Dear Lupe Fiasco,

Why aren’t you shielding Azealia Banks? Is it because her English is too broken? Is it because she chose to raise her spears up toward her arch nemesis, your forbidden fruit? These are the questions I asked myself as I listened to “Mural,” with an ear that has been chasing an orgasm since “The Cool.”

I listened to that track, my soul felt full. It was the feeling it had as my sisters and I dropped everything to experience you in concert, adjacent from the Fisher Building years ago. We bobbed our heads and recited lyrics like scriptures with babies sitting on our shoulders. I had hoped for a long and prosperous relationship. I’m still waiting on Gemini to drop; no lie. Still.

A curse of the Hip Hop community is the debate of relevance and lyricism. Most of us have fallen into the trap of counting if said bank account has more than several zeros in front the decimal point. Oddly, given the fact, that Hip Hop arose out of the silence, brought on by societal, generational ills. POVERTY. But somehow, now if you ain’t got no money, inherently you should know to shut the F up. The irony of the creator of “Bitch Bad” referring to a young, black woman as an emotional bitch is oxymoronic. As humans, we’re layered. We’re like onions. You can hate liars and still be a cheater. Such is the complexity. But he has little sisters. That’s what he told Cipha Sounds and Rosenberg, when discussing the creation of the song. Are complexities defined by being unlike Farrakhan?

Firstly, the idea that one should be emotionless or that there is a minimum of emotion one should exert in spite of the classification of being human is absurd. Often times affection is slung around during an altercation with a woman to utterly and completely dismiss any thoughts of hers. Secondly, to believe that woman’s ability to express her emotions is anything other than her strength is preposterous. Lastly, to add that antiquated defense mechanism to virtual perpetuity is an exercise in futility.

The royal mistake, that many artists make, is that they discuss their differences and concerns on social media.  There are some great debaters, however, intention is often more debatable than the subject at hand. Given even the most talented learns a good jig, was such a conversation instigated solely to manipulate records sales? If the purpose is genuine, it would be nice if Lupe Fiasco and Azealia Banks could converse with each other offline with a candy dish full of liquorice. Thus, creating a platform for partnership to which Lupe the older cat can assist Azealia Banks in spreading the knowledge to her generation. You might find Azealia Banks picture next to the word braggadocio but she got mad flow with sublime originality.

Lupe’s album dropped on January 20, 2015. The first track I listened to was “Mural” and I thought Jesas; yes, this is what I’ve been waiting to, here again. The two should collaborate. That sort of high caliber of Hip Hop is worth arguing about, is worth mending fences for. Honestly, I believe ever word of “delivery” and “Haile Selassie,” so much that a duet would be application at its finest.

To the naked eye, it’s loud, emotional, spicy, mean and reckless. It’s a shaky process. Not to mention there is something that is birthed once the veil has been lifted. Whatever you want to call it, Azealia Banks has it.

Just in case you think I’m a Lupe hater, I wrote this review in 2008.

I just wish we had more allies.