|
|
| Old School Hip Hop comes back around from time to time. Just like the hands on the clock, they rotate and come back to their roots. This given night Shock G from the 90’s hip hop group Digital Underground was coming into full circle....Read more. |
| As I wake up early Saturday morning and take the eye boogers out my eyes I look into the mirror and think to myself, “Damn I need a haircut.” Every two weeks like a religion I find myself in a barber chair. Not just because my hair has grown out like a chea pet, but also to find what’s going on in the community....Read more. |
| As you may know by now, Club Envy has hit the Tucson Club scene with command. Over the last year Envy has created on of the hottest clubs in Tucson, Arizona. Club Envy also features 18 and up nights for the younger crowd. But don’t let them stop there...Read more. |
By Andrew Bess
Andrew Bess: How you doing?
Lupe Fiasco: What up man!? I'm chillin' like a villain!
Andrew Bess: Congratulations for the 3 Grammy nominations for your freshman release, Food and Liquor.
Lupe Fiasco: Ah thank you sir. God is great.
Andrew Bess: Your first release got leaked numerous times on the internet which created lack-luster sales. You've said in interviews that
your whole energy for doing hip-hop is slowing down. Is the leaks and boot-legging the cause of this or is it something deeper?
Lupe Fiasco: Nah, it's just that I get bored. I like hip-hop, but it's not something I could see myself doing forever. Same way some people
my work at a law firm but there's always retirement package at the end of their job. So I only plan to be here for so long, and then I will
move on to something else. It's kind of accelerating with hip-hop because everything moves so fast. You put out one album, and next
thing you know you have another and another and it starts to wear you down. I get off the phone with you, and another five minutes from
now I have another interview, and after that another. So when you do that everyday or every other day, it gets ehh.
Andrew Bess: How you doing?
Lupe Fiasco: What up man!? I'm chillin' like a villain!
Andrew Bess: Congratulations for the 3 Grammy nominations for your freshman release, Food and Liquor.
Lupe Fiasco: Ah thank you sir. God is great.
Andrew Bess: Your first release got leaked numerous times on the internet which created lack-luster sales. You've said in interviews that
your whole energy for doing hip-hop is slowing down. Is the leaks and boot-legging the cause of this or is it something deeper?
Lupe Fiasco: Nah, it's just that I get bored. I like hip-hop, but it's not something I could see myself doing forever. Same way some people
my work at a law firm but there's always retirement package at the end of their job. So I only plan to be here for so long, and then I will
move on to something else. It's kind of accelerating with hip-hop because everything moves so fast. You put out one album, and next
thing you know you have another and another and it starts to wear you down. I get off the phone with you, and another five minutes from
now I have another interview, and after that another. So when you do that everyday or every other day, it gets ehh.
| Paul Wall |
| DJ Vlad, AKA the Butcher, is a well known DJ in the mixtape game. A resume doesn’t get much bigger than the one he totes around. DJ Vlad has worked with many well-known artists in the hip hop industry. His brag sheet features artists such as Alicia Keys, Wyclef, Xzibit, Jadakiss, Busta Rhymes, Bun B and even the NBA Star Shaquille O'Neal...Read more. |
Andrew Bess: You gained a sustainable amount of popularity with mixtapes and the broad scope of the internet. Do you find it ironic that the same beast and
internet fan-base that brought you to the platform you are on today is limiting your sales?
Lupe Fiasco: No, because that was the only way it could have happened. That's why it happened so fast. That was the only entity up in existence that something
like that could have happened. So I'm not really surprised, I think what we should have done was transferred it and put the album out in the real world faster so we
would have been able to capitalize on it. Same way 50 and Kanye put their albums out online, but they came out a week later and still sold a magnificent amount of
records. So it's just a time thing, so I can't be mad; that's what it does.
Andrew Bess: But back to Lupe, growing up you had a huge family with 9 brothers and sisters. You were the 5th sticking you sort of in the middle. Was it hard for
you to stand out growing up and can you credit that to standing out now in hip-hop in an industry plagued with commercial materialism?
Lupe Fiasco: No, not really. We were segmented kids, so it was two kids lived in this household but everybody was kind of spread out. My youngest sister is 6 and
my oldest brother is like 35 or something like that. So we all didn't grow up in the same house. So it wasn't like I was gunning for attention or anything like that. It
wasn't that kind of situation.
Andrew Bess: You were heavily involved in karate growing up. In the past you've said you met a lot of different people and cultures across Chicago that way. Is that
something you can credit for being able to relate and appeal to such an extensive fan-base?Andrew Bess: You give a lot of shout outs to F and F, better known as
1st and 15th, which is your record label. What other acts is the label promoting and do you consider the artists to mirror your lyrical style?
Lupe Fiasco: Yeah, my pops put into us early a world perspective so we were aware of a lot of different cultures whether it be through the martial arts or religion, we
were aware of the other cultures out there. I've never been to Japan until about a year ago when I performed, but I have been there mentally since I was a little kid.
internet fan-base that brought you to the platform you are on today is limiting your sales?
Lupe Fiasco: No, because that was the only way it could have happened. That's why it happened so fast. That was the only entity up in existence that something
like that could have happened. So I'm not really surprised, I think what we should have done was transferred it and put the album out in the real world faster so we
would have been able to capitalize on it. Same way 50 and Kanye put their albums out online, but they came out a week later and still sold a magnificent amount of
records. So it's just a time thing, so I can't be mad; that's what it does.
Andrew Bess: But back to Lupe, growing up you had a huge family with 9 brothers and sisters. You were the 5th sticking you sort of in the middle. Was it hard for
you to stand out growing up and can you credit that to standing out now in hip-hop in an industry plagued with commercial materialism?
Lupe Fiasco: No, not really. We were segmented kids, so it was two kids lived in this household but everybody was kind of spread out. My youngest sister is 6 and
my oldest brother is like 35 or something like that. So we all didn't grow up in the same house. So it wasn't like I was gunning for attention or anything like that. It
wasn't that kind of situation.
Andrew Bess: You were heavily involved in karate growing up. In the past you've said you met a lot of different people and cultures across Chicago that way. Is that
something you can credit for being able to relate and appeal to such an extensive fan-base?Andrew Bess: You give a lot of shout outs to F and F, better known as
1st and 15th, which is your record label. What other acts is the label promoting and do you consider the artists to mirror your lyrical style?
Lupe Fiasco: Yeah, my pops put into us early a world perspective so we were aware of a lot of different cultures whether it be through the martial arts or religion, we
were aware of the other cultures out there. I've never been to Japan until about a year ago when I performed, but I have been there mentally since I was a little kid.
Interview by Andrew Bess as cited from Myspace Blogs
| With the success of Chamillionaire's last album, 'The Sound of Revenge,' with total digital sales over 5.5 million worldwide it seems impossible to duplicate. But Chamillionaire hopes to accomplish that with his sophomore release "Ultimate Victory," which is in stores September 18th....Read More |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
Lupe Fiasco: This four: Sara Green the R&B singer,
Gemstones who is an R&B singer and MC, Kelly G, who
is also a female MC, and Sintos who is a street vocalist.
Everybody is a different style and approach and they all
have their own identity and are really top-notch.
Andrew Bess: Speaking about acts, what's the deal with
the group CRS (Child Rebel Solider) that was formed by
you, Kanye, and Pharell? Have you guys gotten
together to record anymore tracks?
Lupe Fiasco: No, just the one is all we have right now.
There are a few ideas floating, but the schedules are
crazy trying to get that done with Kanye finishing up
Graduation and me finishing up The Cool. Pharell has
the most free time since right now he is just producing
for other people, but even that is his own schedule. So
really we don't have the time to sit down and do
anything. But most likely '08 or maybe on later this year
we will do some stuff, but we'll see.
Andrew Bess: In an interview you said your labels are
working it out and "whoever is going to pay is going to
pay a whole hell of a lot." Are there any negotiations
between the labels yet?
Gemstones who is an R&B singer and MC, Kelly G, who
is also a female MC, and Sintos who is a street vocalist.
Everybody is a different style and approach and they all
have their own identity and are really top-notch.
Andrew Bess: Speaking about acts, what's the deal with
the group CRS (Child Rebel Solider) that was formed by
you, Kanye, and Pharell? Have you guys gotten
together to record anymore tracks?
Lupe Fiasco: No, just the one is all we have right now.
There are a few ideas floating, but the schedules are
crazy trying to get that done with Kanye finishing up
Graduation and me finishing up The Cool. Pharell has
the most free time since right now he is just producing
for other people, but even that is his own schedule. So
really we don't have the time to sit down and do
anything. But most likely '08 or maybe on later this year
we will do some stuff, but we'll see.
Andrew Bess: In an interview you said your labels are
working it out and "whoever is going to pay is going to
pay a whole hell of a lot." Are there any negotiations
between the labels yet?
Lupe Fiasco: It's just chatter in the upper tiers because they are really just waiting for us to get into the
studio. It's going to be a logistical nightmare because it's going to be across three labels. So the labels
might have to come together and collaborate sort of like The Firm with Nas and Dr. Dre. Or we will see
what happens. But you look at the people with it and look at the price tags carried individually then you
have to compare them together.
Andrew Bess: Now to the goods. You've mentioned in the past that Nas' album, It Was Written was sort
of like a blueprint for the mood set on your first album Food and Liquor. With your sophomore release,
The Cool, was there something that helped you map out the album?
Lupe Fiasco: Not on this one. This one was more based on the inspiration that came from a song on
Food and Liquor called The Cool produced by Kanye. That one song kind of set the tone for this album.
So the album is really dark, cinematic, and really story driven on most of it. The rest is just me trying to
keep it open to tell all the stories I need to tell to really make a good album and give people an idea of
what's going on in the life of Lupe Fiasco. But I didn't base it off of any existing hip-hop album.
Andrew Bess: On that same subject, what do you consider the necessary elements that need to be on
an album?
Lupe Fiasco: Yeah, for me I have to have the controversial record; the one really social kind of [grunts]
umph. You got to have one really lyrical record, and I have to have one real deep story record. And on
this one it's a lot of me expanding musically on stuff that I really like. I kind of show hints of it like in the
first album working with different people and on this album I'm going to work with people like Uncle and
Fall Out Boy. So I'm trying to push a little bit further with the sound.
Andrew Bess: You devised a plan to piece the album until a few weeks before the release and then put it
all together to avoid leaks. How's the production and preparation coming along?
Lupe Fiasco: Yeah, and not even really trying to do that on purpose, it's just my schedule wont allow me
to be in the studio all day. So it's getting to the point where it's like I really need to start finishing these
records. So right now it's only about 60 percent done, so I have until about the middle of October to
really finish it.
Andrew Bess: You've mentioned that you want to work with the members of Pink Floyd on this project. A
lot of hip-hop fans don't know the band. How does Pink Floyd influence you and play into your style?
Lupe Fiasco: I guess it would be their ability for the story. You can look at some of their stuff like The
Wall and a lot of their videos and things surrounding the album were real cinematic and great stories.
On Dark Side of the Moon, their song Money is such an ill record to me so different stuff like that is
really dope.
Andrew Bess: So will they be on the album?
Lupe Fiasco: [Laughs] It was just one of those things I threw out there to see if it could happen. Right
now it's quite on the home-front.
Andrew Bess: Who all is featured on the album?
Lupe Fiasco: Patrick from Fall Out Boy did a record, Uncle did a record, the whole F and F family are all
on there doing their thing and that's really about it.
Andrew Bess: What about production? Who gets behind the boards?
Lupe Fiasco: Soundtrack did the bulk of the album, and there is a kid out of London by the name of Ah
Shucks who did a real ill joint for my album, Uncle, and Chad from the Neptunes.
Andrew Bess: Your single Dumb it Down has a title that is unique. A lot of hip-hop nowadays has
simplistic lyrics, do you feel that you have to dumb it down for some fans and does the more complicated
lyrics go over their heads?
Lupe Fiasco: For some of them, but I think a lot of my fans like that complexity. They know that's what I'm
all about. If you don't like Dumb it Down they can just turn on the radio and listen to Superstar. Dumb it
Down was a record that was meant to be put on the internet for those kids that want to sit down and
listen to it 150 times and get every single word. They feel that that's something that's missing from
hip-hop and hip-hop has no depth. It's just like it is what it is on the surface and there's nothing else to it.
One of my strongest records was a record called Failure. That song is 5 minutes long and is so lyrically
dense. People had to do whole encryptions of it and people would just be deciphering the song. It's no
different for Dumb it Down. I'm kind of making that statement at the same time that people want me to
dumb it down and I should cater to that but I don't really care. Dumb it Down is for me and my fans so we
can sit and be nerds.
Andrew Bess: You've recently experienced loss of some of your family members and close friends. Do
you touch base on your experiences dealing with that on the album?
Lupe Fiasco: Not directly as of yet. I still have a few weeks left to put stuff on. As far as abstract-wise or
using that as inspiration for a particular record yeah.
Andrew Bess: You were close to Stack Bundles. What was your relationship with him?
Lupe Fiasco: Stack was one of the first, besides myself, of 1st and 15th. He was with me in Chicago and
we were Aces for a long while. For the time we were together we were like brothers.
Andrew Bess: What would you like to pursue in the future besides music?
Lupe Fiasco: Well fashion and I would just sit back and be more on the business side in the office
instead of on the stage. On the fashion end, taking advantage of all the relationships I've garnered with
all the companies worldwide.
studio. It's going to be a logistical nightmare because it's going to be across three labels. So the labels
might have to come together and collaborate sort of like The Firm with Nas and Dr. Dre. Or we will see
what happens. But you look at the people with it and look at the price tags carried individually then you
have to compare them together.
Andrew Bess: Now to the goods. You've mentioned in the past that Nas' album, It Was Written was sort
of like a blueprint for the mood set on your first album Food and Liquor. With your sophomore release,
The Cool, was there something that helped you map out the album?
Lupe Fiasco: Not on this one. This one was more based on the inspiration that came from a song on
Food and Liquor called The Cool produced by Kanye. That one song kind of set the tone for this album.
So the album is really dark, cinematic, and really story driven on most of it. The rest is just me trying to
keep it open to tell all the stories I need to tell to really make a good album and give people an idea of
what's going on in the life of Lupe Fiasco. But I didn't base it off of any existing hip-hop album.
Andrew Bess: On that same subject, what do you consider the necessary elements that need to be on
an album?
Lupe Fiasco: Yeah, for me I have to have the controversial record; the one really social kind of [grunts]
umph. You got to have one really lyrical record, and I have to have one real deep story record. And on
this one it's a lot of me expanding musically on stuff that I really like. I kind of show hints of it like in the
first album working with different people and on this album I'm going to work with people like Uncle and
Fall Out Boy. So I'm trying to push a little bit further with the sound.
Andrew Bess: You devised a plan to piece the album until a few weeks before the release and then put it
all together to avoid leaks. How's the production and preparation coming along?
Lupe Fiasco: Yeah, and not even really trying to do that on purpose, it's just my schedule wont allow me
to be in the studio all day. So it's getting to the point where it's like I really need to start finishing these
records. So right now it's only about 60 percent done, so I have until about the middle of October to
really finish it.
Andrew Bess: You've mentioned that you want to work with the members of Pink Floyd on this project. A
lot of hip-hop fans don't know the band. How does Pink Floyd influence you and play into your style?
Lupe Fiasco: I guess it would be their ability for the story. You can look at some of their stuff like The
Wall and a lot of their videos and things surrounding the album were real cinematic and great stories.
On Dark Side of the Moon, their song Money is such an ill record to me so different stuff like that is
really dope.
Andrew Bess: So will they be on the album?
Lupe Fiasco: [Laughs] It was just one of those things I threw out there to see if it could happen. Right
now it's quite on the home-front.
Andrew Bess: Who all is featured on the album?
Lupe Fiasco: Patrick from Fall Out Boy did a record, Uncle did a record, the whole F and F family are all
on there doing their thing and that's really about it.
Andrew Bess: What about production? Who gets behind the boards?
Lupe Fiasco: Soundtrack did the bulk of the album, and there is a kid out of London by the name of Ah
Shucks who did a real ill joint for my album, Uncle, and Chad from the Neptunes.
Andrew Bess: Your single Dumb it Down has a title that is unique. A lot of hip-hop nowadays has
simplistic lyrics, do you feel that you have to dumb it down for some fans and does the more complicated
lyrics go over their heads?
Lupe Fiasco: For some of them, but I think a lot of my fans like that complexity. They know that's what I'm
all about. If you don't like Dumb it Down they can just turn on the radio and listen to Superstar. Dumb it
Down was a record that was meant to be put on the internet for those kids that want to sit down and
listen to it 150 times and get every single word. They feel that that's something that's missing from
hip-hop and hip-hop has no depth. It's just like it is what it is on the surface and there's nothing else to it.
One of my strongest records was a record called Failure. That song is 5 minutes long and is so lyrically
dense. People had to do whole encryptions of it and people would just be deciphering the song. It's no
different for Dumb it Down. I'm kind of making that statement at the same time that people want me to
dumb it down and I should cater to that but I don't really care. Dumb it Down is for me and my fans so we
can sit and be nerds.
Andrew Bess: You've recently experienced loss of some of your family members and close friends. Do
you touch base on your experiences dealing with that on the album?
Lupe Fiasco: Not directly as of yet. I still have a few weeks left to put stuff on. As far as abstract-wise or
using that as inspiration for a particular record yeah.
Andrew Bess: You were close to Stack Bundles. What was your relationship with him?
Lupe Fiasco: Stack was one of the first, besides myself, of 1st and 15th. He was with me in Chicago and
we were Aces for a long while. For the time we were together we were like brothers.
Andrew Bess: What would you like to pursue in the future besides music?
Lupe Fiasco: Well fashion and I would just sit back and be more on the business side in the office
instead of on the stage. On the fashion end, taking advantage of all the relationships I've garnered with
all the companies worldwide.
