Lupe Fiasco: too Cool for fools

Hopefully this new Lupe Fiasco album means the end of mandatory skateboarding puns when talking about his music. Or at least name-dropping Kanye West. Lupe's maturing into his own artist now, and he's already begun to create songs addressing his position in the music industry: does he dumb it down for mainstream appeal, or blaze his own path?

As if you had to ask. Lupe's been promoting his new album The Cool as a dark, complex record to the press, so don't expect this one to go down easy.

The album arrives in stores Dec. 18, and a pre-order is going on right now at LupeFiasco.com. Early adapters (also known as The Cool kids) get an exclusive t-shirt.

Here's the track list:

1. Baba Says Cool For Thought
2. Free Chilly (feat. Sarah Green and Gemstones)
3. Go Go Gadget Flow
4. The Coolest
5. Superstar
6. Paris, Tokyo
7. Hi-Definition (feat. Snoop Dog and Pooh Bear)
8. Gold Watch
9. Hip-Hop Saved My Life (feat. Nikki Jean)
10. Intruder Alert (feat. Sarah Green)
11. Streets On Fire
12. Little Weapon (feat. Bishop G and Nikki Jean)
13. Gotta Eat
14. Dumb It Down (feat. Gemstones AND Graham Burris)
15. Hello/Goodbye (Uncool) (feat. UNKLE)
16. The Die (feat. Gemstones)
17. Put You On Game
18. Fighters (feat. Matthew Santos)
19. Go Baby (feat. Gemstones)