Lupe Fiasco

Infobox musical artist
Name = Lupe Fiasco


Img_capt = Lupe Fiasco performing at Northwestern University in May 2007
Background = solo_singer
Birth_name = Wasalu Muhammad Jaco
Born = Birth date and age|1982|2|16
Died =
Origin = Chicago, Illinois, United States
Occupation = Rapper, songwriter, producer, CEO
Years_active = 2001–present
Label = Atlantic, 1st & 15th
Associated_acts = Child Rebel Soldier
URL = [http://www.lupefiasco.com/ www.lupefiasco.com]

Wasalu Muhammad Jaco (born February 16, 1982), [ [http://www.discogs.com/artist/Lupe+Fiasco Lupe Fiasco] ] better known by his stage name Lupe Fiasco, is a Grammy-winning American rapper. He rose to fame in 2006 following the success of his critically acclaimed debut album, "Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor". Prominent hip hop mogul Jay-Z describes him as a "breath of fresh air" in a new hip hop world characterized by mainstream pop and glamour, a sharp contrast with the widespread lyricism-focused rap of the 1990s, and critics have called him the "Hip-Hop Generation's Next Vanguard." [cite web | url=http://rap.about.com/od/reviews/gr/LupeKickPush.htm | title=Lupe Fiasco - "Kick, Push" | accessdate=2006-07-13 | last=Adaso | first=Henry | date= | publisher=About.com | language=English ]

Life and career

Early life

Wasalu was born and raised on the Westside of Chicago,cite web |url = http://allhiphop.com/blogs/features/archive/2006/02/10/18133452.aspx |title = Lupe Fiasco: Revenge of the Hip-Hop Nerd |accessdate = 2007-09-02 |author = Creekmur, Chuck |date = 2006-02-10 |publisher = Allhiphop.com ] and is the fifth child of nine brothers and sisters. His father was an engineer, a prolific African drummer, karate teacher and owner of karate schools and army surplus stores.cite web |url = http://www.stuff.co.nz/3921934a13975.html |title = Lupe Fiasco - a sheep in wolf's clothing |accessdate = 2007-09-02 |author = Blackman, Guy |date = 2007-01-08 |publisher = The Age ] His mother was a gourmet chef. Wasalu is of African American descent.cite web |url = http://rap.about.com/od/artists/p/LupeFiascobio.htm |title = Lupe Fiasco |accessdate = 2007-04-08 |author = Adaso, Henry |publisher = About.com ] Jaco went to high school at Thornton Township High School in Harvey, Illinois.cite web |url = http://www.soundslam.com/articles/interviews/interviews.php?interviews=in060511lupefi |title = Hip To Be Square |accessdate = 2007-09-02 |author = Fruchter, Alexander |date = 2006-05-11 |publisher = Soundslam.com ] He started rapping when he was in the eighth grade, but was initially put off by the vulgarity and violent imagery of his father's N.W.A records. It wasn't until he heard Nas' 1996 album, "It Was Written", at the age of 14 that he began to pursue hip hop music.

Growing up, Jaco was given the nickname "Lu", the last part of his first name, by his mother. "Lupe" is an extension of this nickname, which he borrowed from a friend from high school. "Fiasco," he says, "came from . They had the song, 'Firm Fiasco'. I just liked the way it looked on paper."

Early career

By 19, Lupe Fiasco was in a group called Da Pak. They signed to Epic Records and released one single before splitting up.cite web |url = http://wc01.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:dxfuxqlsldte~T1 |title = Lupe Fiasco: Biography |accessdate = 2007-09-02 |author = Kellman, Andy |publisher = Allmusic] Fiasco later signed a solo deal with Arista Records, but was dropped when president and CEO L.A. Reid was fired. During this time, he had guest appearances on singles on Tha' Rayne's "Kiss Me" and "Didn't You Know" and also K Fox's 2004 "This Life". He also released the song "Coulda Been" on a compilation of MTV's Advance Warning. [MP3.com, 2006-09-26. [http://www.mp3.com/features/speakeasy/show_site_blog_entry.html?topic_id=124602 Lupe Fiasco] . "MP3.com"] He began releasing many mixtapes, developing a fan base via the internet. Just after Arista went out of business, rapper Jay-Z offered Fiasco a contract with Roc-A-Fella records.Fact|date=September 2008 Fiasco declined having already started his own record label.

In 2004, Arista went out of business and Lupe was signed with Atlantic Records. In early 2006, Lupe and his friend and hypeman Dusean "Bishop G" Dunbar started FNF Radio,Fact|date=September 2008 a show on the college radio station WIIT located at the Illinois Institute of Technology.

2005–2006

Lupe had gained a large underground following with the release of a series of critically acclaimed mixtapes, prominently Lupe's own Fahrenheit 1/15 Part I: The Truth Is Among Us, Fahrenheit 1/15 Part II: Revenge of the Nerds, and Fahrenheit 1/15 Part III: A Rhyming Ape. In 2005, Lupe was featured on two tracks on Mike Shinoda's solo mixtape titled "Fort Minor: We Major" and was even an active member on the official Fort Minor message boards. During this time, rapper and mogul Jay-Z heard Lupe and assisted him in the production of what would become his debut album "Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor". [ [http://www.nobodysmiling.com/hiphop/interview/84943.php Lupe Fiasco - Almost Famous] . "Nobody Smiling"]

In 2005, Lupe appeared on the Kanye West track "Touch the Sky" from West's "Late Registration". Soon after, he released his first single "Kick, Push", a song heavily influenced by skateboarding. As his popularity slowly increased, so did anticipation for his upcoming album "Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor". The album was officially released on September 19, 2006. The album featured production from Jay-Z, Kanye West, Mike Shinoda, The Neptunes, and more. Singles from the album were "Kick, Push," "I Gotcha" and "Daydreamin'" featuring Jill Scott. On the album "Fiasco masterfully melds his peerless storytelling gifts with his idiosyncratic passion for skateboarding, fantasy, and incisive sociopolitical commentary."cite web | url=http://www.avclub.com/content/node/53066 | title=Lupe Fiasco - "Food and Liquor" | accessdate=2007-11-13 | last=Rabin | first=Nathan | date=2006-07-20 | publisher=The Onion AV Club | language=English] The critically lauded album was later nominated for three Grammy Awards including Best Rap Album. In the same year, he was voted by "GQ" as the "Breakout Man of the Year." [ [http://www.atlanticrecords.com/lupefiasco/news/article/?id=atlnewsarticle35700002 Lupe Fiasco Declared GQ's Breakout Man Of The Year] ]

2007–present

In 2007, Lupe announced his second album, "Lupe Fiasco's The Cool", a concept album that expands on the story of the track of the same name on his first album. It was released on December 18, 2007 in United States. The first single and video from the album, "Superstar", featuring Matthew Santos, was released the first week of November 2007. Baseball all-star Ryan Braun has used "Superstar" as an at-bat song. [OnMilwaukee.com Staff Writers (July 31, 2008). [http://onmilwaukee.com/buzz/articles/omcrecs073108.html OnMilwaukee.com Recommends: July 31] "On Milwaukee". Accessed September 29, 2008.] The song has also been featured in HBO's "Hard Knocks" TV show.

Also in 2007, it was revealed that Fiasco, Kanye West, and Pharrell, had formed a group known as Child Rebel Soldier.cite news | first = | last = | title = Lupe and Kanye teamed with Radiohead | url = http://www.mtv.co.uk/channel/mtvuk/30052007/lupe_and_kanye_teamed_with_radiohead | publisher = MTV UK | date = 2007-05-30 | accessdate = 2007-06-01 ] [cite news | first = Darryl | last = Gudmundson | title = Kanye, Lupe & Pharrell Form Supergroup??? | url = http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/news/id.5291/title.kanye-lupe-pharrell-form-supergroup | publisher = HipHopDX.com | date = 2007-05-29 | accessdate = 2007-06-01 ] As of November 2007, no projects have been announced, with Lupe noting that the members of the group were busy with solo projects and things needed to "settle down some." [ [http://sohh.com/articles/article.php/11959 SOHH Exclusive: Lupe Fiasco Talks Pharrell-Kanye Supergroup, "We Working On Some Surprises" | Daily Hip-Hop News | SOHH.com / ] ] However, a song made by CRS titled "US Placers", featuring Thom Yorke, has been released.

Songs from "Lupe Fiasco's The Cool" are featured in the movie "Street Kings". The songs "Put You on Game" and "Little Weapon" both appear in the latest trailer.

In 2008, Lupe and his band 1500 or Nothin joined Kanye's Glow in the Dark Tour, which also features Rihanna and N.E.R.D. The tour will stop in several cities, including his hometown of Chicago. He's been made #7 as the Hottest MCs in the Game of 2008 by MTV. [ [http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1587662/20080516/fiasco__lupe.jhtml Lupe Fiasco Rises To This Year's #7 Hottest MC - News Story | Music, Celebrity, Artist News | MTV News ] ]

Lupe recently announced that he was remixing "The Cool" with French house act Justice [cite web |url=http://www.mtv.co.uk/channel/17042008/415479/justice_remix_lupe_fiasco|title= Justice Remix Lupe Fiasco|publisher =MTV|accessdate=2008-05-23] .

Ventures

Fiasco is the co-founder and vice-president of 1st & 15th Entertainment, a record label under Atlantic. However, due to the recent arrest and imprisonment of co-founder, CEO, and partner Charles "Chilly" Patton, Fiasco now serves as the current CEO. In January 2006, Lupe signed with major footwear and apparel corporation Reebok becoming part of the "O.G" marketing campaign, where rap artists such as Lil Wayne and Mike Jones designed their own personal colorway of the Reebok "O.G" model. [cite web | url = http://excal.on.ca/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2726&Itemid=2 | title = Would you like music with your Reebok?: DJ Mick Boogie mixes tunes for kicks, and for fun | accessdate = 2007-04-08 | author = Simona Siad | date = 2007-01-03 | publisher = "Excalibur" ] He designed a white/grey model of the shoe.

Discography

* "Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor" (2006)
* "Lupe Fiasco's The Cool" (2007)

Awards and nominations

References

External links

* [http://www.lupefiasco.com Official website]
*

Persondata
NAME=Lupe Fiasco
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=Wasalu Muhammad Jaco
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Rapper
DATE OF BIRTH=February 17, 1982
PLACE OF BIRTH=Chicago, Illinois, United States
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=