up you know Drake’s next shit will be pop songs with nursery rhymes and belo w average singing. Kanye takes too long to put out shit it’s like come on Ye is 45 he’s not dropping a classic unless Cudi writes the fucking thing
Can’t wait, sometimes, even I, as a lyricist’s companion, want Lupe to dumb his lyrics down just one eighth of a notch.
Rhyming in English slang is prized by some. In the end control over how your work is ultimately judged is up to those who control the language. Rap is a set you up to fail type thing which is why Lupe words are in vain.
Imagine if people cared??? I honestly don’t know anyone who still listens to Lupe. It’s not 2006. His buzz really dropped like into missing person type shit lmao