Drill Music in Zion (stylized in all caps) is the eighth studio album by American rapper Lupe Fiasco, released on June 24, 2022, through 1st & 15th Too and Thirty Tigers. Production was handled by longtime collaborator Soundtrakk, with the title originating from a freestyle Fiasco did prior to the LP's creation. Similar to Food & Liquor, The Cool, and The Great American Rap Album Pt. 1, his sister Ayesha Jaco does the opening track. The only other feature is Nayirah, a new collaborator, on three songs. Along with this, Fiasco completed the 'Mural' trilogy and named the album to be his "Illmatic," otherwise known as his magnum opus; the greatest work of an artist.[1]
The main reason he dropped the album was because Chilly wanted him to. Fiasco added, "I don't really have a drive to keep doing records like that. But at the same time, too, you gotta kinda keep the lights on as they say. So, every once in a while, I have to do something for the sake of the biz. The other side to it is, I'm always creating."[2]
Dedication[]
I'd like to extend my heartfelt thanks to Crystal, Greg, Nayirah, Open Session (Nick, Bennie, Tru, Ant), JProof, Kadesia, Genesis Renji, CB, Lonnel, Glenn and Craig for bringing my sound to life.
I dedicate this record to my mother, Rosalina Lopez who we lost to Covid 19, and to my son Ethan for your patience with me during this album process.
Big love and gratitude to my day one family: Lupe, the genius poet and Chill, the visionary for always supporting and challenging me.
Everything I do in this career is for you Chill...
17 years down and more to come. FNF UP
Soundtrakk
Big love and appreciation to everyone involved in the project and the process.
Peace & Much Love 2 Ya!
Lupe Fiasco
Description[]
Twisting and contorting the English language to fit the meter and his every whim, Lupe Fiasco uses his superb lyrical skill to process the changing world in which he lives. Drawing connections between the concrete and spiritual in his hometown of Chicago, Lupe announces Drill Music in Zion, his next album. The product of a burst of thoughtful spontaneity, Lupe created the new album over a short period, diving into a folder of beats sent by his longtime producer Soundtrakk and emerging with a fully-realized album in just three days. "Soundtrakk is the swordmaker, I'm the samurai," says Lupe. "He's the mechanic, and I'm the driver." Armed with Soundtrakk's soulful sounds, Lupe creates a focused statement that reflects on the past and paves a way forward, preaching strength through mindfulness and self-sustaining community. – Apple Music
Background[]
On August 9, 2021, Fiasco announced of creating an album within 24 hours.[3] The process ended up taking three days, where he explained, "I really tried to do it in one day, but I almost died, so I was like, 'I need to sleep, I need to eat, I need to rest my voice.'" It was self-recorded in its entirety, with no pre-written verses, on GarageBand with a $100 USB microphone in his living room.[4][5] He modelled it after Nas' debut studio album, Illmatic, with the track listing. He only did around 3-4 songs on the first day, and the following day got through another quarter. He believed "On Faux Nem" was the last record he did on the third and final day, and counted the songs on Illmatic, noting that there was an intro, so he was finished. During this time, Soundtrakk nearly passed away from COVID-19, so Fiasco decided to create as much music as he could with the producer.[6]
Concerning the genre of drill itself, he told The Ringer, "I don't want to make drill music. I can do it, and I can do it very well, and I could probably sell a bunch of records doing it. But it's not something that I want to do. Ethically, I don't want to do that. Professionally? I'll do it. But personally, ethically, spiritually, intellectually, it doesn't really interest me. And it's no shot at the concept or the construct of what those [genres] are. And it's not even moral in terms of what they represent—I have a critique of drill music for its content because it actually gets people killed, not 'I have something wrong with people talking about killing people.' If that was the case, then I'd have the same critique of The Matrix, or Rambo."[7] He said to HipHopDX, "I wish that drill shit was entertainment. […] When I hear Pop Smoke, I didn't hear no entertainment to that shit. That shit was fun, it was catchy, but, dang, n****. We have a problem in New York. We have a problem in London. We have a problem in L.A. We got a problem in Chicago. We got a problem in Atlanta. We got a problem in Texas. We not supposed to be dancing to the shit, man, you feel me? This is different. And the only reason I care so much is these n****s is 13, 14."[8]
This concern has also been vocalized back in 2012, where Fiasco named Chief Keef as someone who scared him. He elaborated, "Not him specifically, but just the culture that he represents. […] The murder rate in Chicago is skyrocketing and you see who's doing it and perpetrating it, they all look like Chief Keef. I understand where he came from, and I understand his struggle and I'm not [mad] at him, I'm [mad] at the place that he came from and that places like that still exist and incubate that mentality... When you're at high schools speaking to students, telling 'em how to survive the summer, and you turn on the radio and you hear that? You like, 'Aw nah.'" He told Financial Times, "My brother was a high-ranking gang member. I have friends that are Vice Lords, so I get it. But drill scares me because I know what happens at the end of that road: most of you are going to die. We need these drill rappers to live longer, because we need their intellect out in the world. Don't throw away your lives or your talent by being forced into unsafe situations. As consumers, I believe we need to do a better job of telling them that."[9] The song "On Faux Nem" specifically examines gun violence and the impact it has in rap music.[10] On March 2, 2023, Fiasco attended a panel discussion at Harvard that focused on drill music and its impact on culture and society.[11]
Release and promotion[]
On May 18, 2022, Fiasco notified fans the official release date for June 24, and unveiled the album's artwork. The next day he released "Autoboto" as the record's lead single, featuring Chicago-based singer Nayirah. He added (perhaps unintentionally) that the release day, '24,' refers to Kobe Bryant's jersey number.[12] The title track "Drill Music in Zion" was released on June 16, described by Earmilk as "cinematic jazz" and highlights his genre intersection between jazz and rap.[13]
Drill Music in Zion was made available for digital download on June 24, 2022, while the physical release has been set for August 26, 2022, in CD, black vinyl, and indie-retail exclusive blue vinyl formats.[14] On February 25, 2023, he announced the launch of the reinterpreted merchandise, 'Motherland Grand Prix de Afrique/Zion Oil' to pre-order, along with the album being available to purchase in CD format on his website. The clothing had a special yellow/gold edition made available exclusively for LFT holders. The collection has the tagline, "Who wins the race, when the Grand Prize is our resources?"[15] It can refer back to the fictitious drink advertised, which was uploaded to his YouTube channel on June 23, 2022. It declared the '100% Pure Nigerian Bonny Light - Made in Oloibiri,' since 1956. It was made in awareness of the harmful impacts of petroleum industries, particularly in Nigeria, where Bonny Light oil is found. The message reads as follows:
Crude Oil has been described as complex mixture of over 600 potentially different hydrocarbons and metals.
It has the potential to elicit multiple types of toxic effects such as acute lethal toxicity, sub-lethal chronic toxicity or both depending on the exposure, dosage and the organism exposed.
Some Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon components of petroleum have the potential to bio-accumulate within susceptible aquatic organisms and [bypass] by tropic transfer in other levels of the food chain.
Hence exposure to crude oil through oil spillages, and activities of the petroleum industries and vandalization can cause very serious environmental pollution.
Crude oil is taken orally in many oil producing communities of Nigeria for the "laxative effect" or a general antidote "against poisonous substances" and witchcraft.
69% of the populace of four local governments in Akwa Ibom and Cross rivers state of southern Nigeria use crude oil and other petroleum distillates in treatment of ailments.
Lack of adequate health institutes, personnel, and facilities to provide quality care lends itself to the reliance of crude oil for treatment of ailments.
There are reported cases of misuse of crude oil by individuals as it is known to be used liberally by some of the indigenes who believe that it can repel witches when applied by oral administration or topically on affected individuals.
Also it is used for unorthodox treatment of ailments such as stomach aches, diarrhea, respiratory distress and convulsion.[16]
Singles[]
Drill Music in Zion was supported by two singles. The first single, "Autoboto," was released on May 19, 2022. It features Nayirah, who is a fellow member of the Society of Spoken Art. On the song, Fiasco embraces his alter ego, Carrera Lu, who is described as the "anti-Lupe Fiasco," acting ostentatious and favoring luxury cars. The accompanying music video, directed by Djay Brawner, premiered on July 7, which has Fiasco drive around Chicago in his Porsche. The title track, "Drill Music in Zion," was released as the album's second single on June 16, 2022.
| Title | Date | Note | |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
"Autoboto" | May 19, 2022 | Single |
|
"Drill Music in Zion" | June 16, 2022 | |
Title and artwork[]
While the album title derives from a random freestyle ('My next album is gonna sound like it's drill music in Zion'), the meaning is credited to his sister.[17] Fiasco told SiriusXM in an interview, "The best definition of the title was actually from my sister." The inspiration was taken from the 2003 sequel film, The Matrix Reloaded, where he mentioned, "There's a scene […] where they're in Zion […] That place is a sanctuary away from all the agents and other stuff. But there's a scene in there and the whole arc of the movie the robots have found a way to drill down in Zion. So they finally found it and maybe it's Matrix 2 there's a scene where they're all standing in Zion and it's all quiet then all of a sudden you see pieces of the ceiling fall and it's this whole epic scene."[18][19]
He informed Okayplayer, "it's not meant to be a "drill music" album. In some cases, it's not even an album about drill music. There's songs on the album that reference drill music in a certain direct way, but the album was never meant to mislead people into thinking that it was an album of either me doing drill music or an album about drill music."[17]
Similar to Tetsuo & Youth, the cover art is one of his paintings, and resembles a drill.[20] It originates from his "War Bonnet" series, which references Indigenous headdresses and was displayed at Art Basel.[21]
Critical reception[]
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Album of the Year | 78/100 |
| AnyDecentMusic? | 6.6/10 |
| Metacritic | 79/100 |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   |
| Clash | 7/10 |
| Exclaim! | 7/10 |
| HipHopDX | 4.1/5 |
| Pitchfork | 6.8/10 |
| Sputnikmusic | 3.9/5 |
| The Line of Best Fit | 7/10 |
| The Observer |  |
Drill Music in Zion received generally favorable reviews from contemporary music critics. At Metacritic, the album received a score of 79 out of 100, based on 8 critic reviews.[22] The album was rated a 6.6 out of 10 on the aggregator AnyDecentMusic?,[23] and on Album of the Year (AOTY), has an average rating of 78 out of 100.[24]
AllMusic's David Crone called it "a third gem in the post-T&Y crown," while Atwood Magazine's Josh Weiner said, "Lupe Fiasco channeled "wabi-sabi"—the perfection of imperfection—for this quickly compiled LP" and concluded, "[was] impressively focused and lyrically intricate."[25][26] Riley Wallace of HipHopDX praised, "With no filler or fluff, this album is bound to satisfy those who like their bars bountiful and Lupe Fiasco in peak form."[27] The Line of Best Fit writer Josh Herring was more critical, stating it was "strong but weighed down by its heavy message and repetitive structure, ultimately highlighted by lengthy runtimes."[28]
Clash editor Nick Annan remarked of how Fiasco delivered his message through "an emotionally controlled, thought-provoking display of virtuosic lyricism" seen on all of his works, where the track "Kiosk" in particular moved "between conscious rap" and utilized the "upper register of his voice."[29] The Observer's Damien Morris said, "Borrowing 10 beats from inventive producer Soundtrakk's vault, Lupe tries out different flows with varying success." He opined, "Rush recording can be an excuse to coast on the fumes of creative fire, but it's brought a welcome looseness to Lupe's music […] this is a blessedly short and often enjoyable trip through his mazy mind."[30] Peter Berry of Pitchfork's review was mixed, where he praised the lyrical work. He continued that Fiasco "leans into his strengths early on, and it saves him from the trap of monotony, convolution, and self-seriousness" and that it was his most cohesive work, but not adventurous.[31] Vernon Ayiku from Exclaim! noted, "Still a master wordsmith whose pen can go head-to-head with hip-hop's greats, Lupe is as sharp as ever, delivering his signature thought-provoking lyricism without coming across as too preachy […] it is his most accessible album in seven years."[32]
Engineer Craig Bauer declared in January 2022, "The new @lupefiasco record is Rap Album of the year. Nah. Decade. If you don't feel something after listening to this…. You may want to check your pulse." He also said it was "the best rap album I've ever mixed" back in November 2021. Producer Soundtrakk called the album "absolutely mind blowing" and "utter genius" in November 2021.[33] Vibe named the top five songs to be "Ms. Mural," "Ghoti," "Precious Things," "Seattle," and "Drill Music in Zion," while HipHopDX added Fiasco to their 2022 "Best Comeback" list.[34] The LP was added to year-end lists, including for RIFF (#3), Complex (#18), and Okayplayer (#18).[35] XXL remarked, "Though completed in short time frame, the project doesn't feel rushed, which is aided by the over by the jazz-centric vibe of the offering […] is further evidence that despite his seemingly waning mainstream appeal, the Chicago rapper is still one helluva artist.[36]
Listicles[]
| Publication | List | Rank | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ambrosia for Heads | "The 15 Best Rap Albums of 2022" | Placed | |
| Complex | "The Best Albums of 2022" | 18
|
|
| HipHopDX | "Best Hip Hop Albums of 2022" | Honorable Mention | |
| Okayplayer | "22 Best Albums of 2022" | 18
|
|
| RIFF | "67 Best Albums of 2022" | 3
|
|
| The Needle Drop | "Top 50 Albums of 2022" | 24
|
|
| XXL | "Best Hip-Hop Projects of 2022" | Placed |
Track listing[]
All tracks written by Wasalu Jaco, except "The Lion's Deen" written by Ayesha Jaco. All tracks produced by Lupe Fiasco and Soundtrakk.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The Lion's Deen" (featuring Ayesha Jaco) | 2:35 |
| 2. | "Ghoti" | 1:51 |
| 3. | "Autoboto" (featuring Nayirah) | 4:30 |
| 4. | "Precious Things" (featuring Nayirah) | 4:21 |
| 5. | "Kiosk" | 3:42 |
| 6. | "Ms. Mural" | 5:33 |
| 7. | "Naomi" | 2:58 |
| 8. | "Drill Music in Zion" | 4:32 |
| 9. | "Seattle" (featuring Nayirah) | 5:16 |
| 10. | "On Faux Nem" | 5:39 |
| Total length: | 40:57 | |
Notes
- "Naomi" features background vocals by Crystal Torres.
- "Autoboto" features background vocals by Bennie D.
- "Ms. Mural" features background vocals by Trumaine Jordan.
Sample credits
- "Ghoti" contains a sample of "CB#5," performed by Ralph Vargas and Carlos Bess.
- "Ms. Mural" contains elements of "And That's Saying a Lot," performed by Christine Perfect.
Charts[]
| Chart (2022) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK R&B Albums (OCC) | 26
|
References[]
- ↑ Findlay, Mitch (August 12, 2021). "Lupe Fiasco Has Made His "Illmatic"". HotNewHipHop.
- ↑ Coleman II, C. (July 14, 2022). "Lupe Fiasco Gives a Deeper Meaning to His Music, Mindset and Martial Arts". XXL.
- ↑ "Lupe Fiasco Announces That He's Making a 10 Song Album in 24 Hours". August 9, 2021. HipHop-N-More.
- ↑ "Lupe Fiasco (@LupeFiasco)". Twitter. June 28, 2022.
- ↑ "Lupe Fiasco (@LupeFiasco)". Twitter. July 6, 2022.
- ↑ "1 on 1Hood with Lupe Fiasco". YouTube. November 30, 2022.
- ↑ Thompson, Paul (August 2, 2022). ""Rappers Don't Fall Off": Lupe Fiasco on Aging in Hip-Hop, Drill Music, and the Audience". The Ringer.
- ↑ Cummings-Grady, Mackenzie (July 16, 2022). "Lupe Fiasco Wishes Drill Music Was Just Entertainment: 'They Telling the Truth'". HipHopDX.
- ↑ Hobbs, Thomas (May 19, 2022). "Rapper Lupe Fiasco: 'It's My Job to Shine Light and Expose the Dark Side'". Financial Times.
- ↑ Braboy, Mark (December 19, 2022). "Here Are the 25 Best Chicago Hip-Hop and R&B Albums of 2022". The Triibe.
- ↑ "Generation Drill: Violence, Art, and the Future of Hiphop". YouTube. March 2, 2023.
- ↑ "Lupe Fiasco (@LupeFiasco)". Twitter. May 19, 2022.
- ↑ Odutola, Tayo (June 23, 2022). "Lupe Fiasco's "Drill Music in Zion" Is a Discourse on Capitalism and Nihilism". Earmilk.
- ↑ "Lupe Fiasco (@Lupe Fiasco)". Twitter. February 25, 2023.
- ↑ "DMIZ ⚡ Motherland Grand Prix". LFT Crew. Retrieved February 25, 2023.
- ↑ "Drink Zion! #LFDMIZ". YouTube. June 23, 2022.
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 Turner-Williams, Jaelani (June 24, 2022). "Lupe Fiasco Is on to His Next Chapter". Okayplayer.
- ↑ "Lupe Fiasco Discusses Inspiration for New Album, 'Drill Music in Zion'". YouTube. July 11, 2022.
- ↑ Caldwell, Brandon (July 9, 2022). "Lupe Fiasco Reveals the Multiple Meanings Behind 'Drill Music in Zion' Title". HipHopDX.
- ↑ "Lupe Fiasco on Fine Art, Owning His Masters, Juneteenth, + Drill Music in Zion". YouTube. June 23, 2022.
- ↑ "Lupe Fiasco (@LupeFiasco)". Twitter. November 16, 2022.
- ↑ "Drill Music in Zion by Lupe Fiasco" | Metacritic
- ↑ "Drill Music in Zion by Lupe Fiasco Reviews" | AnyDecentMusic?
- ↑ "Lupe Fiasco - Drill Music in Zion" | Album of the Year
- ↑ Crone, David (June 24, 2022). "Drill Music in Zion Review by David Crone". AllMusic.
- ↑ Weiner, Josh (July 25, 2022). "Our Take: Lupe Fiasco Goes Jazzy, Stays Provocative on 'Drill Music in Zion'". Atwood Magazine.
- ↑ Wallace, Riley (June 23, 2022). "Lupe Fiasco 'Drill Music in Zion' Reflects on the Ills of the Industry with Impeccable Lyricism". HipHopDX.
- ↑ Herring, Josh (June 24, 2022). "Lupe Fiasco "Drill Music in Zion"". The Line of Best Fit.
- ↑ Annan, Nick (June 23, 2022). "Lupe Fiasco – Drill Music In Zion". Clash.
- ↑ Morris, Damien (June 26, 2022). "Lupe Fiasco: Drill Music in Zion Review – Enjoyable Trip Through a Mazy Mind". The Guardian.
- ↑ Berry, Peter (July 7, 2022). "Drill Music in Zion". Pitchfork.
- ↑ Ayiku, Vernon (June 28, 2022). "Lupe Fiasco Preaches Without Being Preachy on 'Drill Music in Zion'". Exclaim!
- ↑ Bustard, Andy (January 7, 2022). "Lupe Fiasco's Upcoming Project Hailed As 'Rap Album of the Decade' by Kanye West Engineer". HipHopDX.
- ↑ Brown, Preezy (June 30, 2022). "5 Best Songs from Lupe Fiasco's 'Drill Music in Zion' Album to Keep on Replay". Vibe.
- ↑ "Lupe Fiasco - Drill Music in Zion" | Album of the Year
- ↑ 36.0 36.1 "Here Are the Best Hip-Hop Projects of 2022". XXL. December 13, 2022.
- ↑ "The 15 Best Rap Albums of 2022". Ambrosia Heads. December 20, 2022.
- ↑ "The Best Albums of 2022". Complex. December 1, 2022.
- ↑ "Best Hip Hop Albums of 2022 - Nominees". HipHopDX. December 8, 2022.
- ↑ "Okayplayer's 22 Best Albums of 2022". Okayplayer. December 20, 2022.
- ↑ "The 67 Best Albums of 2022: 10-1". RIFF. December 3, 2022.
- ↑ "Top 50 Albums of 2022". YouTube. December 24, 2022.
External links[]
- Drill Music in Zion on Apple Music
- Drill Music in Zion on YouTube
- Drill Music in Zion on SoundCloud
- Drill Music in Zion on Spotify
- Drill Music in Zion on Amazon Music
- Drill Music in Zion on Tidal
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