PEACE BE UPON YOU: Lupe Fiasco, Trocadero, December 7th, 2006 [FLICKR]
EVA SAYS: The boss saw great talent and predicted that with this great talent will come great success, but I was skeptical of all the hype surrounding Lupe Fiasco. The New Kanye, he said. It only goes to show why he is master and I am young grasshoppa. (Laying it on a little thick, don’t you think?–Ed.) As per the Power 99 DJs hosting the show, Lupe Fiasco was just nominated for three Grammys, including Best Rap album for Food & Liquor. He had the crowd from the get-go and never let go. And this crowd was actually black, which is sorta like seeing a lot of cars parked outside of a restaurant. Translation: it’s legit. I haven’t seen a hip-hop crowd that wasn’t predominantly white suburban college kids since I saw Pharcyde back in ’99. Lupe’s flow had this like smooth, confident, laid back energy to it and his beats got everyone off their butts. And unlike so many MCs, his rhymes didn’t get lost in the clutter when performed live. When he threw on a Gorillaz track for a back beat, I knew this was a man with class and taste. I mean, he sported Chucks and an Andy Warhol pin, and had on the first pair of hipster jeans I’ve seen on a rapper. Call ’em the un-phat pants. They sagged just right beneath his boxers, then tapered off into a tight bunch at the ankles. And it didn’t hurt that he was ga-ga- gorgeous. To be honest, from the moment he came out all I was thinking was: Can you please take me home with you? B+