Solar Midnite is a Fiasco

Before I begin, let it be known that Lupe Fiasco is currently my favorite musical artist. Within Hip Hop today, there are plenty of artists that try to go beyond the mainstream ideas of Hip Hop (video hoes, money, cars, booze, drugs, etc.), but many of these artists are underground and will remain underground until they are found by big execs like Sean 'P.Diddy' Combs, or my favorite Hova, Jay-Z. Lupe Fiasco just happens to be one of these artists, with one minor exception--he was discovered, signed, and produced by Rockafella Records and has since become a superstar in the musical industry--

And this is exactly why I love Lupe. He's a prominent figure within Hip Hop, yet he doesn't let his music become generalized and overwhelmed by thoughts and ideas that he does not represent. If this is difficult for you to understand, maybe it's best that you check out the video for the song "Dumb it Down," in which Lupe discusses his music and the influences of outside sources:



So essentially, that's Lupe. A popular rapper who is trying to change the Hip Hop game and promote the education and freedom of the mind.

But recently, my boy Lupe has got me down. With his release of the track "Solar Midnite," created for the New Moon sountrack) Lupe has completely got me lost. I'll start by evaluating the track--which includes a full band and definitely some voice editing. I'll give Lupe credit for trying something new (like most artists should strive to at least try), but I feel that Lupe's intentions fell short. I'm not a fan of the voice editing that make him sound as if he has been auto-tuned. Lupe's voice has always been recognizable. If Lupe was in a remix or a video, I could always point him out just by the sincerity of his voice. I believe that all of this was lost with this new computer-generized voice that seems to strip Lupe of all his identity. I'll admit that I like the parts of the song in which it's just Lupe rapping (even if his voice is masked by the editing). What I can't stand is the rough and the explosion of sound that takes over the chorus. Maybe it's because Lupe's tracks usually include a swift chorus that is covered by soft beats instead of guitar riffs and heavy drums. I think over time I'll be able to enjoy the chorus, but for now, I'm at a complete shock over the foreignness of it all.

In regards to why the song was made, I'm curious if Lupe's intentions were genuine. As we all know, New Moon and the entire Twilight series for that matter has completely exploded in mainstream culture. Everyone wants a piece of the pie--because the pie is promising. One slice guarantees money, fans and opportunities. Could Lupe possibly be trying to gain attention so that his upcoming album, Lasers will be successful? I mean, I understand we all got to eat and maybe even sacrafice our true selfs every now and then to get that extra dollar. But, come on Lupe, don't dumb down yet!