Jet

***Jet*** is an American weekly digital magazine founded by John H. Johnson in 1951 and originally based in Chicago, Illinois. Lupe Fiasco was featured on the cover of their June 20-27 2011 edition, where he discussed his childhood and career.

## Articles

### April 4, 2011

When nearly 300 fans rally outside of a record label to demand the release of your album, you better deliver.

That's exactly what rapper Lupe Fiasco did after the gathering outside of Atlantic Records headquarters in New York last October. His third studio album, *LASERS*, released March 8 with the hit singles The Show Goes On and Out Of My Head, debuted at No. 1, selling 204,000 copies its first week.

"Those are the best fans in the world," Fiasco tells *JET* about the support he received amid conflicts with his label that delayed the album's release. His previous album, *The Cool*, which featured the international smash hit Superstar, was released in 2007.

Fiasco, 29, whose real name is Wasalu Muhammad Jaco, is known for his lyrics, which reflect his views on culture and politics. On the track Words I Never Said, the Chicago-born artist unleashes his frustration with the media and politics, lashing out at conservative pundits Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck, and even taking aim at President Obama, emphasizing that he did not vote for him.

Having earned a reputation as an MC who can make you think and make you dance, Fiasco's *LASERS* (acronym for Love Always Shines Everytime Remember 2 Smile) offers different sounds with various messages. "It's a fun album; it's a dark album; it's a controversial album; it's a happy album; it's a sad album. It is everything that is the duality of Lupe Fiasco," he said.

The Grammy Award winner says he makes a conscious effort to put out positive music. "Ninety to 95 percent of what we see and what we hear is negative and destructive in some aspect. It's about selling things we don't need or pushing lifestyles that we can't possibly maintain and even pushing lifestyles that don't exist," says Fiasco.

"I'm not the most saintly dude -- everyone has their human flaw and human wants. [With music] you definitely affect people; you change people ... for me it's about the bigger picture, making sure that I want the positivity to be in my life so I put positivity out."

### June 20-27, 2011

Don't let the slight build and glasses fool you. Lupe Fiasco is as dangerous off the mic as he is on it. "I have a black belt in karate, wushu and various disciplines with samurai swords," the rapper reveals. "Martial arts was the family business."

Nowadays, Fiasco's more showbiz than karate kid, but his ability to impress hasn't waned. His latest album, *Lasers*, has topped charts with the platinum-selling single, The Show Goes On. Ironically, it almost didn't.

For more than a year, fans anxiously awaited the release of the Chicago native's third album. Back in 2008, his second album, *Lupe Fiasco's The Cool*, went gold, catapulting the socially conscious hip-hop artist from well-respected musician to a commercial success with hits including Superstar. Many thought a follow-up project was imminent. It wasn't. His record company was hesitant to move forward.

"The label doesn't want me talk about that," Fiasco readily admits. Despite his silence, fans became louder. They created an online petition for the release of the album, which collected more than 32,000 signatures. They even held a rally in front of his label, Atlantic Records. Guess what? They won.

On March 8, Lasers debuted at the top of *Billboard*'s Top 200 List and sold more than 204,000 copies its first week out.

Some industry executives aren't surprised by the brouhaha caused by Fiasco's followers or Atlantic's hesitancy. "The record label was likely dragging its feet because it was a long time since his prior project," says Rich "Dollaz" Trowers, CEO of Dollaz Unlimited Management, which manages stars such as Ryan Leslie and Olivia. "You can't fault the label for having concerns. They get nervous when artists aren't constantly dropping [mixtapes] and singles. When you go away, there's a fear you'll lose support. Building momentum for an artist can be a challenge."

Even with his rocky ascension to the top, Fiasco doesn't waste time discussing the past drama. He's focused on the future. "Right now we're going to the next single, Out of My Head, with Trey Songz," he says. "We'll shoot a couple of videos and we're touring right now."

Lupe Fiasco, 29, born Wasalu Muhammed Jaco, has become the answer to many parents' prayers: a cool, positive rapper. You know, like the jock who's an A student. "My philosophy is that I would rather have the connection with my fans on a level that speaks to culture," he says. "I want to get an emotional or philosophical reaction."

It's also good to get a financial response, Trowers adds. "It's important that fans advocate, but they also have to be ready to ride when the project comes out," he says. "They have to support." Turns out, if you rap about substance, they will come.

While many rap stars' portfolios are replete with tracks about hustling, bling and booty, Lupe Fiasco works wonders over mellifluous tracks while dropping lyrics about raging against the machine, encouraging kids to dream past their fears, supporting teachers to push urban youth toward success and shutting down negative role models -- and that's all in one song.

The best part is his ability to fuse it all together with his unique brand of style. "I had to learn to embrace all of my opposing character traits," he says. "The dude who lived in the 'hood but liked to build computers and does Kung Fu. I'm not running away from anything. Actually being all of those things, and not caring about the consequences, that's cool."

Fiasco wasn't always as confident. After trying his hand at gangster rap, he opted to transition to a medium that was a better presentation of who he is. "I love the 'hood," he says. "But I also like listening to music at Carnegie Hall." As a youngster, Fiasco's parents held a tight rein over him and his siblings. His father, a former Black Panther Party member, taught him martial arts and weaponry, but, most important, both parents exposed him to a variety of cultures. "They gave me a platform to see the world," he says. "They put me on the right path."

Though Fiasco was a product of a divorce, he was not the product of a "broken home." He lauds both parents for remaining active in his life and pushing him. "It's a parent's job to protect and prepare their children," he says, admitting his clan did some things in an unconventional way. "My dad showed me my first gun at 4 years old. He felt I needed to be aware of it. We spent time on military training camps and learned how to protect our community and family. I was trained on shooting and cleaning."

The exposure served Fiasco well as he got older. When local thugs attempted to woo him with weapons, he wasn't moved or frightened. "That made gangsters less of a role model. It took away that power," he says "When you lose that, all that's left to talk about is comic books."

Over the years, Fiasco learned that the things some of his peers viewed as lame, such as computers, comic books and chess, simply weren't. "Corny is in the minds of a few individuals. Many of those things aren't corny to larger society or even the bulk of the 'hood," he shares. "You have to have the courage to stand up. You have to move beyond what everybody thinks and ask people individually."

Today, Fiasco is happy to say he gets who he is -- and so does the record label. With the success of his long-anticipated album, industry bigwigs finally understand there is room for diversity and financial success in commercial rap. "The reason we're able to do massive tours is because of the connection with fans. It's about speaking to something that's more positive or that fans relate to on a personal level," he explains.

Apparently, fans aren't simply opting out of ticket sales for some of the more popular hip-hop artists, they also aren't patronizing other brand products either. "A lot of rappers who do the sex and commercial stuff are not always successful. Just because they rap about it doesn't mean they have it," he says. "Some of the rappers who don't talk about that stuff actually have it 10 times over."

When it comes to Fiasco's pockets, music and touring are his bread and butter. "A sponsorship deal equals one show and I do 300 shows." Still, the deals mean something to hip-hop's coolest nerd. "Even with that said, it's satisfying to say I designed my own clothes, shoes or software," he shares. "It's gratifying when you look back at your portfolio."

As Fiasco's album sales grow, so will his public profile and opportunities. One thing for sure, whatever he does will be purpose-driven.

"For me, it's about 'overstanding' that I am my voice and thoughts," he says. "There's no turning back from that."

## References

1. ↑ Barber, Andrew (June 15, 2011). "Lupe Fiasco Covers Jet Magazine". *Fake Shore Drive*.
2. ↑ Hoffman, Melody (April 4, 2011). "Lupe Fiasco's; 'Lasers' Hit No. 1". *Jet*.
3. ↑ Brown, Tia (June 20, 2011). "Actions Are Louder Than Words". *Jet*.