Pitchfork

Lupe Fiasco falls asleep and wakes up a superstar on the excellent, Hype Williams-directed video for the Chicago rapper's latest single. In shots as quick and blinding as camera flashes, the "Superstar" clip shows stars, women in shiny dresses, luxury automobiles, and smoke-wreathed guest vocalist Matthew Santos belting out the hook. Fiasco strolls down the red carpet with ridiculous sunglasses on, like he's his pal Kanye West. "Well, your name ain't on the guest list, who brung you?/ You, the more famous person, you come through/ And the sexy lady next to you, you come, too," he rhymes, eventually ending up in a limo for the sing-song closing verse.

We previously said of the song: "Lupe Fiasco contemplates the nature of modern celebrity culture on 'Superstar', the first proper single from his forthcoming sophomore album The Cool. More serious and brooding, if less witty, than preceding 'street' single 'Dumb It Down', and with a more melodic hook, 'Superstar' looks at what we expect of stars in the TMZ age: 'If you are what you say you are, a superstar/ Have no fear, the camera's here,' sings Santos. There's some audience applause and a jittery beat, and some decent wordplay." (via Nah Right)

[from The Cool; due 12/18/07 on 1st & 15th/Atlantic]