Lupe Fiasco expounds and expands on his fifth studio album Tetsuo & Youth. Those expecting a significant dose of anime imagery hinted at the title, prepare to be disappointed. Those looking for an innovative take on hip hop, look no further. Forget the twitter beefs, dude delivers a serious album. Yes, it sounds like it could be a Kanye album in that it is grand in scope, artful in places, and the production is top-notch. What Tetsuo & Youth lacks that a Kanye album would have is at least one radio hit. The only thing keeping this from being a 5 out of 5 is the absence of that one song you will hear on your radio for months, although, maybe it is hiding in there if the world is ready for a hit like “Body of Work”. I can hear the last track “They.Resurrect.Over.New” playing in the background of sports highlights clips, but it doesn’t feel like an anthem.

Straight from jump on the nearly nine minute long “Mural,” Lupe demonstrates gifted lyrics absent of hooks just to check that the listener is ready to absorb the experience. Over the course of the album Lupe proceeds, and continues to paint pictures halfway between stream of consciousness and conscious flow. Moving between the streets and the library with an ease that most of his contemporaries struggle to find. Tetsuo & Youth is a balanced album on all levels.

“Dots & Lines”, and “Little Death” sound like the best electro-soul-funk that Outkast never made. The tracks with Chris Brown and Big K.R.I.T. that Lupe offered as a media preview to the album late last year are missing from the release. The nearly 9 minute long concept track “Prisoners 1&2” dealing with the New Jim Crow incarceration issues signals a turn for the album from jazzy to gritty. From there we go into more trap influenced production on “Body of Work”, a darker bent to the lyrics, and production, snapped back into free form jazzland at the outro on what is possibly the best track on the album, “Little Death” featuring Nikki Jean.

The posse cut “Chopper” feels a bit out of place in the mostly jazz influenced album, although the song’s funny in a sad-but-true kind of way chorus of “Filet mignon with my food stamps/ Car Co-signed by my mama/ Medical card from Obama/ Background check for a chopper” is one of the most memorable hooks on first listen.

“Chopper” offers expert analysis of the real world effects of poverty echoed in a much more comical way on the track “Deliver”. From a look at the sad reality of delivery vs. DiGiorno Tetsuo & Youth segues into the three most inventive tracks on the album: “Madonna (and other mothers in the hood)”, “Adoration of the Magi”, and “They.Resurrect.Over.New.,” tracks which you will just have to experience for yourself.

Lupe delivers an album that demands multiple listens thanks to the depth of his lyrics, the seamless melding of guests, witty lines, laugh out loud moments, and dope production from start to finish. The vocal contributions of Guy Sebastian, Nikki Jean, and others, plus the production by S1, Vohn Beatz, and DJ Dahi are as much the star of Tetsuo & Youth as Lupe’s lines. The listener gets the feeling that each track was crafted as part of a whole, creating a great album tailored to elevate Lupe past his peers with the masterwork of his career so far in Tetsuo & Youth.

Tetsuo & Youth due January 20th.

New music from Lupe Fiasco’s Tetsuo & Youth, due January 20th. Produced by DJ Dahi.

Tetsuo & Youth available everywhere January 20, 2015.

Produced by SX. Tetsuo & Youth due January 20th.

Produced by Soundtrakk. From the new album Tetsuo & Youth in stores/online January 20, 2015.

Produced by The Buchanans. Tetsuo & Youth hits January 20th.

Produced by MoeZ’art. Tetsuo & Youth coming soon.

Lupe Fiasco’s new song “Stellar Light” has been released as the #USMNT official rallying anthem for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Emotive, energetic, and boastful, “Stellar Light” parallels the dynamic rhythms of the world’s most-beautiful game. Building off of the U.S. Men’s National Team’s courageous World Cup journey, “Stellar Light” celebrates the beating heart of the #USMNT, and pays respect to the dedication of the team’s diehard fans. A portion of the song is used against this video backdrop of #USMNT highlights; the full-length version of “Stellar Light” will be available in the coming weeks.

Produced by Ty Dolla & Shafiq Husayn. From the album Tetsuo & Youth, coming soon.

#TheseDays hits June 24th.

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Last week, Lupe Fiasco dropped by the Toca Tuesdays studio to kick it with Al Lindstrom. In other news, Lupe says his upcoming Skulls album, which will be released after Tetsuo & Youth, is produced entirely by Soundtrakk.

“@MindOf_Imran: @LupeFiasco will some of the other 13 be on skulls?” Nah…skulls is all Soundtrakk

— Tetsuo & Youth (@LupeFiasco) June 9, 2014

Chicago rapper, Lupe Fiasco stopped by Sway in the Morning to discuss the many ventures in his career from new music to community leadership. The controversial rapper first discussed his entrance into the Henry Crown Fellowship Program and working with community leaders and big businesspersons. Additionally, he spoke about his involvement with Stand Up to Cancer and why he got involved. He also played some new music from his up and coming album Testuo & Youth due this summer. Lupe explained the type of musical legacy he wants to leave behind and how that drives his music creativity. Additionally, the rapper spoke with Tracy G about his battle with depression and how he gets past it. In the second clip, he blew everyone away with his dope 4-minute freestyle.

Lupe Fiasco sits in with the Hot 97 crew, to talk about his new single’s mission to raise cancer awareness, his new album Tetsuo & Youth, and how Rosenberg is a “Kendrick nuthugger”.

“Mission” is a track to empower those facing cancer, revere cancer survivors and remember those who have passed to due to cancer related illnesses. With an inspiring introduction from various cancer survivors telling their story, anchored by legendary singer/songwriter and cancer survivor Charlie Wilson, “Mission” has Lupe Fiasco expressing stories of the emotional burden of cancer, while also working to uplift those in an effort to help fight the disease. In support of “Mission,” Lupe has joined Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C), a grassroots movement to raise funds to accelerate the pace of cancer research, as a celebrity ambassador. Together, Lupe and Stand Up To Cancer are planning various collaborations tied to the track that will be unveiled later this year. http://www.standup2cancer.org.