‘Superstar’ is the brilliant new single by Chicago native, Lupe Fiasco due out on January 14th. Lupe Fiasco, born Wasalu Muhammad Jaco, trail-blazed his path to critical acclaim last year when he released his Atlantic Records debut, Lupe Ifasco’s Food and Liquor; exec-produced by Jay Z. Possessing head-spinning wordplay and a topical range more akin to the underground than the mainstream, the 25-year-old lyricist proved that talent can still make waves in the rap game. ‘Superstar’ is the first track from the forthcoming - Lupe Fiasco’s The Cool’, a largely conceptual tour-de-force, out on January 21st. Featuring the incredible vocal talents of Matthew Santos (who appeared on the track ‘American Terrorist’ from the first album), ‘Superstar is an almost autobiographical account of Lupe’s own rise to fame - an issue that clearly causes him some discomfort. It’s produced by Soundtrakk and beams with poignant unease: “A fresh, cool young Lu / Trying to cash his microphone check, 2, 1, 2 / Wanna believe my own hype, but it’s too untrue / The world brought me to my knees, what have you brung you?” Lupe Fiasco’s first major look on the scene came on fellow Chi-town native Kanye West’s hit single, “Touch The Sky,” where Fiasco delivered a show-stopping verse.
The buzz gained from that song transitioned the gumshoe rapper into his first official solo single, the skateboard-meets-rap gem “Kick Push.” Inspired by his own quirky hobby, Fiasco delivered a metaphorical tale of uplift through the eyes of a thrashing, four-small-wheel riding skater boy.
In Hip-Hop’s popularity contest, Lupe Fiasco is the observer, a thinking man brave enough to dictate the acute thoughts that his peers ignore. Now, that is cool.