What's Trending

What's Trending was an American live television show produced by CBS Interactive, streamed on CBSNews.com and YouTube. Shira Lazar served as the host since the show's inception. What's Trending featured segments on pop culture, music, and movies, highlighting trending videos and internet personalities.
In June 2011, American rapper Lupe Fiasco appeared on the program, where his statements drew significant backlash online. He famously referred to President Obama as a terrorist and disclosed his decision to abstain from voting.
== Background ==
On June 7, 2011, Fiasco was interviewed, during which he said, "My fight against terrorism, to me, the biggest terrorist is Obama in the United States of America."Johnson, Bailey (June 7, 2011). "Obama a Terrorist? Lupe Fiasco on Politics and Music". CBS News. Archived from the original on June 9, 2011. This drew criticism, though Fiasco appeared unfazed, stating on Twitter, "The Morning Hate…Ready…Set….Go…," along with retweeting the negative comments. Billboard reached out for clarification of his statements, and he stood by his words. He added, "It's funky because everybody's pulling soundbites from this one interview that we did, but they don't talk about anything else from the interview." Concerning his stance on voting, he felt the populace needed to be educated on the policies and what their tax dollars were going toward. He continued, "I think once people educate themselves and open up their minds to understand that on that really basic level, then you'll have some type of change in the way that Americans associate themselves and participate in their own political process.""Lupe Fiasco on Calling Obama a Terrorist: 'I've Got Nothing to Clarify'". Billboard. June 9, 2011.
On June 20, Fiasco appeared on the Fox News show The O'Reilly Factor, defending his comments.
== Interview ==
What's Trending	So you have over 600,000 Twitter followers. Does it change your engagement with fans and your empowerment as an artist?3
Lupe Fiasco 	I put it like this. You can put up something and you can have 600,000 fans and what have you. And you put up a link for something. And, like, people don't really go to it. You would think that it would be like, oh, people really didn't read that at all. You know, they didn't go through that at all.
What's Trending	And you used it a bit with Atlantic Records when they were holding your album. Getting your fans to protest for you.
Lupe Fiasco 	Nah, I didn't do that. I didn't get my fans to protest, they protested. That's the amazing part of the whole process was I didn't ask my fans to do anything. I didn't ask them to protest or petition, they took it upon themselves to do that.
What's Trending	Did it actually work?
Lupe Fiasco 	Hell yeah, it worked. Even though they still got a release date, the fans still protested. First it was RSVP for like a thousand people, and once they got the release date only 250 people came out. But you still had 250 kids all dressed the same, with picket signs in front of Atlantic Records in the middle of the heart of the financial district in New York, y'know, chanting 'Lupe Fiasco.'
What's Trending	Brings the power back to the artist.
Lupe Fiasco 	As far as power, I think that the power has always been with the fan. Like at the end of the day, those were their customers. These are your customers coming and demanding a product they wanna buy.
What's Trending	So your latest album, Lasers, and your single "Words I Never Said" is pretty politically charged. And that's actually an anomaly for a pop artist. You realize that, right? And you do mention though going against Obama.
Lupe Fiasco 	In my fight against terrorism, to me, the biggest terrorist is Obama, in the United States of America. You know, so, I'm trying to fight the terrorism that's actually causing the other forms of terrorism. You know, the root cause of the terrorism is the stuff that the U.S. government allows to happen, and the foreign policies that we have in place in different countries that inspire people to become terrorists. And it's easy for us because it's really just some oil. Which we can really get on our own.
What's Trending	So who are you looking to vote for in the 2012 presidential election?
Lupe Fiasco 	I don't vote.
What's Trending	Oh, you don't vote?
Lupe Fiasco 	No, I don't vote.
What's Trending	Really?
Lupe Fiasco 	No. I don't vote, I don't get involved in political—
What's Trending	Why?
Lupe Fiasco 	'Cause it's meaningless. To be honest.
What's Trending	Really?
Lupe Fiasco 	Because first of all, I'm a real big believer if I'm gonna vouch for someone. Then I'm gonna stand behind everything they do. Right? So that could be you, that could be the cameraman, like. if I'm gonnna say I stand behind this person and write on a piece of paper that says I stand for this person, then I have to take responsibility for everything that he does 'cause that's just how I am as a human being. Right? So politicians aren't gonna do that. Because I don't want you to bomb some village in the middle of nowhere. Y'know?
What's Trending	What if no one voted? What would happen though?
Lupe Fiasco 	Who knows? Let's try it out, let's see what happens.
What's Trending	And you're also very into charity. Beyond all of this, I know Kenna, Summit on the Summit, and you were involved in that. And also "Resurrection" to Haiti. You give proceeds of that song to charity. So do you think social involvement is a responsibility for artists today, and how do you intertwine social media into all of that?
Lupe Fiasco 	I think charity and being socially responsible is a responsibility for everyone. We're human beings, we're tribal creatures. In a group, it's how we survive. That's the nature of our kind of existence. And so you definitely have to have a responsibility for other people that are around you. You know, to see them succeed and what have you. Or just to see them do better. So I think that's beyond me being an artist, even if I wasn't an artist I'll be doing the same thing. When I wasn't famous, I was doing the same thing. When I didn't have money, I was doing the same thing. I'm still helping wherever I could. Me and my sister just started an organization called the Lupe Fiasco Foundation of Chicago, which is based on literacy, and promoting heath, and wellness, and education, and all of that good stuff. The social media aspect of it comes in, it's that reach. It's that big voice. And so we exploit it to the fullest extent to get that message of positivity or link to this charity or, you know, just. This is the new book of the week or whatever we can do to kind of inspire that.
What's Trending	And amplifies it. We actually have a Twitter question—speaking of Twitter. He wants to know we're gonna hear from your punk band, Japanese Cartoon.
Lupe Fiasco 	Um, Japanese Cartoon. Uh, we had the one album called In the Jaws of the Lords of Death which we put out last year, I think. Last year? Last year, whatever. For free. We'll probably have, hoping to have another piece of music—I don't want to say an album or EP, just another piece of music out hopefully by the end of the year.
What's Trending	And of course, you announced the AT&T music for your concert. you're headlining for fans in Chicago on August 23rd, your hometown.
Lupe Fiasco 	Yeah, man. Chi-Town.
What's Trending	Gotta love that. For more, check it out facebook.com/att. Thank you so much for being here.
Lupe Fiasco 	'Ppreciate it.
What's Trending	Appreciate it, you have so much going on. And you can download Lasers online legally.
Lupe Fiasco 	Yeah, legally.
What's Trending	Legally, that's the key word.
Lupe Fiasco 	The mixtapes will always be free. That's another thing, my mixtapes will always be free. But please, you know, pay for the album.
== Gallery ==
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== References ==
Category:2011 interviews
Category:TV shows