“Food & Liquor 2: The Great American Album Pt. 1” is Lupe Fiasco at his core — controversial, intelligent and unapologetic. In the first installment of Food & Liquor, the rapper introduced himself as a cheeky skateboarder with an affinity for urban culture. But he soon lost his appeal with the release of his third effort: a synthy, pop-centric L.A.S.E.R.S. However, his fourth coming medicates his past regressions as the Chicago-bred rapper brashly relays political and socially charged messages over well-produced tracks, with lyrics saturated in complexity and significance. In “ITAL,” arguably the most poignant tune, Lupe defends his position as a herald and refuses to stop until he sees change. The only critique of the 17-track album is that some songs are dismissible and disturb the mood, but others remedy the minor quip by being worthy of non-stop replay.

Grade: A-