Lupe Fiasco's Inspirations

This is old but its interesting...


"The rapper talked to MTV News about songs, people and places that have influenced his music…

When MTV spoke to Lupe Fiasco for a special online interview we thought we’d explore the influences and inspirations behind his excellent second album The Cool.

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See what the Chicago MC revealed below…

The Concept Album:

I took that idea from a song I did on the last album (Food and Liquor) called The Cool it’s about someone who comes back from the grave. I had to put him in a story line because I’m a writer first- rapper second.

I used the characters as vessels for things I couldn’t talk about (as myself). It was better for stuff to come from the first person.

The Story

When ever I play with the story I imagine it as animation as Japanese anime or like The Matrix. The Game (character) is inspired by Frankenstein and a lot of the sub-stories some from watching a lot of psychological thrillers and Steven King films.

The Cool Continues

This gives you more things to do out side of the album with marketing and presentation. I was more inspired by movies than other music when coming up with these characters and the stories.

Now I can do toys- It’s a creative franchise as well as an album

Music

As a teen I listened to Nas, a lot of West Coast rappers like Snoop Dogg-then it was Wu Tang and Mobb Deep. It hasn’t changed. I listen to a bit of everybody on the hip hop side.

Now I listen to stuff I missed when I was growing up in the hood like techno and rock.

Famous Friends

I met Kanye before he was famous so I watched him become a celebrity. We are jumping off with CRS (Lupe/Pharrel and Kanye’s group) on the Glow In The Dark tour in the US. There’s more coming!

Jay-Z was one of the earliest people I got to meet and do business with. It was a shock to see that Jay-Z answered his own door! I knocked on the doorand it was him.

I met Snoop (who features on his track High Definition) at a show for Pharrell (Williams- another friend) and it was a weird situation.

He was driving a truck with Warren G in the passenger seat and called me over. That was so cool – I was starstruck.

UK Artists

I’m a big Thom Yorke fan more than a Radiohead fan. I was listening to the radio and heard The Eraser (which CRS remixed as US Placers) so I went back and got all his stuff.

I love Unkle too. I was working closely with some of James Lavelle’s associates and I was a fan so I reached out. I said I want to do a song with Unkle and I have (Hello Goodbye on The Cool).

From the UK I like Sway and Estelle up to people like Ian Brown. I’m a big Ian Brown fan- FEAR is one of my favourite songs of all time. I always find myself discovering new rock or techno when I’m in the UK."

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