Old School Love

In February 2013, English singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran said that he was working in the studio with Lupe Fiasco. He told pressparty, "We have the same A&R in America and he just gave me about seven beats and said write choruses to all of these beats. Lupe loved one of them and is going to hop on it. I'm a massive Lupe Fiasco fan, so it's cool."[1] On October 9, 2013, Fiasco announced that the first single from his fifth studio album Tetsuo & Youth, would be a song featuring Ed Sheeran titled "Old School Love". Along with releasing the cover artwork for the single, he revealed it would be released to iTunes on October 14, 2013.[2]

In the song, Fiasco professes his love for old-school hip hop through his lyrics, as Ed Sheeran sings the soulful, laid-back hook.[3][4] Fiasco's lyrics reflect the changes hip-hop has gone through since the 1980s and 1990s, relating hip hop's loss of innocence to the crime and struggle currently plaguing his hometown Chicago.[5] Also, Fiasco gives reasons for his move from making political music and "runs through hip-hop's roots and gently critiques the present" era of hip hop.[6] Additionally, he references The Fat Boys, Melle Mel and pre-Law & Order Ice-T.[7] The DJ Frank E production is backed by a spare R&B-tinged, melodic piano-based instrumental.[3][5][8] Multiple publications such as Billboard and the Chicago Tribune compared its production sound to Kanye West's "Family Business" from West's debut album The College Dropout.[9][10][11] XXL referred to the song as a "sticky sweet ballad."[12]

Chris Payne of Billboard praised the song's crossover appeal.[9] John Sakamoto of The Toronto Star said, the "song's affection is old-school hip-hop, which means this smooth, frictionless ballad is 4 1/2 minutes of pure nostalgia."[13]

The song's music video was directed by Coodie & Chike and filmed with Ed Sheeran in New York City. Coodie & Chike finished the video in Lupe Fiasco's hometown Chicago. It was premiered on December 9, 2013 on MTV.[14]