Tuesday, October 30, 2007

A Political Fiasco

http://media.www.michigandaily.com/media/storage/paper851/news/2007/10/30/CampusLife/A.Political.Fiasco-3064933.shtml

A Political Fiasco
Rapper talks gay rights, hip hop and Hillary Clinton on steps of Grad
By Kimberly Chou, Daily Arts Editor on 10/30/07



Rapper Lupe Fiasco drew a crowd to the Diag yesterday. He rapped a few verses and took questions from the crowd.

Rapper Lupe Fiasco held court on the Diag yesterday, answering questions about politics, hip hop and homophobia.

"I make really good hip-hop music, Grammy-nominated hip-hop music, GQ-Man-of-the-Year hip-hop music," Fiasco said by way of introduction. "The opportunity-to-speak-to-y'all-in-the-Diag hip-hop music."

Fiasco spit a few verses - old and new material, with the crowd joining in occasionally - but told the 400-or-so gathered that he wasn't allowed to perform.

Students, many of whom saw the event advertised on Facebook.com and through e-mails, were able to get over the initial disappointment.

"I didn't know what to expect," said LSA sophomore Britney Rashleigh. "It's just good to see him, a celebrity in Ann Arbor - an African-American celebrity in Ann Arbor - and for everyone to come out."

At one point, a fan insisted on freestyling for Fiasco. Fiasco let the guy rap, though he joked, "You trying to take my shine, son."

But he then used him as an example. He said he wanted to listen to the wannabe rapper, saying that before current fame and fortune, Fiasco was just like him.

The event was sponsored by Atlantic Records's Urban College Network and the Michigan Chapter of Hip Hop Congress. The hip-hop star promoted his upcoming album The Cool.
Fiasco, whose real name is Wasalu Muhammad Jaco, took questions from the audience for about half an hour.

The questions were often pointed - not surprising for an outspoken artist known for the political content of his lyrics.

A fan who proclaimed himself to be "an openly gay man who loves hip hop" asked the rapper where he fell in the spectrum of hip-hop artists who have expressed contrasting views on homosexuality and the gay community.

He pledged support for gays, among other groups, because he said he supports anyone who faces discrimination.

Another asked who Fiasco was going to vote for in the 2008 presidential election.
Fiasco said he doesn't believe in voting, but he wants Hillary Clinton to win.

"I'm tired of men, ya'll," he said to cheers, "I think that a woman in charge of the most powerful nation in the world is going to empower so many women."

LSA senior Meagan Mirtenbaum, co-president of a student group promoting Arab-Jewish harmony, Bridge the Gap, asked Fiasco to perform and speak at a planned event next spring alongside Orthodox Jewish rapper Matisyahu.

"I think that was actually pretty ballsy to ask him to come perform with Matisyahu," said Business School junior Sasha Compere, a member of Encore, a University student dance group that performed at the event.

Mirtenbaum said she only found out on Sunday night that Fiasco was going to be speaking on the Diag but the group has been planning a way to hold a Matisyahu/Lupe Fiasco concert since early summer as part of a year of cross-community activities.

Fiasco eventually directed Mirtenbaum's invitation to his assistants, but not without his own questions first.

He joked about a price tag when she first asked him the question, then asked her about her nationality.

"I'm Jewish," Mirtenbaum said.
"How much money we talking?" Fiasco replied.
There were a few seconds of awkward laughter.
"Thanks for playing out the stereotypes," Mirtenbaum said.

Mirtenbaum said she wasn't offended by the jokes, but she said if Fiasco did accept the invite conditions of what would be "appropriate" fodder for humor would have to be clarified.

"I think he was making jokes the entire time so I didn't take it offensively," she said.
Jennifer Yin, a Business School senior and a college representative for Fiasco's record label, arranged the event.

"He's real, he's not going to hide anything in. He's not going to pretend like he's not going to offend anyone," she said. "I think he handled the questions very well. I think he's very respectful. That's who he is - that's the type of person he is."

- Daily News Editor Gabe Nelson contributed to this report.




Friday, October 26, 2007

Lupe Fiasco Brings 'The Cool' to A&T

http://media.www.ncatregister.com/media/storage/paper277/news/2007/10/24/ArtsLife/Lupe-Fiasco.Brings.the.Cool.To.At-3054983.shtml

Mike McCray
Issue date: 10/24/07

A single-file line wrapped around the inside of the Memorial Student Union Monday afternoon as Aggies waited patiently for Grammy nominated artist Lupe Fiasco.Lupe dropped by Aggieland for a meet and greet to promote his new album "The Cool" which is set to be released Dec. 18th.He explained the title of his album which is based off a character from the song "The Cool" on his debut album.Lupe also noted that this album would be a lot better than his first. He spoke about making classic music. "Time will decide if it's timeless or not," he said. "Dumb It Down" and "Superstar" are the first two singles to be released from the "The Cool" and look for more radio ready tracks with conscious lyricism.

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Brandon Howard

Brandon is a producer/singer out of Chicago
who is currently working on his project "Genesis".
He's made hits for
Marques Houston,
Brooke Valentine
and our very own Lupe Fiasco
(What it Do, Kick Push 2)!

His record "Crush" can be heard on
and be sure to check out his myspace for more music!!!

www.myspace.com/bhoward2

Post Done By KayCee
(who loves herself some B. Howard)

Hood Grown Magazine

http://www.hoodgrownonline.com/online/?p=227

Hip-hop music, once a platform for creative expression and friendly competition, has, sadly, become a popularity contest. With record sales down and ringtone dollars up, rookies searching for that “one big hit” seem solely concerned with being deemed “cool.” Lyrics have side-stepped, giving way to dance-instructing “rappers” more concerned with sparking the new “Macarena” than being hailed as an MC.

On the outside looking in at such followers is Lupe Fiasco. Rather than conform to music industry standards, Fiasco (born Wasalu Muhammad Jaco) has trail-blazed his own path to critical acclaim. Possessing head-spinning wordplay and a topical range more akin to the underground than the mainstream, the 25-year-old lyricist has proven that talent can still make waves in the rap game.

Born and raised in the seedy, confrontational West side of Chicago, Illinois, Fiasco grew up like the regular urban survivor. What wasn’t common, however, was the means by which he carried himself. Comic books and literature of all genres cluttered his bedroom floor, and a skateboard replaced your typical drop-top Cadillac. Influenced by the Californian gangsta rap of artists such as Spice 1 and Ice Cube, Fiasco gradually grew leery of such negative messages, gravitating toward the dazzling lyricism of the likes of Nas and Jay-Z.

In 2004, Fiasco signed with Atlantic Records – even launching his own company, 1st & 15th Entertainment – and began recording his debut, Lupe Fiasco’s Food & Liquor. Fiasco’s first major look came on fellow Chi-town native Kanye West’s hit single, “Touch The Sky,” where Fiasco delivered a show-stopping verse. The buzz gained from that song transitioned the gumshoe rapper into his first official solo single, the skateboard-meets-rap gem “Kick Push.” Inspired by his own quirky hobby, Fiasco delivered a metaphorical tale of uplift through the eyes of a thrashing, four-small-wheel riding skater boy.

Released to extensive critical lauding and media embrace in September of 2006, Lupe Fiasco’s Food & Liquor (executive produced by good friend, and one-time mentor, Jay-Z) set the stage for a career that promises longevity. As a result, Lupe landed a remarkable three Grammy nominations – including Best Rap Album, and Best Rap Solo Performance and Best Rap Song for “Kick Push.”

Now, ready to capitalize on such promise, Fiasco has returned with his second offering, Lupe Fiasco’s The Cool. A largely conceptual tour-de-force, the album’s title is inspired by a standout track from Fiasco’s debut, a hustler-turned-zombie epic also called “The Cool.” This time around, Fiasco introduces three new characters – Michael Young History (The Cool before his death), The Game (a male personification of a hustler’s damaging influences), and The Streets (a female embodiment of an urban area’s corrupt allure).

The potent sense of thematic execution comes across perfectly on “The Coolest,” a highlight of Lupe Fiasco’s The Cool that serves as a prelude to the earlier track, “The Cool.” Detailing Michael Young History’s fall from glory to tragedy at the hands of his lover, The Streets, Fiasco employs his unique brand of imagery: “If the rain stops and everything’s dry / She would cry so I could drink the tears from her eye.”

Elsewhere, Fiasco strays away from his characters to comment on his own rise to fame, an issue that clearly causes discomfort. Look no further than the first single, “Superstar,” produced by Fiasco’s closest collaborator, Soundtrakk, and beaming with poignant unease: “A fresh, cool young Lu / Trying to cash his microphone check, 2, 1, 2 / Wanna believe my own hype, but it’s too untrue / The world brought me to my knees, what have you brung you?”

Primarily produced by Soundtrakk, and also featuring contributions from a diverse array of atypical instrumentalists (including Fall Out Boy’s Patrick Stump), Lupe Fiasco’s The Cool is evidence that Fiasco is anything but average. Rather than follow up a monumental ’06 year – capped by his three Grammy nods, four BET Hip Hop Award nominations, and recognition as GQ’s “Breakout Man of the Year,” amongst other accolades – with an obvious attempt to further crossover, the young wordsmith has crafted a dense, dark, and atmospheric examination of life’s pleasures. Whether negative or positive, what people consider to be “cool” ultimately dominates their every move, and Fiasco is completely aware of this.

In hip-hop’s popularity contest, Lupe Fiasco is the observer, a thinking man brave enough to dictate the acute thoughts that his peers ignore. Now, that is cool.

Monday, October 22, 2007

Lupe in NC TODAY

Lupe Fiasco will be having a Meet & Greet at North Carolina A&T University TODAY!!!

So if you are in the vicinity GO!!!...Get an autograph, Picture taken, Tell him How big of a Fan you are...Whatever...Just Go and Support!!!

I don't have too many details though. It starts at 4-ish, and thats all I know. If you go, let me know.

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Friday, October 12, 2007

New Music


"I Got my Pimpin Game On...My Gangsta Lean Slow...My Limpin Game On"



Questions
Lupe Fiasco

Thursday, October 11, 2007

XXL Article


Click Picture to Enlarge so that you can read the article.

FiascoGate Continues


Lupe speaks to Kay Slay about the ridiculousness that now has its own name, FiascoGate.

http://www.zshare.net/audio/41414383bdcc13/


AND THIS IS MY LAST POST ON THE SUBJECT. Fin.

Wednesday, October 10, 2007

I've Had it Up to HERE!!!...

It seems to me like Lu is telling you to hush up... And Tribe seems to be chillin'... So why is everyone still up in arms about this?!...



If ONE MORE PERSON calls me to complain about Lupe at the Hip-Hop Honors show, I'm going to have a CANIPTION!!!...

You wanna know how I feel about it?.... Check out my show RHOyal Radio today at 12:30 pm Pacific (which means 1:30 Mountain... 2:30 Central... And 3:30 Eastern)... Feel free to call in and voice your opinion on the matter as well...

646-716-9867

BlogTalkRadio.com
This button will lead you right to it... See you there...

Tuesday, October 9, 2007

A Scramblin Scholar AKA Turbo

Ive been putting you on to this guy for a while now. Here are two more videos that I think you should check out...And EMAIL HIM...Turbo2k5@yahoo.com...He likes it.

The Street Fighter Saga continues...





Monday, October 8, 2007

VH1 Hip Hop Honors TONIGHT!!!!!

I've been purposely avoiding the entire VH1 Hip Hop Honors thing dealing with Lupe...

If you don't know what Im talking about, READ THIS...
UPDATE: Watch Lupes One Sec. Slip Up Here (And Haters Feel Dumb for even blowing this up)

And everything is all going back to this whole thing where Lupe said he has never heard ATCQ's Midnight Mauraders. Many people have their opinion on Lupe's forgetting some of the lyrics during the tribute...So I guess I'll give mine... And Lets pretend for a second that I am an artist, and if I were in Lupe's position my reply would be...

"I GET MONEY"...

No but really...It would be that Music is Subjective. I do not have to like what you like. You being the masses. Just because a mass of people may agree on an album being a "classic," it does not mean that I have to agree on it. I like what I like. Remember a while back when EVERYBODY was wearing Burberry pattern, fake and real, I personally thought and still do think that Burberry pattern is ugly. But EVERYBODY was wearing it. Two different things but yet the same priniciple. The idea that it is subjective. So what Lupe does not want to listen to Midnight Mauraders. Maybe it just doesnt interest him. And because it does not interest him does not mean that he is being disrespectful to ATCQ and taking away from the impact they've had. Im sure alot of people that started listening to Hip-Hop after ATCQ era and have heard the album only listen and liked it because someone told them to or that it was a classic or that they should listen and not because they had their own general interest to hear it. Which is no different from someone wearing Bape because Weezy does, or the people who will practically buy anything that Oprah Winfrey puts her co-sign on. You should be interested in stuff because you like it, not simply because someone tells you that you should be.

Or because he is put into the "backpack rapper" category that he should be familiar with ATCQ because they paved the way for him to do what he does. Martin Luther King Jr. paved the way for alot of people, specifically African Americans, but how many of you even know that Martin Luther King Jr. was born Michael and called Mike until his father changed his name when he was either 11 or 12 years old. Does this discredit you as an African American, or is this disrespectful to Martin Luther King Jr.? No it is not.

Music again is subjective because it can be done in any form or fashion. It is an expression of one self. The music that I listen to and enjoy is good enough for me. There are no standards. If I love Soulja Boys new song "Soulja Girl" and the rest of the world hates it, who cares? I like it and thats good enough for me.

I am glad Lupe did not apologize, he stood his ground and said that it was a mistake. And everybody wants to say he didn't prepare or he should have learned the lyrics. (How do you know he didnt) Or the even dumber argument that he should know the song away because of him being a Hip Hop (backpacker) artist. If he never listened to them, or studied them, then how could you even argue that? Just because people wanna throw him into the same category as them, (because people love labeling something), is it his fault? Does he have to live up to it? Why can't he just live up to Lupe Fiasco? And its not arrogance, its just being comfortable with yourself in knowing that you don't have to do what everybody THINKS you should be doing. You do what you wanna do because at the end of the day you are the only person who has to live with the decisions you make.

OKAY OKAY OKAY...Im on my soapbox now but basically to summarize..."And if they hate, then let them hate, and watch the money pile up...I GET MONEY"

FIN.

View More Pics... XXL Cover Shoot...

They say he's one of Hip-Hop's NEXT superstars... But he's BEEN a superstar to us...






We posted the end result before... But just in case you didn't fully grasp the awesomeness of it...


Here it is again...

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He's not even on the fold-out but the ACTUAL cover... Lupe's FINALLY getting some mainstream love... It brings a tear to my eye...


Be sure to pick up a copy...

Lupe and A Tribe Called Quest Share the Stage...

Read about it here... Or just check out VH1 Hip Hop Honors tonight to see for yourself...

But until then... Here's a little something to wet your whistle...
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Autographs For Lupe (Updated 10/12 11:44 AM)































Friday, October 5, 2007

Make Sure...

You check out the 4th Annual VH1 Hip Hop Honors Monday, October 8th where our main man Lupe Fiasco was in attendance...

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Check the SCORPION on his shirt!... He's shouting me out y'all!... Hey Lu!!!...

So Random, But So True

“Come on, Oprah. You’re from Mississippi, girl. I don’t mind what you do as a black leader, but if you’re not going to take up for black people, then don’t criticize them. You don’t have to talk about us — stick to your books. When you talked about us, you didn’t put T.I., Nelly and Snoop Dogg on there. You put Common on there, and Common don’t call women bitches and ho’s, so you’re not talking about him, so he shouldn’t have to defend something he does not do. But if you notice, that same week, she had a birthday party, and they showed her shaking her ass to 50 Cent. So we talk about positive music, but American people don’t buy it. I want you to go buy Talib Kweli. Go buy it! Please do! I don’t care what kind of rap you buy, just by rap music. As long as we leave rap here for another generation, I don’t care what kind of rap it is — gangsta rap, international rap, Russian rap, country and western rap, I don’t give a shit. But the thing is, we are hypocrites. We say we want this, but we really want the WWF. We really want Sex and the City.”

- David Banner

I know this is not about Lupe...but it is about Hip-Hop...Sue Me!!!

Thursday, October 4, 2007

We Regret to Inform You...

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The Cool (the much anticipated sophomore album from our main man Lupe Fiasco)...

Which was ORIGINALLY scheduled to be released on Halloween... And subsequently pushed back until November 20th...

Has been pushed back EVEN FURTHER...

It is now scheduled to be released Tuesday, December 18th... Let's keep our fingers crossed in the hopes that it actually comes out in 2007...

DAMN IT ATLANTIC RECORDS!... WHAT THE HELL?!...

Some Pictures


























Monday, October 1, 2007

FNF Introduces: Chi Chi Dollars



"CHECK IT OUT NOW ON MY PAGE THE TITLE TRACK FROM MY UPCOMING ALBUM DOLLAR$ DEVELOPMENT COMING SOON. LET MY EXECUTIVE PRODUCER LUPE FIASCO AND I KNOW WHAT YOU THINK A.S.A.P. FAMILY"


ADD HIM NOW... More things to come...