Mid-October came with the unfortunate news that Lupe Fiasco wouldn’t make good on his promise to drop three albums this year in Drogas, Drogas Light and Skulls. Though the projects are done, looks like 2017 will be the time they see the light of day. In the meantime, Fiasco has been dropping fire throughout the year with tracks including “Pick Up the Phone.”
Nearly a week and some change after Donald Trump delivered the greatest political upset in United States history, he’s let loose “Made in the USA,” featuring Bianca Sings. The StreetRunner-produced track is set to be featured on Drogas Light and comes on the heel of a tour announcement which should hold fans over until release. There’s no way we could pass up an opportunity to give our thoughts on the single with DX’s Justin Hunte, Trent Clark and Ural Garrett.
Does “Made In The USA” Have Lupe Fiasco Holding Up A Mirror To America?
Justin Hunte (Business Development Executive): Maybe I’m conditioned to expect some super-duper wormhole-style lyricism from every Lupe Fiasco verse, as if at the speed of an emoji I’ll be teleported into a fourth dimension where project buildings turn into robots and classic album covers quietly answer life’s mysteries and the Rap Game has blunts for fingers and hollow tips for teeth. Such oddities as a shallow listen aren’t associated with Carrera Lu. Either tune-in completely or miss the mini-movie. “Made in the USA” is definitely made with a message. Fiasco ravages StreetRunner’s trappy madness, dancing in four bar couplets, rattling off American staples which are all, you guessed it, made in the U.S.A. “My Glock came from Smyrna, Georgia,” he raps in the first verse. “That lean cup came from Houston, Texas,” he raps in the fourth. The track aptly celebrates the country’s glorious diversity at a time when tribalism and separatism and xenophobia arguably won the White House. The Day One #OccupyWallStreet-er has rarely seemed overtly political. He’s always seemed to implore questioning over blind color-based concurrence. While “Made in the USA” may not be littered with “Mural”-style triple entendres, in a Super Lupe kind of way, it champions unity. “I be speaking stars and stripes and I be dreaming pledge allegiance,” says the guy who once called the President a terrorist. Lupe delivering solidarity in the midst of a divided nation. Somehow, it all makes sense.
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Trent Clark (Editor-In-Chief): Political opinions aren’t supposed to be perfect. Fuck, they’re opinions. I haven’t always agreed completely with Lupe’s oft-radicalized views when it comes to the government (President Obama is “the biggest terrorist”) but sometimes I’m right there with him, scowl-faced, fist-raced (Food & Liquor’s “American Terrorist”has to be a top 100 Hip Hop song). With so much drama in the LBC and all this talk about alt-right, all-white nationalists/pseudo neo-Nazi racist pieces of shit, expect political Hip Hop to breach a new renaissance. Even at the time when it makes all the cents in the world to focus on party music to fuel the Streaming Age. I expect Lupe to be at the forefront of any inkling of such a renaissance, especially with his delicately moderate stance on the heels of the Trump presidency bombshell. With “Made in the USA,” he achieves the kind of coveted stadium status that all rappers seek when it comes job security. It’s not a Bruce Springsteen gloss over record where the Star Spangled Banner allegedly has the same symbolism for all Americans. It’s brash, truthful — truthfully ugly — and right on time.
Ural Garrett (Senior Features Writer): At this point, Lupe Fiasco literally survived the major label run with “No Scratches” considering the roll he’s been on this year. No doubt the level of freedom has boosted his confidence artistically with “Pick Up the Phone.” However, I’m always a fan of the angrier Fiasco who isn’t afraid to make biting commentary. Similarly to Food & Liquor’s “American Terrorist” or “Words I Never Said” from Lasers, “Made in the USA” is poignant and rightfully uncomfortable at times. Plus, it’s good to see Lupe spaz out on a StreetRunner beat with a delivery out of the ordinary.
TL;DR: He fuckin’ nailed it.
