Claim: Lupe Fiasco received award nominations for at least one of his albums.

Wasalu Muhammad Jaco -LRB- born February 16 , 1982 -RRB- , better known by his stage name Lupe Fiasco -LRB- -LSB- ˈluːpeɪ -RSB- -RRB- , is an American rapper , record producer , and entrepreneur . He rose to fame in 2006 following the success of his debut album , Lupe Fiasco 's Food & Liquor . He also performs as the frontman of rock band Japanese Cartoon under his real name . As an entrepreneur , Fiasco is the chief executive officer of 1st and 15th Entertainment .   Raised in Chicago , Jaco developed an interest in hip hop after initially disliking the genre for its use of vulgarity and misogyny . After adopting the name Lupe Fiasco and recording songs in his father 's basement , 19-year-old Fiasco joined a group called Da Pak . The group disbanded shortly after its inception , and Fiasco soon met rapper Jay-Z who helped him sign a record deal with Atlantic Records . In September 2006 , Fiasco released his debut album Lupe Fiasco 's Food & Liquor on the label , which received three Grammy nominations . He released his second album , Lupe Fiasco 's The Cool , in December 2007 . The lead single `` Superstar '' became his first top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 . After a two-year delay , Lasers was released in March 2011 to mixed reviews ; however , it became his first album to debut at number one on the Billboard 200 . His latest album , Tetsuo & Youth , was released in January 2015 .   In addition to music , Fiasco has pursued other business ventures , including fashion . He runs two clothing lines , Righteous Kung-Fu and Trilly & Truly ; he has designed sneakers for Reebok . He has been involved with charitable activities , including the Summit on the Summit expedition , and in 2010 he recorded a benefit single for victims of the 2010 Haiti earthquake . Fiasco is also noted for his anti-establishment views , which he has expressed in both interviews and his music .