Lupe Fiasco announces two upcoming albums

Lupe Fiasco fans, feel free to rejoice now. The rapper from Chicago announced his plans to release two new projects through his official website on a simple post entitled “**BREAKING NEWS***”:

“FOOD AND LIQUOR 2 COMING SOON….LUPE AND PHARRELL ALBUM COMING SOON…”

Some may find the announcement as nothing special, but long-time fans of Lupe Fiasco should be thrilled. Hopefully, this signifies a return for Lupe to the style that separated him from being included as “just another rapper.”

The first installment of Food and Liquor released in 2006 showed Lupe as a rapper with his own independent thoughts. Rapping about a story of a skateboarder being cast as a rebel in society on “Kick, Push” to viewing the problems of hip-hop through the eyes of a robot on the Grammy-nominated track “Daydreamin’,” Lupe was creating his own lane through rap.

Also, Pharrell has also been very involved with Lupe’s career, producing and being featured on tracks throughout in his career such as “I Gotcha” and “Everybody N.O.S.E. (Remix).” The two even collaborated with Kanye West, releasing a few songs under the group name, Child Rebel Soldier.

Fiasco further set himself apart from the pack with his follow-up album The Cool in 2007, using the same style and substance that made Food and Liquor so unique and successful, but focusing it even more to a niche.

However, with his latest effort, Lasers, in 2011, a very public dispute with his record label Atlantic Records forced Lupe to make his music much more radio-friendly, incorporating many pop-styled beats. While it debuted at #1 on the Billboard charts, many fans had mixed reviews and were calling “sellout.”

Now, without record label influence, Lupe Fiasco can hopefully move away from this new mainstream sound. The announcement of Food and Liquor 2 as well as an album with Pharrell will get him back to what initially drew fans to him – his opinions, his thoughts and his creativity.