Lupe Fiasco says there will be no delay with his upcoming album, "Food & Liquor II: The Great American Rap Album Pt. 1," which is slated for a September 25 release. Part two will drop in early 2013, he said. Judging from the album's first two singles, "Around My Way (Freedom Ain't Free)" and "B**ch Bad," politics and social commentary will again be driving themes. Click through the gallery for a glimpse of the outspoken rapper's life.
A fresh, cool young Lu —
Lupe Fiasco says there will be no delay with his upcoming album, "Food & Liquor II: The Great American Rap Album Pt. 1," which is slated for a September 25 release. Part two will drop in early 2013, he said. Judging from the album's first two singles, "Around My Way (Freedom Ain't Free)" and "B**ch Bad," politics and social commentary will again be driving themes. Click through the gallery for a glimpse of the outspoken rapper's life.
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Lupe Fiasco was born Wasalu Muhammad Jaco in Chicago in 1982. He is one of three children born to Gregory Jaco, a Black Panther, musician and martial arts instructor, and Shirley Jaco, a chef and intellectual. He says his music was shaped by the dichotomy of life in the streets -- with its pushers, gangbangers and prostitutes -- paired with home life, where there was no cable TV but plenty of PBS and jazz music.
A fresh, cool young Lu —
Lupe Fiasco was born Wasalu Muhammad Jaco in Chicago in 1982. He is one of three children born to Gregory Jaco, a Black Panther, musician and martial arts instructor, and Shirley Jaco, a chef and intellectual. He says his music was shaped by the dichotomy of life in the streets -- with its pushers, gangbangers and prostitutes -- paired with home life, where there was no cable TV but plenty of PBS and jazz music.
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As a youngster, Lupe preferred Benny Goodman to B.I.G. On 2006's "Hurt Me Soul," he rapped, "Now I ain't tryin' to be the greatest/I used to hate hip-hop/yup, because the women degraded." A 1996 Nas album made him rethink his aversion to the genre, and he began writing lyrics and rapping in eighth grade.
A fresh, cool young Lu —
As a youngster, Lupe preferred Benny Goodman to B.I.G. On 2006's "Hurt Me Soul," he rapped, "Now I ain't tryin' to be the greatest/I used to hate hip-hop/yup, because the women degraded." A 1996 Nas album made him rethink his aversion to the genre, and he began writing lyrics and rapping in eighth grade.
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Lupe began his hip-hop career with the group Da Pak as a teen and signed with Arista after Jay-Z boasted about him to then-CEO L.A. Reid. Reid was axed in 2004, and Lupe found himself without a label. After fellow Chicagoan Kanye West featured Lupe on 2006's "Touch the Sky," Hova helped Lupe get a contract with Atlantic Records and executive produced his debut album, "Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor."
A fresh, cool young Lu —
Lupe began his hip-hop career with the group Da Pak as a teen and signed with Arista after Jay-Z boasted about him to then-CEO L.A. Reid. Reid was axed in 2004, and Lupe found himself without a label. After fellow Chicagoan Kanye West featured Lupe on 2006's "Touch the Sky," Hova helped Lupe get a contract with Atlantic Records and executive produced his debut album, "Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor."
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"Food & Liquor" and its first single, "Kick, Push," an ode to love and skateboarding, earned Lupe four Grammy nominations. It also earned him credibility among his peers in the music industry. He has since collaborated with, among others, Pharrell Williams, Big Sean, Janelle Monae, Bun B, Bruno Mars, Chris Brown, Wyclef Jean, Trey Songz (pictured), Travis Barker and Snoop Dogg.
A fresh, cool young Lu —
"Food & Liquor" and its first single, "Kick, Push," an ode to love and skateboarding, earned Lupe four Grammy nominations. It also earned him credibility among his peers in the music industry. He has since collaborated with, among others, Pharrell Williams, Big Sean, Janelle Monae, Bun B, Bruno Mars, Chris Brown, Wyclef Jean, Trey Songz (pictured), Travis Barker and Snoop Dogg.
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Despite his success, which has included gold albums and platinum singles, Lupe has spurned the misogyny and violence associated with mainstream rap. He prefers to address subjects such as child soldiers, conflict diamonds, Western hegemony and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. On "Words I Never Said," the Muslim rapper blasts Islamic terrorists: "Murdering is not Islam and you are not observant/and you are not a Muslim/Israel don't take my side 'cause look how far you've pushed them."
A fresh, cool young Lu —
Despite his success, which has included gold albums and platinum singles, Lupe has spurned the misogyny and violence associated with mainstream rap. He prefers to address subjects such as child soldiers, conflict diamonds, Western hegemony and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. On "Words I Never Said," the Muslim rapper blasts Islamic terrorists: "Murdering is not Islam and you are not observant/and you are not a Muslim/Israel don't take my side 'cause look how far you've pushed them."
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Lupe is known for his anti-establishment views, which drew headlines in June when he called President Barack Obama "the biggest terrorist" and last week when he said the president was "a great speaker but kills little children." In a BBC Radio interview last year, Lupe said he doesn't vote because of American foreign policy. "When you vote for that person, you vote for bombs lodged in the sides of schools that say, 'Made in the USA.' ... I hate war, and I hate people that love war."
A fresh, cool young Lu —
Lupe is known for his anti-establishment views, which drew headlines in June when he called President Barack Obama "the biggest terrorist" and last week when he said the president was "a great speaker but kills little children." In a BBC Radio interview last year, Lupe said he doesn't vote because of American foreign policy. "When you vote for that person, you vote for bombs lodged in the sides of schools that say, 'Made in the USA.' ... I hate war, and I hate people that love war."
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His views and revolutionary genes have made him a likely fixture at Occupy Wall Street protests across the nation. He calls the movement a "classroom." Not only has he attended several Occupy events while on tour, he wrote a poem in honor of the demonstrators, "Moneyman," and he's donated food, tents, tables and other supplies. Before an October show in Oakland, he also provided protesters with a generator.
A fresh, cool young Lu —
His views and revolutionary genes have made him a likely fixture at Occupy Wall Street protests across the nation. He calls the movement a "classroom." Not only has he attended several Occupy events while on tour, he wrote a poem in honor of the demonstrators, "Moneyman," and he's donated food, tents, tables and other supplies. Before an October show in Oakland, he also provided protesters with a generator.
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The rapper has numerous other charitable endeavors. He donates the $1,000 fee for his occasional Chicago Sun-Times column to his foundation, which strives to empower and educate inner city youth. It also provides scholarships, in honor of his late father, to Chicago public school seniors. In 2010, Lupe and several other celebrities, including actress Jessica Biel and musician Pharrell Wiliams (pictured), climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro to bring awareness to the "global clean water crisis."
A fresh, cool young Lu —
The rapper has numerous other charitable endeavors. He donates the $1,000 fee for his occasional Chicago Sun-Times column to his foundation, which strives to empower and educate inner city youth. It also provides scholarships, in honor of his late father, to Chicago public school seniors. In 2010, Lupe and several other celebrities, including actress Jessica Biel and musician Pharrell Wiliams (pictured), climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro to bring awareness to the "global clean water crisis."
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"I like Yohji Yamamoto and I might roll solo/leather Gucci belts and Guilty Brotherhood polos," Lupe rapped on 2007's "Gold Watch." Despite labeling himself a "subversive," the Chicago rhymesmith has long acknowledged his weakness for oft-obscure fashion labels. He has been spotted alongside runways at major fashion shows, and he owns two fashion companies, Righteous Kung Fu and Trilly & Truly. He also has designed sneakers for Reebok and Chuck Taylors for Converse.
A fresh, cool young Lu —
"I like Yohji Yamamoto and I might roll solo/leather Gucci belts and Guilty Brotherhood polos," Lupe rapped on 2007's "Gold Watch." Despite labeling himself a "subversive," the Chicago rhymesmith has long acknowledged his weakness for oft-obscure fashion labels. He has been spotted alongside runways at major fashion shows, and he owns two fashion companies, Righteous Kung Fu and Trilly & Truly. He also has designed sneakers for Reebok and Chuck Taylors for Converse.
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Though a businessman, Lupe is known for producing free music for his fans, most notably as a member of hip-hop supergroups All-City Chess Club and Child Rebel Soldiers, and also as the frontman/producer of the indie-punk band Japanese Cartoon. In 2006, he remixed a Kanye West classic, renaming it "Muhammad Walks," and released it on a mixtape. In 2010, when his fans protested and petitioned Atlantic Records to release his long-delayed third album, "Lasers," he thanked them with a free track, "Building Minds Faster."
A fresh, cool young Lu —
Though a businessman, Lupe is known for producing free music for his fans, most notably as a member of hip-hop supergroups All-City Chess Club and Child Rebel Soldiers, and also as the frontman/producer of the indie-punk band Japanese Cartoon. In 2006, he remixed a Kanye West classic, renaming it "Muhammad Walks," and released it on a mixtape. In 2010, when his fans protested and petitioned Atlantic Records to release his long-delayed third album, "Lasers," he thanked them with a free track, "Building Minds Faster."
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