Japanese Cartoon

**Japanese Cartoon** is an American indie-rock band formed in 2008 by Wasalu Muhammad Jaco alongside Graham Burris, Matt Nelson, and Le Messie. Their debut album, *In the Jaws of the Lords of Death*, was released on July 16, 2010 for free digital download over their website. In a few of its tracks, Fiasco sings with a faux-British accent. Cited influences include Joy Division, The Ruts, The Clash, and Radiohead, where the former was the "true inspiration." Fiasco once described the project as a "tribute to Joy Division and Ian Curtis," impressed by the late musician's stage presence.

## Background

> Japanese Cartoon is my lifeblood. That was my Plan B. If Lupe Fiasco fails and Lasers never comes out, I have to do something. I still have to make music. I still have to go out and tour. I want to make music as good as Radiohead, as good as Coldplay. I can make hip-hop as good as anybody. But you get bored with that and you want new challenges. And for me, this is a new challenge.
>
> Lupe Fiasco to *Complex*

Prior to the band's creation, Fiasco was writing songs to showcase to Matthew Santos, which became its own thing. Unable to play any instruments, he enlisted help from mix engineers and studio musicians. He adopted a fake British accent, which was eventually lost as he grew more comfortable hearing his own voice. He noted in a 2010 interview with *Complex* that he's "always been a fan of all music." His favorite songs weren't hip hop, but rather, music like Queen's "Somebody to Love," and continued that hip-hop is "something [he] actually know[s] how to do." He found rock to be the next form of music to participate in.

The band was met with press coverage by the likes of *NME* and *MTV*, tracing rumors of Fiasco quitting his hip hop career and steering in a new musical direction. Fans guessed that he was the lead singer under the pseudonym, Percival Hindenburg-Fats, though the site denied this, and asserted that he was the financial provider and helped produce. On an Internet forum, Lupe wrote, "I like those kids a lot. Met the bass player overseas last year and their publicist/manager is a good friend from like, childhood. May sign them. Not me singing though."

Fiasco recalled the incident where Busy of Atlantic Records linked to the band's MySpace page on a blog. Coincidentally, one of the people who ran a Lupe blog checked it out and recognized the rapper's voice. Fiasco added, "I didn't want it to be viewed as a Lupe Fiasco side project. I wanted it to be like, 'Here's this band out of nowhere.' [That way] I can get an honest opinion. [...] I wanted a true reaction to it." Concerning the denial of the rumors, he said, "[I]t was more so because it wasn't finished and I didn't really know if I wanted to do it and I didn't want it to be presented to the world in that controversial way. I just wanted it to come out and people got on to it and one day we did a show and I come out like, 'Oh my God! It's Lupe!' I would have preferred to have that than have an Internet scandal. This is one of the downsides of having a fanatic fanbase that I love so much."

On January 25, 2015, he announced that the sophomore album, "M.I.L.K. Is for Pussies," was in the works.

## Band members

* Wasalu "Double J" Jaco – vocals, production
* Graham Burris – bass
* Matt Nelson – keyboards
* Le Messie – production

## Discography

### Studio albums

* Label: Self-released
* Format: DL

## References

1. ↑ Roberts, Steven (January 5, 2009). "Is Lupe Fiasco Fronting a 'British' Indie-Rock Band Called Japanese Cartoon?". *MTV*. Archived from the original.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Ahmed, Insanul (September 10, 2010). "Interview: Lupe Fiasco Talks "Lasers" Delay, Japanese Cartoon, and "Food & Liquor II"". *Complex*.
3. ↑ "Lupe Fiasco Abandons Rap and Launches Post-Punk Band?". *NME*. January 5, 2009. Archived from the original on January 22, 2009.
4. ↑ "Fiasco Laughs Off Japanese Cartoon Rumours". *Contactmusic.com*. January 7, 2009.
5. ↑ "Lupe Fiasco (@lupefiasco)". *Instagram*. January 25, 2015.