Lupe Fiasco's HOUSE is a lyrically laden project that puts the Chicago MCs talent back where it should be: on a pedestal. Kaelin Ellis handles production duties on the EP while Virgil Abloh features on most the album as a narrator. On the song "Shoes," each of these three artists bring their best to the table.
"Shoes" finds Lupe rapping over a somber yet hopefully instrumental. A nostalgic horn guides the track as stomping percussions give the beat a steady marching feel. Lupe raps about shoes, and standing in line to get them for the first time. As the genius he is, he finds ways to tie shoes and the ongoing conversation about police brutality into one topic. Abloh's narration through the chorus, and the outro, serves as a direct connection to the world of shoes, and he bridges the gap between art and pain.
Quotable Lyrics
I get applause as I step outside the pop-up
The shop resembles the unfinished house he was in before they shot us
We fell down, then we got up
Picked Pac up, picked Nip up
This is the type of tripping that scuff kicks up
Traditionally creases was a style to refuse
But now they represent every mile in your shoes
Any mud on your sole gets toweled and removed