Lupe Fiasco

It's not often that an emcee drop names like Picasso, Nietzsche and Cornel West in conversation, but that's Lupe. His recent release, The Cool, is as ambitious as a hip-hop albums get, and tracks the story of a character named The Cool and his travels through the street game and rap world. It's part Nathaniel Hawthorne, part Jay-Z, so you have an excuse to be befuddled. For this Rhapsody exclusive, Lupe explains the story that is central to his brilliant new album.