Track Listing 1. Baba Says Cool For Thought 2. Free Chilly - (with Sarah Green/Gemstones) 3. Go Go Gadget Flow 4. Coolest, The 5. Superstar - (with Matthew Santos) 6. Paris, Tokyo 7. Hi-Definition - (with Snoop Dogg/Pooh Bear) 8. Gold Watch 9. Hip-Hop Saved My Life - (with Nikki Jean) 10. Intruder Alert - (with Sarah Green) 11. Streets on Fire 12. Little Weapon - (with Nikki Jean/Bishop G) 13. Gotta Eat 14. Dumb It Down - (with Gemstones/Graham Burris) 15. Hello/Goodbye (Uncool) - (with UNKLE) 16. Die, The - (with Gemstones) 17. Put You on Game 18. Fighters - (with Matthew Santos) 19. Go Baby - (with Gemstones)
| Details | | Playing Time: | 71 min. | | Producer: | 'Free Chilly', Alshux, Chris Goss, Chris Paultrie, Darrale Jones, Derrick Braxton, Greg "G Ball" Magers, Le Messie, Lupe Fiasco, Patrick Stump, Simonsayz, Soundtrakk, UNKLE | | Distributor: | WEA (Distributor) | | Recording Type: | Studio | | Recording Mode: | Stereo | | SPAR Code: | n/a |
Album Notes Personnel: Chris Goss, Josh Homme (guitar); Philip Shepherd (cello, electric cello); Richard File (piano, organ, synthesizer, programming); Cosmic (keyboards); James Book (bass guitar, programming); Dave Henderson (drums); Pablo Clements (programming, background vocals); Chris Allen (programming); Aidan Lavelle, James Lavelle, Soul Children Of Chicago (background vocals). Additional personnel: Graham Burris (vocals); Sarah Green, Matthew Santos, Gemstones, Bishop G, Nikki Jean, Pooh Bear, Snoop Dogg, UNKLE. Building on the success of his acclaimed debut, FOOD & LIQUOR, Chi-town representative Lupe Fiasco returns with a concept-themed record, THE COOL. Evenly balancing intelligent lyricism, poetic symbolism, and catchy pop-themed production, Lupe's sophomore effort partially follows the story of the ghetto Everyman, the Cool, in his ever-changing relationship with the Streets and the Game. Still, it's not all high-concept here. Lupe also celebrates the spoils of superstar glamour on the catchy single, "Superstar," and the travel-fantasy track, "Paris, Tokyo," and enters more experimental territory with the help of British trip-hop act, U.N.K.L.E. on "Hello/Goodbye (Uncool)." THE COOL features production work from Soundtrakk, Chris & Drop, Patrick Stump, and Chris Goss, among others, as well as guest appearances by Sarah Green, GemStones, Pooh Bear, Nikki Jean, Bishop G, Graham Burris, Unkle, Matthew Santos, and Snoop Dogg.
Editorial Reviews 3.5 stars out of 5 -- The beats pulsate rather than bang, Lupe's voice dances in and out of shadows... Spin
4 stars out of 5 -- [T]his doesn't disappoint, adding emotional depth to his complex rhyming and heft to the productions... Q
Fiasco's wide-ranging pop instincts rarely fail him....It turns out randomness makes for a surprisingly unifying concept. -- Grade: A- Entertainment Weekly
4 stars out of 5 -- THE COOL goes for softer, jazzier R&B hooks, yet the lyrics are even tougher in their street-level attack on hip-hop materialism. Rolling Stone
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