Food And Liquor II: Great American Rap Album: Part 1

Warning: Moderate impact coarse language and/or themes.

In Lupe Fiasco’s world, the greatest art is the purest art. Thus after a colorful six-year career, which wrought three studio albums––the lyrical dissertation Food & Liquor (2006), its thematic successor The Cool (2009) and controversy-drenched LASERS (2011) which features the ARIA Top 10 single ‘The Show Goes On’ and collaboration with Trey Songz ‘Out Of My Head’.

Food & Liquor II The Great American Rap Album Part 1 is Lupe’s 4th release, it’s much more than a mere sequel. Instead, it’s an album with equal halves, one side is an American history documentary and the other is an honour roll rap skill exhibition.

The first single ‘Around My Way (Freedom Ain’t Free)’ was produced by Simonsayz & B-Sidet taking a trip down memory lane as it features Pete Rock and CL Smooth's 1992 classic song "They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)." The MC spits of life how he sees it in America, where there's "nonsense on TV' and feeling "hell every time I breathe."

Other tracks include ‘Lamborghinis & Angels’ and ‘Bitch Bad’ which addresses the (mis)use of the word "bitch" in hip hop, and the negative effects it has in shaping the mindsets of children.

Collaborations on the album includes multi-instrumentalist Casey Benjamin and singer Bilal, who have collectively collaborated or played with the likes of Mos Def, Patrick Stump, Beyoncé and Jay Z.