Lupe Fiasco

Lupe Fiasco (birth name Wasalu Muhammad Jaco) is one of the major hip-hop artists coming out of Chicago with a long track of highly successful and significant albums that engage their audience with long form storytelling.  He often taps into R&B grooves in his music, but he is also known for his affinity towards jazz. His rapping is mostly on the calm and measured side. His music generally puts forth well-articulated ideas that do not just build on grooves and beats, but also develops a melodic scaffolding for his songs. Likewise, he is often open to taking his time to lay out large narrative arcs, taking on grand ideas and big stories. His 2022 album Drill Music in Zion saw him move towards a more stripped down and loose style.