Whenever you hear that Lupe Fiasco, the Chicago rapping philosopher, dropped a new track, expect knowledge to be kicked extremely hard, social commentary to served, and layer upon thick cemented together layer of lyrical genius. His sound is complex and well put together, but predictable, which has been his major hindrance recently. Instead of wielding his powerful wordplay for the forces of musical progression and trend destroying, Lupe has decided to attempt to fit his industrial sized dump truck inside the toy box that pop has become. Obviously, it has backfired in a major way, costing him a number of fans and the sympathetic ears of many critics.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-R-_sxP5kCk[/youtube]
However, you can never count Lupe out and never understate how far a collection of good rhymes can take you, especially when they reveal a solid message. His latest single, "Mission", doesn't attempt to rework his formula; instead, he chooses to stick to what he knows, offering up an amazing story, wrapped in an immaculate flow. On the track, Lupe decides to tackle an issue that many emcees shy away from: the devastating effects of Cancer and the battle against the crippling disease.
Borrowing many popular phrases other artists have championed, like "these n*ggas won't hold me back" from Rick Ross, he creates an anthem song for anyone who has or knows someone who is facing this sickness. It is incredibly heartfelt and beautifully uplifting at times; the sheer unwillingness to lose to some illness is the pure human spirit. When he raps that "if I die it dies with me", it will be hard to contain the emotions flowing through you, as you fight alongside the protagonist.
After the powerful intro, with Cancer fighters and survivors giving their brave testimonies, it would take one hell of a track to not get overshadowed; Lupe delivers on "Mission". It is a mark of a great songwriter that he can rap from a perspective he has never been in and make it so amazingly genuine. Although, it is a sign that Lupe isn't still all the way back to the The Cool days with that terrible poppy hook, but you have to take the good with bad sometimes.
