The day before yesterday Lupe dropped a Thanksgiving Day mixtape entitled Enemy of the State (A Love Story). He reportedly released this body of work in response to MTV’s snub of omitting him from the 2009 Top MCs In The Game List AND from the Honorable Mention List. *Here’s the official list, by the way:
1. Jay-Z
2. Lil Wayne
3. Drake
4. Kanye West
5. Rick Ross
6. Gucci Mane
7. Young Jeezy
8. Fabolous
9. 50 Cent
10. Raekwon

When I first heard this I thought . . . “WHO CARES what MTV thinks, Lupe?? Taking steps in response to anything that an illegitimate entity does compromises your own legitimacy.” But then I read the ENTIRE interview, which has been abridged by most of the blogs that are making him out to be some type of attention hog. Here’s his statement about why he wants to make the list:

“For me, another part was ‘I gotta make that list because the kids have to see that you don’t have to do this to be successful.’ If you look at it and 90% of it is negative, it’s like we gotta have something positive on the list. That’s not taking shots at anybody. All those people are my homeboys, but if we come down to the nitty gritty and what’s effecting the streets, you got kids getting beat to death in the streets. You really have to take the responsibility to step up and be like, ‘I have to show my success. I have to work this hard. I have to be to be looked at as this top ranked dude and top ranked Emcee. It’s not because I want the glory and fame, but so kids can have a different role model or choice of role model.’ If we’re excluded from that, the top pop culture thing for Hip Hop is devoid of anything positive, oh naw, we got to go to work…”

After reading that, I saw where he was coming from, and I agreed. Anyway, we all know Lupe deserved a spot on that list over Rick Ross or Young Jeezy, but whatever. What do we expect from MTV? Gucci Mane?? Yeah, ok.

About the mixtape – It’s only 10 songs, three of which I already had from a few months ago. Either way, there are some really really good joints on there, and he definitely showcases his prowess. I’ve been convinced since this song–which for some reason never made it to any of his albums (click title and it will play). Lupe (Unreleased)

But here’s a jewel from the mixtape (click and it’ll play): All the Way Turnt Up