“Lupe Fiasco's fifth album, Tetsuo & Youth, is the most focused, thoughtful, and satisfying project he's offered since 2007's The Cool. Whatever set the stage for him, he dives back into rapping for its own sake like it's a big dusty novel he's been waiting to pick back up for years.”
“With what might be his final project with Atlantic Records, Lupe Fiasco releases his most conceptual and headiest album in years, backing these tracks up with an instrumental set that's a step above what he delivered on his two previous LPs.”
“Spending too much time decoding this 78-minute behemoth might break your brain. Lupe Fiasco's fifth album is a swirl of double meanings, extended metaphors about yoga and math, and increasingly labyrinthine ways to say "I'm dope" ("Nerd gang, make Mandelbrot sets when we handshake"). Even on its surface, though, it's the meatiest set he's produced in years. Kicking and pushing against the rap stat”
