Wikipedia

Lupe Fiasco

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 84.12.242.226 (talk) at 12:17, 9 October 2006. The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Wasalu Muhammad Jaco (born on February 17th, 1981 in Chicago, Illinois) known by the stage name Lupe Fiasco (pronounced LOO-pay) is an African-American rapper. Growing up, Wasalu had the nickname of "Lu", the last part of his first name. The "Lupe" portion is an extension of this nickname, which he borrowed from the name of a Colombian friend from school. The "Fiasco" portion came from him simply looking at the song "Firm Fiasco" from the album by the rap group The Firm and liking the way the 'fiasco' looked on paper. [1]

Lupe Fiasco
File:Lupe Fiasco - Touch The Sky (Mixtape).jpg
Lupe Fiasco on a 2006 mixtape cover after releasing "Touch the Sky" with Kanye West
Background information
OriginChicago, Illinois
Years active2001 – present

Career

Early Years

Lupe has previously been on label Epic with his group,"Da Pak", and then signed a solo deal with Arista Records. His years at Arista only led to the 2003 promo single "Pop Pop" as well as guest appearances on singles from Tha' Rayne (2002's "Kiss Me" and 2003's "Didn't You Know") and K Fox (2003's "This Life"), then Arista folded in 2004 and Lupe was signed to Atlantic Records. Jay-Z, emcee and current president of Def Jam Records, was so impressed with Lupe that he offered to sign him to Def Jam records (around the time of The Blueprint & The Black Album), but Lupe declined, having already started 1st and 15th. Jay-Z decided to assist him in the production of his album. [2]

Fahrenheit 1/15 and Food & Liquor

Lupe has released three mixtapes, titled Fahrenheit 1/15: Part I, II, & III', and has been featured on songs and mixtapes with Fort Minor, such as "Spraypaint" featuring Ghostface Killah. Lupe was also featured on Rise of the Phynx: The Mixtape where he and Jet Phynx rap over Gorillaz's songs "Feel Good INC.", and "Kids With Guns". These mixtapes and his guest verse on fellow Chicagoan Kanye West's "Touch the Sky", his first brush with mainstream, created an underground buzz and much anticipation for his debut album, Food & Liquor, on Atlantic Records in fall 2006. The album, which was scheduled to be released on June 27, 2006, was released on the internet as an unfinished and unmastered album and was heavily bootlegged months before its release date. Many fans were impressed with the leaked version even though it was incomplete. [3] The leak and continued delay furthered anticipation, landing Lupe on the covers of The Fader magazine and Billboard Magazine; Fiasco also headlined the 2006 MLS All-Star Game halftime show on August 5. [4] On April 18, 2006, he released the first single off the album, titled "Kick Push", which showcased his interest in skateboarding. There are also videos for his songs "I Gotcha" and "Daydreamin'" as well as for "Failure". The album was eventually released in the United States on September 19, 2006. There were complications with totaling the amount of sales with SoundScan(due to Best Buy not having the numbers ready for SoundScan). He sold nearly 57,000 units in his first week - not enough to be considered a success considering the amount of promotion and internet buzz he had generated. He has recently been nominated for an mtvU "Breaking Woodie" award.

Endorsements

In January 2006, Lupe signed with major footwear and apparel corporation, RBK, also known as Reebok. The relationship between the two began when reps from the brand saw photos of Lupe wearing a cap from their skateboarding line, DGK in the Chicago Tribune. When the two came into contact, Fiasco asked for some DGK products on the strength that he advertised for the brand. [citation needed] The company looked at the hype surrounding his name, his relationship with the director of Global Marketing for RbK International, and the fact that he was a sneaker enthusiast. [citation needed] Soon after, Lupe was invited to a few of the parties the company had thrown. [citation needed] The deal was a major accomplishment for the Chicago native, considering that apart from the other musicians on the Reebok roster, he was the only person to have not had an album released. Lupe was then tapped to be a part of the "O.G" marketing campaign, where Hip Hop artists such as Lil' Wayne and Mike Jones all designed their own personal colorway of the Reebok "O.G" model. [citation needed] He designed a white/grey model of the shoe, which is currently sold in footwear stores in malls across the world. Lupe and the rest of O.G. artists now grace magazine ads and billboards across the world.

Radio

In early 2006, Lupe and personal friend/hypeman Dusean Bishop G Dunbar started up FNF Radio, a college radio show broadcast online from WIIT, a college radio station located at the Illinois Institute of Technology. The show is reported to have, on average, close to 6,000 listeners a night. The music featured on the show is mostly hip-hop and many of the songs played are either his own, of the artists on his label "1st and 15th", personal favorites, or gag records. In between playing music, discussions are held on issues ranging from politics, music, sports, entertainment, etc. Also, 45 minutes into the show, a contest called the "freshen up package" is held where three questions are made up, and the first person to call in with the correct answers successfully, wins the prize(s). In the past prizes have ranged from clothing packages, skateboarding items, CD's, etc. FNF radio is scheduled to air every Monday at 11:00 pm EST. Currently, the show is on a hiatus. [citation needed]

Personal life

Lupe began to rap when he was in the 8th grade, but began to pursue it fully when he turned 17. He is highly influenced by Crucial Conflict and Nas among others. Lupe regards It Was Written as one of his favorite albums and cites it as his primary source inspiration. For instance, when asked of his influences in an interview with AllHipHop.com, Lupe stated the following: "You know I really tried to go back and recreate [Nas’] It Was Written, you know what I'm saying like that? [I would play] It Was Written and then I would play my album, and it was like, ‘Do we got [this] record, do we got that record?’" [1]

In a following interview with Nobody Smiling:

NobodySmiling.com : Now you’ve said many times that your album is modeled after ‘It Was Written,’ and a lot of people wouldn’t admit that because a lot people would be like He’s biting or whatever. So why do you feel so comfortable admitting that? Lupe Fiasco : Cause it’s a classic. Like, people study-you study the masters, you know what I’m saying? Everybody that’s rapping studied someone to learn how to rap. They had a rapper who was they favorite rapper that they wanted to be like and wanted to rap like, know what I’m saying? For me, I just look at it like I studied a master piece. I modeled my album after a master piece; and not song for song; not line for line; not beat for beat. It was more-for me it was like mood for mood. The way he set the mood on that album to me was just like incredible. And at the time in my life-like, I fell in love with ‘It Was Written’ when I was seventeen, eighteen-a very impressionable time-so I was like I love that album. That’s my favorite Hip Hop album, so it’s like why not base your album on ‘It Was Written?’

[2]

Lupe is also a big fan of Tupac Shakur. This was evident on the Ellen DeGeneres Show when Lupe was seen wearing a Makaveli-Branded shirt, while performing "Touch The Sky" with Kanye West.

Lupe has been open about his Islamic faith, showcasing it in his critically acclaimed underground remix of friend and collaborator Kanye West's "Jesus Walks", entitled "Muhammad Walks". He has noted the importance of religion in his life, stating, "Well, I was born Muslim, so Islam plays a part in my everything I do, to a certain extent ... I don't go to clubs, I don't drink, I don't smoke, you know like my whole – the whole groupie situation is shut down." [5] For example, the lettering of "Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor" on the cover art of Food & Liquor is stylized to look like that of Arabic and/or Farsi caligraphy.

According to an interview with Nobody Smilin [6]

Lupe is open about his fascination with Japanese culture, citing A Bathing Ape founder, Nigo, as his idol. He is a big fan of anime, using a video clip from Tetsujin 28-go in the "Gotcha!" music video, and referencing Lupin the 3rd in the track 'Touch the Sky.'

Lupe is also known for his involvement in the "streetwear" culture, and writes a blog on Hypebeast.com, an online magazine that updates daily with information on the happenings within the streetwear culture. He frequently shows supports for brands such as LMAC, DPMHI, Clot, Dekoi and Artful Dodger. He also has been known to post on the Hypebeast.com forum. [citation needed]

Discography

Mixtapes
Featured
CD Singles/Promo CDs
Studio Albums

Singles

Year Title Chart Positions Album
US R&B/Hip-Hop UK
2003 "Pop Pop" - - Promo Single only
2003 "Didn't You Know" (Tha Rayne featuring Lupe Fiasco & Joe Budden) 75 - Reign Supreme
2006 "Kick, Push" 79 27 Food & Liquor
2006 "Touch the Sky" (Kanye West featuring Lupe Fiasco) 34 6 Late Registration
2006 "Daydreamin'" (featuring Jill Scott) - 25 Food & Liquor
2006 "I Gotcha" TBR - Food & Liquor

Notes

  1. ^ Fruchter, Alexander. "Soundslam Interviews - Lupe Fiasco". SoundSlam. Retrieved 2006-07-12.
  2. ^ "NobodySmiling.com Lupe Fiasco". NobodySmiling.
  3. ^ Sawjani, Archna (2006). "Lupe Fiasco: Leaks & Patches". AllHipHop.com. Retrieved 2006-07-26. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |year= (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)CS1 maint: year (link)
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference MLS was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Jigsaw (2006). "Lupe Fiasco: Revenge of the Hip-Hop Nerd". AllHipHop.com. Retrieved 2006-07-26. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |year= (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)CS1 maint: year (link)
  6. ^ "Lupe Fiasco Interview with NobodySmiling". NobodySmiling.


Interviews
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lupe_Fiasco&oldid=80402909"