OUT NOW Lupe Fiasco - Drogas Wave Album Thread

[AP2.5]

Not everyone meant to be a waver

It's ok

 

[rip.dilla]

OK listened to it in its entirety over an hour ago the fam asleep and with no interruptions or disturbances...


I liked it more than loved it... Lupe is an intelligent lyricist no doubt... His way with words puts a smile on your face

My highlights were:


- Haile Selassie (favourite on the album... I also love Nikki Jean as a vocalist .. Silky)

- Cripple (I love the jazz score)

- Slave Ship/Interlude (lovely violin score and eerie)

- Happy Timbukt2 Day (love the old school hiphop flava...)

And lastly King Nas (which is virtually a tribute to Nas with the production sample and the hook with the lyrics 'I'm the man now... '





The 'Wave' disc is deep and the visuals on wax like imagining slave ships being sunk by slaves living under water is genius...


4/5 for me but I personally don't think it's better than Tetsuo & Youth... That album a near damn classic

 

[silverfoxx]

that cripple track been stuck in my head today

Probably my favorite song on the album.

I'll said it I'm one of the biggest Lupe fans, but this album was pretty good not great though. Y'all can nosign, wack me, feelings all that shit idc lol.

Feel like y'all letting ALOT of shit slide from this album to make as great as y'all claiming it to be. The same thing is being done in the Carter 5 thread.

I feel this album had too many songs, that Drogas song was on some humble brag "I can rap in Spanish so I'ma put this shit on here to flex on them type shit" even when that song had no connection to the MAIN theme of the album. But low-key it reminds me of Free chilly song from the cool.
The Wav files song third verse was horrible flow (yes I know it was all slave ships), but really dope song outside of that.

In order for this to be considered great or classic as y'all making it to be y'all have to look at the highs and lows of this album. I also felt he could have shoutout clipping. Since he kinda took their concept and ran with it.

All in all 3.8 out of 5 from me. Dope concept with multiple layers and meanings, really good production, lyricists was nice. Lack of vocal range of flow, too many songs, lack of execution on some songs.

 

[silverfoxx]

Logic just started sounding like Logic. When he first dropped he didn't know if he wanted to be Kendrick, Cole or Drake.

Logic is underrated yes but his subject matter is very limited to how black he may or may not be. Nigga we get it you're half black, biracial, light skinned, beige, khaki, Manila etc

Nowhere on God's green and blue earth is Logic fucking with Lupe.

Lyricism
Creativity
Story telling
Body of work
Substance
Etc

All belong to Lupe if we being honest with ourselves

Definitely agree with this.

 

[silverfoxx]

Ok that's dope

I'm gonna make a cover for it too

And I still can't get my cover still :(

 

[Like_Water]

2/3 of the way through this album and I can say that it's not for me. This is the first Lupe album I've tried listening to in full and, if this is what his other albums are generally like, I'm glad I have bypassed them up until this point. Definitely an elite lyricist but I can't get jiggy with this album. Maybe the last 8 tracks will change my mind.

It's ok. At least you have Logic's mulatto music to really delve into...

 

[Mister]

It's ok. At least you have Logic's mulatto music to really delve into...

I don't get what's funny. Are you one of those Lupe fans that somehow feel that their taste in music is superior to others? I could actually see if you used an unskilled MC as an example. But Logic?

 

[AP2.5]

Probably my favorite song on the album.

I'll said it I'm one of the biggest Lupe fans, but this album was pretty good not great though. Y'all can nosign, wack me, feelings all that shit idc lol.

Feel like y'all letting ALOT of shit slide from this album to make as great as y'all claiming it to be. The same thing is being done in the Carter 5 thread.

I feel this album had too many songs, that Drogas song was on some humble brag "I can rap in Spanish so I'ma put this shit on here to flex on them type shit" even when that song had no connection to the MAIN theme of the album. But low-key it reminds me of Free chilly song from the cool.
The Wav files song third verse was horrible flow (yes I know it was all slave ships), but really dope song outside of that.

In order for this to be considered great or classic as y'all making it to be y'all have to look at the highs and lows of this album. I also felt he could have shoutout clipping. Since he kinda took their concept and ran with it.

While m not personally feeling him rapping in Spanish, how you say it don't have nothing to do with the rest of the album when the half of the album name is Spanish that translates into drugs, which he says as an acronym, don't ruin us God said?

"Dios es mi droga, si no a qué soy adicta" translates to "God is my drug, if not what I am addicted to."

What you mean it doesn't have anything to do with the album? The Drogas disc was all about drugs and addiction.

You didn't like the "verse" where he named the slave ships, but did you know all of those ships names before then? You didn't. Besides, he was saying that the long chains, in his mythological tale, destroyed all of those ships to free the slaves.

C'mon brah

 

[silverfoxx]

While m not personally feeling him rapping in Spanish, how you say it don't have nothing to do with the rest of the album when the half of the album name is Spanish that translates into drugs, which he says as an acronym, don't ruin us God said?

"Dios es mi droga, si no a qué soy adicta" translates to "God is my drug, if not what I am addicted to."

What you mean it doesn't have anything to do with the album? The Drogas disc was all about drugs and addiction.

You didn't like the "verse" where he named the slave ships, but did you know all of those ships names before then? You didn't. Besides, he was saying that the long chains, in his mythological tale, destroyed all of those ships to free the slaves.

C'mon brah

The Drogas song should have been placed with Disc 2 then. Shit was just horrible track placement imo.

And I didn't know those slave names, but if we keeping it buck his flow on that third verse you can barely even understand what he is saying. And as Lupe fans can we stop ignoring if the shit sounds good or if the flow is bad regardless of the subject matter? Like I get it bruh, the theme and concept was dope, but that doesn't give that horrible flow and singing and the fact he was not even rhyming and shit on Wav files a past man. That's why the likes of Goldie is trolling y'all because it's coming off too defensive and you not even acknowledging that his flow on this song in particular was ass juice on the verse regardless of what he said.

Like I high-key be embarrassed to play that verse in front of peoope, they don't care what he is talking about if it sounds shitty is all I'm saying man.

 

[AP2.5]

The Drogas song should have been placed with Disc 2 then. Shit was just horrible track placement imo.

And I didn't know those slave names, but if we keeping it buck his flow on that third verse you can barely even understand what he is saying. And as Lupe fans can we stop ignoring if the shit sounds good or if the flow is bad regardless of the subject matter? Like I get it bruh, the theme and concept was dope, but that doesn't give that horrible flow and singing and the fact he was not even rhyming and shit on Wav files a past man. That's why the likes of Goldie is trolling y'all because it's coming off too defensive and you not even acknowledging that his flow on this song in particular was ass juice on the verse regardless of what he said.

Like I high-key be embarrassed to play that verse in front of peoope, they don't care what he is talking about if it sounds shitty is all I'm saying man.

Nah man, just because you didn't get it don't mean it's wack.

I didn't know what it was at first, but when I heard amistad, I put two and two together.

You just nitpicking at this point. Based on what you said, he could've put it on the Drogas disc and you still wouldn't have liked it so, what are we really saying here but I tell you one thing

If the only thing Goldie can keep talking about is the hook on "Down" for his go to troll and you taking about a song rapped in Spanish and a verse about slave ship names, that tells me all I need to know.

Lol at being embarrassed to play it in front of people. Man are you 12? Damn silver fam.

Glad y'all enjoying the album though

 

[AP2.5]

I'm not gonna delete my previous post because fuck that

All I'ma say is, this has been a very good year in hip hop

There seems to have been music released from at least one of everyone's favorite artists. Everything not for everyone and that's cool.

Whatever albums y'all bumping, I'm just glad y'all able to enjoy em

 

[Mister]

Everything not for everyone and that's cool.

The awakening.

 

[Juttythe4th]

Played Manilla 5x already this morning

 

[AP2.5]

The awakening.

Word

 

[Like_Water]

I don't get what's funny. Are you one of those Lupe fans that somehow feel that their taste in music is superior to others? I could actually see if you used an unskilled MC as an example. But Logic?

Logic is a whiny, emo, insecure mulatto dork who can channel Drake, Cole, or Kendrick's skillset, but has yet to carve out an identity of his own. He is skilled -- but not enough for me to ignore the negatives.

 

[AP2.5]

looking for that Drogas Wave review like

 

[Nicky dimes]

Usually I’m the only One bumping Lupe in my group of friends. Was pleasantly surprised when my boy posted that left to right video in our group chat. Linked up with the group later and wave files was blaring through the speaker. Eyes almost started sweating alil.

 

[Goldie]

Before I get into this review, I want to do a little housekeeping to give an idea of that this review is about and what it's not. After listening to this album repeatedly for the week or so it's been out, I've had the advantage over other reviews by having an opportunity to digest the album vs. the reviews that were posted to get put out within a day or so after the album released. If you've listened to any of Lupe Fiasco's projects, you know it is going take multiple listens to even begin to scratch the surface of all the layers that are laid between each bar and record.

Also, if you have seen Christopher Nolan's 2010's "Inception" and are still looking for him to tell you if Leonardo DiCaprio's character "Dom" was in reality vs. a dream because you are trying to still figure out if the spinning top began to wobble, then this not the project for you. An artist doesn't always have to explain their art which is the beauty of it. Some things are left open to interpretation for you to come up with your own narrative and conclusions. This album does not hold your hand and it's probably a good thing it doesn't. Some of the themes and messages are pretty evident while others, not so much, so be prepared to go down the rabbit hole if you really want to attempt to TRY to gain a better understanding of the album.

Most of the reviews that have been posted discuss things that I feel have nothing to do with the music. This review will focus on the music and Lupe as an artist.

Originally released in digital format, Drogas Wave (DW) was a 24 track album. Lupe made it clear who he made this album for.


If he made this album for the fans with a PhD in Lupeism, then I must have a bachelors working on my masters. Upon first listen, there is so much to take in. I generally like to listen to albums in their entirety before I start repeating songs. This is extremely hard to do with a Lupe album because you will hear something and immediately want to run it back to hear it again, but I've always viewed this as more of a challenge than a deterrent because it gives me an opportunity to make mental notes of certain lyrics to go back and give more focus to on subsequent listens.


A few days after the release of DW, Lupe posted a series of tweets that would try to provide some clarification about his intentions for the project.





I personally was fine with the original release, but I will admit, once he made this clarification, it does put some more things into proper context. I will talk about each disc briefly and try to highlight a couple of tracks while discussing the theme as a whole for each disc respectively.

Wave:

I'll try to discuss this part of the project in a way that does not sound repetitive from anything that you may have come across by now. Certain things may be repeated just to help paint the picture of the feeling I had while listening to it.

The "Wave" disc can best be described as a short film about the "Long Chains, who Lupe describes as "Slaves that when they were submerged in the water their earthly lives expired and they began a new life under and on the water. Some walked back to Africa while others stayed in the sea to help fight slavery by attacking and sinking slaveships. (Micheal Young History was resurrected by the same method when his grave was filled with the liquor his friends & The Streets poured out to mourn him.) The LongChains disbanded after the end of the transatlantic slave trade however a few were chosen to stay behind to keep watch and as guides for decedents of slaves that found freedom and wanted to return home. The last of The LongChains still patrol the seas (and heavens!) to this day.
-Lupe


Songs "Manilla" & "Gold vs The Right Thing to Do", properly serve as the first act while "Slave Ship Interlude" & "Wav Files" make up the second act, and "Down" concludes the film with the final act and closing credits.

In the track "Gold vs The Right Thing to Do", Lupe raps

"The weight of the chains on the slaves
Pullin' down to what they think are they graves
Afraid as they sink from the surface of the sea
'Til a soft voice in the water tells them, "Breathe"
Courtesy of: Genius

The build up leading to these last part of the song was just phenomenal. The crashing of the ship, the sounds of the water rushing into the lower decks, the screams of the passengers. I couldn't help but imagine what it must have been like for my ancestors to have been in those grave conditions, but whatever I imagined, probably can't come within a thousand football field lengths to what actually happened. BUT, as they are drowning, a calm voice says "breathe". From panic to living, all in a matter of seconds. I could go on and on about just this song. I really hope there is a conceptual video or some sort of comic book to add to the picture that has been painted with words, but if there isn't, maybe that was the plan all along.

I've read some very unflattering reviews about the Interludes that are sprinkled throughout the album, specifically, the "Slave Ship Interlude". Slave Ship Interlude is very reminiscent of the "seasons" interludes on Tetsuo & Youth. Ablackweb community member Like_Water summed up my thoughts exactly when he wrote: I play the alto saxophone, and have since the 5th grade. In high school I was routinely asked to do solos and I learned how to convey emotion and storytelling through the music. That's what that interlude is. It's a story of this particular slave ship that sunk.

The ship and the slaves were alluded to in Manila and Gold Vs. The Right... In the beginning, it's this ominous and somber tone. Picture yourself crammed in a hull, not knowing what's about to happen and shackled and scared.

Then the violin starts getting chaotic. Like frantic and disheveled. And then it starts making that trademark sound effect of something falling -- or sinking, in this case. And it comes to a close with a melancholy reluctance. Like an acceptance of your fate. It's also a great segue into the next two songs as well.

If you listen to the interlude with this in mind, I feel you will agree that it is definitely the bridge between "Gold vs. The Right Thing to Do" and "Wav Files".

The twitter vids posted in this post isn't showing. Do u wanna replace the vids or should i post it without any vids?

 

[AP2.5]

The twitter vids posted in this post isn't showing. Do u wanna replace the vids or should i post it without any vids?

thats odd...they were just normal tweets

i havent been able to view any tweets as well this morning on my work pc

 

[AP2.5]

just clicked, the tweets havent been deleted

has the site been updated recently?