United States men's national soccer team

The **United States men's national soccer team** (**USMNT**) represents the United States in men's international soccer competitions.

On May 20, 2014, American rapper Lupe Fiasco was announced as Music Director for the USMNT's 2014 FIFA World Cup Campaign. He curated Spotify playlists with SNDCLSH and helped coordinate in-game music programming during the send-off series. On May 30, he performed in Times Square in New York during the Fan Appreciation Day celebration. Fiasco also released the anthem single, "Stellar Light," on June 26, 2014.

## Biography

U.S. Soccer has named Grammy Award-winning recording artist Lupe Fiasco as the Music Director for the Men's National Team and artist Futura the Art Director for the Men's National Team's 2014 FIFA World Cup campaign.

Building on the "One Nation. One Team." theme, Chicago-born and Grammy-winning hip-hop artist Fiasco will collaborate with U.S. Soccer in a variety of areas during the Send-Off Series and the World Cup. He will be creating Spotify playlists, in collaboration with his DJ group the SNDCLSH, and handle in-game music programming during the Send-Off Series.

U.S. Soccer is working to promote Fiasco's new single, "Mission," during the Send-Off Series. The single, which is about the fight against cancer, was released on Monday. Fiasco will appear in Times Square in New York during Fan Appreciation Day on May 30, and he will hold a music set in Chicago at the U.S. Soccer Fan Fest prior to the USA's match against Ghana on June 16.

New York native Futura, world renowned for his pioneering role in the birth of graffiti-style artwork and designs, will provide his own flavor that will include the official Men's National Team World Cup poster, limited-edition skate deck designs and other limited-edition items. Futura's signature style will be tied to the team during the U.S. MNT's road to Brazil, and he will create two "live" works at the Fan Appreciation Day on May 30 and the U.S. Soccer Fan Fest in Chicago on June 16. Those live works will be auctioned off, with the proceeds benefiting Fiasco's "Mission" campaign.

Lupe Fiasco, born Wasalu Muhammad Jaco, is a 32-year-old Grammy Award-winning hip hop artist who was once named GQ Magazine's "Man of the Year" and Rolling Stone Magazine's "Artist to Watch." Since his breakout hit "Kick Push" in 2006, Fiasco has been praised for his philosophical, sharp and dynamic lyricism. His catalogue of albums, *Food & Liquor*, *Food & Liquor*, *LASERS*, and *Food & Liquor II: The Great American Rap Album Part 1*, have all received wide critical and commercial success, earning the Chicago-born artist 12 Grammy nominations, numerous RIAA certifications and a No. 1 Billboard Top 200 album.

Fiasco's fifth studio album, *Tetsuo & Youth*, is set for release later this year. — via *Major League Soccer*

## Gallery

**@USMNT**: "Congratulations to U.S. Soccer Music Director @LupeFiasco on the release of his new album "Tetsuo And Youth" today!"
* January 20, 2015
* Twitter

## References

1. ↑ Lamarre, Carl (May 20, 2014). "Lupe Fiasco Named Music Director for U.S. Men's National Soccer Team". *XXL*.
2. ↑ Murray, Robin (May 21, 2014). "Lupe Fiasco to Act As 'Music Director' for USA World Cup Squad". *Clash*.
3. ↑ Bambic, Ana (June 1, 2014). "One Nation. One Team.". *Widewalls*.
4. ↑ "U.S. Men's National Soccer Team (@USMNT)". *Twitter*. January 20, 2015.