Lupe Fiasco: "Metaphors and punchlines matter....don't need to be a great lyricist to tell a story....shouldn't rely on delivery and flow"

[Grand_Verbalizer]

^^^ at the attempt at reverse psychology, Sure chippy Kendrick and his stanbase were Ice cold and used Lupe to get talked about again
Yep that's what happened.


Just played one of the tracks here and was reminded again why i'm not a fan ..."Odd as egg mcmuffins at night ... cut that shyt right off

The disconnect between those who think Lupe is this all time great lyricist and those who don't is obvious to me
*Just my view*
I value being selective with the pen, Lupe fans seemingly don't care if a verse or track has a multitude of shytty lines, filler and wasted bars etc. (see: Mural) as long as they can find some entendre to nerd out over

For all this talk of layered lyricism apparently the top layer, ya'know the one that hits your eardrum isn't all that important

Let me put it metaphorically for you/Lu (DISCLAIMER: disgusting)


would you eat a layer cake if the icing was diarrhea ?


Lu fans would I'm not with that shyt


Not looking to debate btw, Here's the new Lupe go show your love and support:

Lupe Fiasco - LLC

www.thecoli.com

 

[FINALE]

The whole appeal of "Super Lyrical" contemporary Lupe is being obtuse and leaving the listener to give the lyrics context.

This is exactly why people ride Aesop Rocks dikk so hard and say he's better than other rappers.

Why?

Because they get to do all of the conclusion drawing while the writer leaves everything up to interpretation and lacking in concrete details.

You're wrong. Aesop Rock is unlistenable, nobody knows wtf he is saying. Lupe's writing is easy to follow on the surface level and has a bunch of hidden references and wordplay only those interested in certain niche shyt will catch. It's not alike

 

[Lonj]

Lyricism is a lot like comedy in that often it's just the way you word things. Take a Jay line:

"Hov did that so hopefully you don't have to go through that." There's no real wordplay or punchline in that line. It's just the way it was phrased that makes it an iconic line.

And a Nas line: "somebody tell these shorties reach for the stars instead they tell them how to reach through the bars." Again not a lot of wordplay just hard hitting and poignant.

Punchlines has always been very surface level lyricism to me; it's like the rap equivalent of yo mama jokes. What supersedes them is being able to say something in a unique way, having a unique perspective on life (can't be taught) and being able to create a cohesive theme in your song that has impact.

 

[Left.A1]

He said YOU DON'T NEED TO BE A GREAT LYRICIST TO TELL A GREAT STORY

But you do need metaphors and punchlines to be a great lyricist NOT storytelling ability or any other literary skills. If you're take away from that statement was that he was actauly bigging up storytelling as a skill then I don't know what to tell you bruh.... You just somehow have a fundementally different reading of what's in that tweet

He did not say GREAT LYYRICTS CANT TELL GREAT STORIES

I didn't say that's what he said. I said that he is dismissing storytelling as being a marker of great lyricism bruh.... You're talking about a completely different point

YOU’RE TAKING IT THAT WAY to disprove him you’re interpreting Lupe Fiasco's comments as indicative of a blanket dismissal of certain lyrical styles or techniques.

That's what he wrote... You're ignoring it and for some strange reason trying to remix what's literally right in front of you for him

 

[Surreal]

Hating on KDot because he's the lineage of Rakim and Nas

The Cole's and Lupe's were Jigga plants to steal Nas fans and then hate on him

 

[Left.A1]

Lyricism is a lot like comedy in that often it's just the way you word things. Take a Jay line:

"Hov did that so hopefully you don't have to go through that." There's no real wordplay or punchline in that line. It's just the way it was phrased that makes it an iconic line.

It's not even the way he phrased it...it's the literal message the takeaway itself that makes it poignant and dope. Which is why actually saying something in your rhymes has value.

And a Nas line: "somebody tell these shorties reach for the stars instead they tell them how to reach through the bars." Again not a lot of wordplay just hard hitting and poignant.

This one is kind of a loose metaphor reaching for the stars in the same way you reach through the bars of prison...but I agree it's not overly complex but extremely poignant and substantive. Miles better than that shallow, lyrical miracle spiritual shyt Lupe is hyping.

Punchlines has always been very surface level lyricism to me; it's like the rap equivalent of yo mama jokes.

EXACTLY! Lol

What supersedes them is being able to say something in a unique way, having a unique perspective on life (can't be taught) and being able to create a cohesive themes in your song that has impact.

This is a perfect summary of what quality lyricism is. Listen to Melle Mel on "the message" you cant tell me that ain't one of the greatest collection of hiphop bars ever laid down. But what you won't hear on that song are vanity raps to show you can rap but using a bunch of meaningless metaphors and punches.

 

[Billie Jean]

Lupe really don't like k.dot making noise lmao

 

[NoHalfWay]

Is Nas' "Rewind" lyricism? It don't got a bunch of punchlines, similes, metaphors etc. And it's a storytelling track. Mind u. Lupe himself has cited this track as an example of why Nas is one of the greatest lyricists ever. Lol.

Rewind is such a unique concept record that you have to prop it up. It’s literally 1 of 1 so just the idea make the song was a stroke of genius

But when I think of songs of when Nas snapped, Rewind doesn’t come to mind. It’s a classic song but nowhere near as lyrically impressive as 2nd Childhood or sumn like that

The fact that Nas can do both is the reason why he’s the greatest

 

[tehparadox]

He's objectively wrong...lyricism has always been considered as being part of lyricism...he's just tryign to rewrite a new definition but nobody is falling for it.

No wonder Lupe been wack.

 

[spliz]

Rewind is such a unique concept record that you have to prop it up. It’s literally 1 of 1 so just the idea make the song was a stroke of genius

But when I think of songs of when Nas snapped, Rewind doesn’t come to mind. It’s a classic song but nowhere near as lyrically impressive as 2nd Childhood or sumn like that

The fact that Nas can do both is the reason why he’s the greatest

Rewind is definitely more lyrically impressive than 2nd Childhood to me even tho 2nd Childhood is a classic. It wasn't just the idea that was genius. The execution was. Especially from a writers perspective. Me being a writer that's the type of shyt to make a nikka either wanna step they shyt up or put the pen down. I remember Scarface saying the same shyt. On some "nah this nikka ain't playing fair" type shyt.

 

[Not Crodie]

Lupe trashco...trying to be complex for the sake of it doesn't make you a good lyricist either, specially when thats a skill that most rappers can do.

 

[Not Crodie]

A lot of mcees can make these Lupe type songs, but Lupe can't do what they do...

 

[derro13]

This nikka dont know what the fukk he talking about. Punchlines aint no fukking lyricism (at least by itself). Lyricism is having a context beneath what youre saying. nikkas like Fab, Cass, Luda, etc just punch just to be punching. Thats not lyricism.

This. That's not lyricism at all

 

[Revolutionary]

Glad Lupe and his mid shyt disappeared from hip-hop.

 

[spliz]

Lyricism is a lot like comedy in that often it's just the way you word things. Take a Jay line:

"Hov did that so hopefully you don't have to go through that." There's no real wordplay or punchline in that line. It's just the way it was phrased that makes it an iconic line.

And a Nas line: "somebody tell these shorties reach for the stars instead they tell them how to reach through the bars." Again not a lot of wordplay just hard hitting and poignant.

Punchlines has always been very surface level lyricism to me; it's like the rap equivalent of yo mama jokes. What supersedes them is being able to say something in a unique way, having a unique perspective on life (can't be taught) and being able to create a cohesive theme in your song that has impact.

Basically being able to say more with less. I feel like people who don't understand this don't understand lyrics or poetry for that matter.