Samurai (Lupe Fiasco album)

Samurai
Studio album by Lupe Fiasco
Released	June 28, 2024 (2024-06-28)
Genre	Hip hop jazz rap
Length	30:53
Label	1st & 15th Thirty Tigers
Producer	Charles "Chilly" Patton (exec.) Lupe Fiasco (exec.) Soundtrakk
Lupe Fiasco chronology
Drill Music in Zion (2022) Samurai (2024)
Singles from Samurai
"Samurai" Released: May 17, 2024 "Cake" Released: June 7, 2024

Samurai is the ninth studio album by American hip hop recording artist Lupe Fiasco, released on June 28, 2024, through 1st & 15th and Thirty Tigers. The production was handled solely by Soundtrakk, who previously produced Drill Music in Zion (2022). The album was supported by the singles "Samurai" and "Cake", with a music video issued for each. Inspired by the life and legacy of British singer Amy Winehouse, Fiasco created the concept of her becoming a battle rapper.

Background

At his Coachella performance in April 2024, Fiasco announced his latest album would be coming out that summer. He shared in a press release that the album's title 'Samurai' means "to serve," where he identified it as "you need to be at the service of other people, either in the overall community, or in this instance, the rap community at large that I've been a part of for years."

The same day as the release of his lead single and title track, "Samurai," he announced his album will drop on June 28th. He named it to be his "most personal album to date," and was inspired by a quote from one of his favorite artists, where Winehouse told her producer Salaam Remi, "I keep coming out with battle raps and they're just pouring out of me. Like Wu-Tang stuff, but really neat, very beautifully alliterated little battle raps. So next time you wanna come for me and have a battle rap-off, I'm gonna kill you. Because I’m a samurai." The album's second single, "Cake", was released on June 7, 2024. This followed by a music video for the song, "No. 1 Headband", released the same day as the album.

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Clash	8/10

Jazmin Kylene, writing for Clash, stated: "Keeping us well-fed and in constant questioning, there is no doubt Lupe Fiasco is fulfilling his purpose and artistic servitude every time he obliges to step back into the dojo."

Track listing

All tracks are written by Wasalu Jaco. All tracks produced by Soundtrakk.

No.	Title	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Samurai"	Soundtrakk Kush Baby[a]	3:14
2.	"Mumble Rap"	Soundtrakk	4:15
3.	"Cake"	Soundtrakk Kush Baby[a]	3:22
4.	"Palaces"	Soundtrakk Nicolaus Isaiah[a] Trumaine Jordan[a]	3:45
5.	"No. 1 Headband"	Soundtrakk Brian L. Brown[a] Kush Baby[b]	4:23
6.	"Bigfoot"	Soundtrakk APB[a] Nicolaus Isaiah[a] Trumaine Jordan[a]	3:45
7.	"Outside"	Soundtrakk Kush Baby[a]	4:14
8.	"Til Eternity"	Soundtrakk	3:55
Total length:			30:53

Notes

• ^{^[a]} signifies a co-producer.
• ^{^[b]} signifies an additional producer.

Personnel

Credits for Samurai adapted from Tidal.

• Dakari Patton – artwork
• Lupe Fiasco – executive producer, vocals, writer, engineer
• Chilly – executive producer, management, mixing
• Soundtrakk – producer, drum programming, keyboards, harp, strings, arrangement
• Joey Fernandez – mastering
• Abel Garabaldi – mixing
• Crystal Torres – trumpet, flute, flugelhorn
• Greg "GregB" Brookshire – bass guitar
• Jameel "JProof" Roberts – saxophone
• Kush Baby – co-producer, programming, synths
• Yuki Tasaka – mixing
• Nicolaus Isaiah – co-producer, drum programming
• Trumaine Jordan – co-producer, drum programming
• Brian L. Brown – producer, electric piano
• Luv Moore – background vocals
• Lajé – background vocals
• Anthony "APB" Perkin – co-producer, keyboards, piano