Does the name Wasalu Muhammad Jaco ring a bell? Well if it doesn’t, maybe the name Lupe Fiasco does. Because these two people are one in the same, and they’re only separated by a stage name, and a name given at birth.

Sometimes it may be hard for a performer to disconnect life from art, but when that performer is Lupe Fiasco, your life is your art.

In the November issue of XXL Magazine, they featured ten MC’s they consider to be up and coming on the cover, and titled it "Leaders Of The New School". The MC’s that took part were: Joell Ortiz, Rich Boy, Saigon, Crooked I, Gorilla Zoe, Young Dro, Lil Boosie, Papoose, Plies, and Lupe Fiasco.

Now some people my have their own ideas on who does and who doesn’t belong on that list of artists that are supposed to carry Hip-Hop into the next decade or so. But one thing is certain, Lupe Fiasco does belong on that list, and he’s clearly leading the pack.

After many people made a mountain out of a molehill with Lupe flubbing a few lines of the Tribe Called Quest classic "Electric Relaxation" during the VH1 Hip-Hop Honors Awards, the Chicago MC is back in the news again with the release of his sophomore album, The Cool.

The album gets underway with a spoken word intro that makes references to cross burnings, the handling of Hurricane Ka trina, the shooting at Virginia Tech, the gentrification process, drug dealers who stand on the corner, and police brutality. And at the end of her speech, the poet mentions that those situations aren’t cool whatsoever.  Just from the tone of the intro, you can tell that this album isn’t going to be about senseless rhetoric and self-glorification.

"Go Go Gadget Flow" is the first musical offering from the album. Lupe tries his hand a Crucial Conflict-esque type flow, and does a decent job at pulling it off. Although the hook could’ve been a little bit more creative, his ability to display different lyrical styles makes up for that. "The Coolest" is next on the list. Lupe talks about him being the coolest n***a around, while touching on subjects like relationships, dead beat dads, and the streets.

After you’ve gotten your fill from that, Lupe comes in with his hit record, "Superstar" featuring singer/songwriter Matthew Santos. This song is pretty much self-explanatory about super stardom and how to handle the things that come along with it. If you’re not singing the hook by the second time it comes around, then you must have too much wax build-up in your ears drums to listen.

"Paris, Tokyo" is a tale about his traveling exploits. Over the soothing production, Lupe talks about his experiences performing overseas for people that can’t even understand him. The West Coast meets the Midwest as the homie Big Snoop Dogg joins in on "Hi-Definition". He is the only high profile rapper to appear on the album proving that you don’t need heavy firepower to make a good album, just natural talent. Another fact that people will adhere to, is that when you read the credits you won’t find any big time producers on there. Thus proving that A-list producers aren’t the only ones that can provide A-list sound.

Lupe’s lyrical ability takes the stage as he spits lines like: “Hijacked the role/and went and shot the pilot/I’m trying go to public, so I can get to private/then send bizzy to go and get the pirates/then hit Africa, try and fix the virus/go back to ‘hood, tell huggy open the hydrants/R.I.P. Stack B/I’m a keep you a live kid.” 

"Hip-Hop Saved My Life" is a tale of an MC trying to make it big. Lupe’s paints pictures with words such as: “Crying in the next room, a baby in need/of some pampers and some food/and a place to sleep/that plus a black Cadillac on D’s/is what keep ‘em on track to be a great MC.” 

"Intruder Alert" is a major standout track on the album. Lupe tells a tale of three different people in each verse, and how its hard for them trust people and let others into their lives: A female that’s been rapped, an avid drug user, and an immigrant father trying to provide a better life for his daughter.

"Streets On Fire" is a tale on the spreading of diseases. After the catchy sing-song hook sets in, Lupe comes at you with lines like: “Everybody’s got it/and wants you to have it next and/don’t accept them if you wanna stay as an exception.” If lines like those aren’t food for thought, and make you think, then what will?

In the end, The Cool is a great album with concept songs like: "Gotta Eat", "Little Weapon", and "Gold Watch" while lyrical songs like: "Hello/Goodbye (Uncool)", "Dumb It Down", "The Die", and "Fighters" all compliment Lupe’s sound.

Every year, a ton of artists come out, and they say that their albums are going to touch on an array of topics. And when you get them, its all the same repetitive stuff that you’re used to. Then those same artists wonder why people download their albums instead of spending their hard-earned money to buy them. For those who want to support good Hip-Hop, do so by picking up an album such as this one (at a store where you get a receipt).

In a year that saw tragedies like the murder of the Washington Redskin’s Sean Taylor and Stack Bundles, Michael Vick being incarcerated, Kanye West’s mother passing due to complications of surgery, along with Pimp C’s natural death, it’s nice to know that an album like this can shine some light on what has been a dark end of the year.

The only thing bad about this album is that it brings us closer to his third and final album, LupEND.