Fly International Luxurious Art
by Raekwon
Metascore
63

Generally favorable reviews - based on 17 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 17
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 17
  3. Negative: 0 out of 17
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  1. New Musical Express (NME)
    Apr 24, 2015
    80
    From thunderous Mafioso fable 'Live To Die' to A$AP Rocky-starring calypso riot 'I Got Money' via Snoop Dogg collab '1,2 1,2', the Chef's steely signature East Coast flow has seldom sounded more imperious.
  2. RapReviews.com
    May 19, 2015
    70
    1 and 2 and lack the incentive and inspiration even great rappers need to make great albums, but it's an impressive compendium of what Shallah Raekwon is capable of.
  3. AllMusic
    May 19, 2015
    70
    More fine than fierce, Fly International Luxurious Art may not be on the man's top shelf, but it's a sturdy and entertaining effort well worth its place in the Chef's catalog.
  5. Spin
    Apr 28, 2015
    70
    Rae is an absorbing enough writer to keep F.I.L.A. afloat. He does a good job of sizing up an unquantifiable horror: being too embedded to relinquish one’s bloodletting past ways.
  6. HipHopDX
    Apr 27, 2015
    70
    At times the style itself feels like a copy of Rae’s hits instead of an organic creation, but The Chef does a good job of balancing the radio-friendly Rap with material his diehard fans crave.
  7. The A.V. Club
    Apr 28, 2015
    67
    For all its unintended sonic drawbacks, Fly International Luxurious Art goes a long way to remind everyone of why Raekwon is one of the greatest to ever wield a microphone.
  8. Consequence
    Apr 24, 2015
    67
    What F.I.L.A. lacks in overt emotional content is made up for with the pleasure Raekwon takes in listing off his lavish purchases and seemingly constant jet-setting.
  9. XXL
    Apr 30, 2015
    60
    Raekwon’s passion and well-crafted rhymes show he’s still capable of creating high quality work as an MC, but F.I.L.A. is too disjointed to stand beside his best work.
  10. Q Magazine
    Apr 29, 2015
    60
    FILA is not his monumental debut, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx, but it maintains the revival in form that began with its 2009 sequel. [Jun 2015, p.111]
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  11. Boston Globe
    Apr 28, 2015
    60
    If a collaboration with Snoop Dogg, “1, 2 1, 2,” exceeds expectations, it also reflects this record’s flaw: It needs more Raekwon.
  12. Rolling Stone
    Apr 28, 2015
    60
    Some of the Nineties-style boom-bap beats sound a little on the cheap side, but this stands as a worthy addition to the decent-to-great output of Raekwon's past decade.
  13. The Observer (UK)
    Apr 27, 2015
    60
    As befits its messy gestation, it’s a patchy affair.
  14. Mojo
    Apr 24, 2015
    60
    His sixth solo offering is a surprisingly mainstream jolly. [May 2015, p.97]
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  15. Slant Magazine
    May 5, 2015
    50
    Fly International Luxurious Art maintains some level of general interest through a stacked guest list, with visitors as varied as Snoop Dogg, A$AP Rocky, Busta Rhymes, and 2 Chains, but none of them do more than distract from the overall atmosphere of paltry unevenness.
  16. Complex
    Apr 29, 2015
    50
    Fly International Luxurious Art is an often awkward and fumbling attempt to update Raekwon’s music.
  17. PopMatters
    May 19, 2015
    40
    While the monster-sized guest spots and lyrics about larger-than-life luxury were intended to give the album an international flavour, the result is merely one of boring homogeneity.
  18. NOW Magazine
    May 7, 2015
    40
    Rae is prepped and, in his own focused, deliberate way, amped, but the production and arrangements are generally uninspired.

User Reviews

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User Score
6.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 28 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 17 out of 28
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 28
  3. Negative: 2 out of 28
  1. BIGMAN22
    Mar 2, 2016
    5
    as much as i understand that raekwon wants to reach a broader audience he seems to be forgetting his core fanbase as well. the album isas much as i understand that raekwon wants to reach a broader audience he seems to be forgetting his core fanbase as well. the album is weighed down by too many guest appearances. not a problem, but as we noticed on his past works hes gotten stellar production as well as guests to rap side by side with, here most of them are like the production itself on a few songs are not really inspiring. seems on here raekwon has abandoned the production from his wu tang brothers and affiliates to more radio friendly sound. as a fan i will love his past works with wu and a few solo projects but this one will be forgettable.… Full Review »
  2. TheKuz
    Apr 15, 2019
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click full review link to view. The production on Fly International Luxurious Art is by far the worst of any Raekwon album. It holds the album down criminally... to the point of boredom.

    While there are some surprise features (A$AP Rocky, 2 Chainz, Snoop Dogg, and French Montana—though I'd prefer to remove French from that because he is starkly horrible), the production becomes rather annoying—actually moving into horrible at "F.I.L.A.." It shouldn't be hard to nod your head to a beat.

    Another thing that I dislike is how the beats and lyrical content don't seem to go together; they don't accord. I'll hear the beat and then the lyrics, and think, "This doesn't seem right, he picked the wrong beat."

    Raekwon's lyrics were something to listen for and definitely the only thing worth listening to. I was holding my breath as the album progressed, hoping and waiting for that extra edge of lyricism that he displays in all of his albums up to this and after. Something—maybe flow, maybe hunger—was slightly missing. I only got a vague taste of what I wanted at "Live to Die," and still, when the album concluded, I was left wishing for that cherry to top it off.

    This album is discernibly Raekwon's worst album, I'm regretful to say. I was glad to hear The Wild departed from Fly International Luxurious Art's worrying tangent.    … Full Review »
  3. BlackReeseBobby
    Aug 12, 2016
    7
    Don’t let the album features or the cover art deter you. This is a Raekwon the Chef album, sans a couple of tracks. Kudos to Rae for notDon’t let the album features or the cover art deter you. This is a Raekwon the Chef album, sans a couple of tracks. Kudos to Rae for not trying to emulate any other regional sounds on this album. This is some straight up, gritty, NYC, gutter, street hip hop….. sans a couple of tracks. I got 12 seconds in to the joint with Estelle and just couldn’t. The cut with Melanie Fiona was palatable until they Felicia Keys it up on the chorus. Aside from those 2 whiffs and couple more debatable tracks, very solid album. My favorite tracks 2, 3, 4, 8, & 10.… Full Review »
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