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103-397: Wasalu Muhammad Jaco (born February 16, 1982), better known by his stage name Lupe Fiasco ( / ˈ l uː p eɪ / LOO -pay ), is an American rapper and record producer. 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

206-475: A crack house and taught Fiasco to use guns to defend himself from drug dealers. Despite his unstable upbringing, Fiasco states that he was well-educated as a child, asserting that his parents exposed him to a diverse array of subjects and that reading was highly encouraged in his household. As a teenager, Fiasco participated in Academic Decathlon competitions. His mother described him by saying, "He

309-572: A 'this isn't right for you right now. This isn't gonna work for you right now. You need to be focused on you. Do you really want that, do you really have the capacity to do it?'" In March 2013, Fiasco took to Twitter to announce that he had become the Creative Director at Higi, a scoring system based in the Chicago area that helps you to discover more about yourself so you can look, live and feel better. In 2005, he founded Righteous Kung-Fu,

412-509: A 2008 interview with methodshop, Lupe Fiasco revealed that he has "a black belt in karate, two black belts in the styles of samurai sword fighting, kendo and aido" as well as "the equivalent of a black belt in Chinese wushu ." Fiasco is such a fan of martial arts, he named one of his companies "Righteous Kung-Fu," a brand that does fashion design, sneakers, toys, video games, comic books and more. He also once revealed on Facebook that his family

515-453: 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. I grew up in the hood around prostitutes, drug dealers, killers, and gangbangers, but I also grew up juxtaposed: On the doorknob outside of our apartment, there was blood from some guy who got shot; but inside, there was National Geographic magazines and encyclopedias and

618-516: A company that designs fashions, sneakers, toys, video games, comic books, and graphics for album covers and skateboard decks. Fiasco also runs a fashion line out of Righteous Kung-Fu called Trilly & Truly. He has sponsored a skateboard team and has endorsements from DGK Skateboards . In January 2006, Fiasco signed with major footwear and apparel corporation Reebok , becoming part of the "O.G" marketing campaign where rap artists such as Lil Wayne and Mike Jones designed their own personal colorway of

721-466: A concept album that expanded upon recurring themes in Food & Liquor , is about "a hustler who dies and comes back to life, only to get robbed by two little kids with the same gun that killed him." Fiasco decided not to work with well-known producers for the album since he considered it to be "too expensive", noting the commercial failure of his Pharrell collaboration, "I Gotcha". Lupe Fiasco's The Cool

824-463: A damn good skateboarding song." The single, and its accompanying music video, helped Fiasco get attention in the hip-hop community, and was later nominated for two 2007 Grammy Awards . During this time, he recorded guest performances on Tha' Rayne 's "Kiss Me" and " Didn't You Know " singles, and also on K Foxx's 2004 "This Life". Jay Z assisted him in the production of what would become his debut album Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor . The title of

927-480: A friend from high school. "Fiasco" is a reference to The Firm song "Firm Fiasco"; the rapper "liked the way it looked on paper." He also said of his name, "You know how rappers always have names like MC Terrorist—like they're 'terrorizing' other rappers? I knew fiasco meant a great disaster or something like that, but I didn't realize that the person named Fiasco would be the disaster, and that you should be calling other MCs fiascos—not yourself...it kind of humbled me in

1030-532: A group called Da Pak, which was influenced by other California gangsta rappers such as Spice 1 and Ice Cube . Da Pak signed to Epic Records and released one single before splitting up. Fiasco later described the experience, saying "We had a song out about cocaine, guns, and women, and I would go to a record store and look at it and think, 'What are you doing?' I felt like a hypocrite. I was acting like this rapper who would never be judged, and I had to destroy that guy. Because what Lupe Fiasco says on this microphone

1133-559: A half years after the album's completion, Lasers was released on March 8, 2011. The first single from the record was " The Show Goes On ", which samples " Float On " by Modest Mouse . "The Show Goes On" debuted at number 57 on the Billboard Hot 100. The lead single peaked at number 9 since then. The producers involved on the album include Alex Da Kidd, King David "The Future" and Jerry "Wonda" Duplessis, while featured artists include Skylar Grey , Trey Songz , and John Legend . Upon

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1236-488: A hit in the Billboard Hot 100 , peaking at number forty-two. After this success, Fiasco's first single " Kick, Push " was released earlier than expected. The song was a love story about two people sharing a passion for skateboarding , a topic generally not discussed in hip-hop. Fiasco explained, "[Skateboarding culture is] just as deep as hip-hop. I'm not the greatest skateboarder, but I'm a damn good rapper, so I made

1339-504: A joint album with fellow Child Rebel Soldier & All City Chess Club member Pharrell. Prior to the album's release, he revealed that there would be no more mixtapes after "Friend Of The People: I Fight Evil" prior to Food & Liquor II: The Great American Rap Album , which was planned to be a double-disc with Part I set to release in fall 2012. Its lead single, the Simonsayz and B-Side produced track Around My Way (Freedom Ain't Free) ,

1442-485: A little library bookshelf situation. And we didn't have cable, so we didn't have the luxury of having our brains washed by MTV . We watched public television – cooking shows and stuff like that. – Fiasco, on his childhood. Fiasco was born Wasalu Muhammad Jaco on February 16, 1982, in Chicago , Illinois. Fiasco is of West African descent, one of nine children of Shirley, a chef, and Gregory, an engineer. His father,

1545-525: A lot of success, I was so busy I didn't have time to properly mourn. Talking to yourself, having some therapy with yourself – it was the hardest record to write because of the emotions. – Lupe Fiasco, on Lupe Fiasco's The Cool In 2007, Fiasco announced his second album, Lupe Fiasco's The Cool , a concept album that expands on the story of the track of the same name on his first album. While recording this album, Fiasco's father died of type II diabetes and his business partner, Charles "Chilly" Patton,

1648-436: A medium conducive to storytelling, a primary element of his lyrics due to his background in theater. He wrote plays as a child, which had a strong effect on his songwriting approaches. Fiasco utilizes both metaphors and literal statements in his work, which he describes as "getting from point A to point B in as few words as possible". His use of metaphors is exemplified by the song "Gotta Eat" from Lupe Fiasco's The Cool , which

1751-626: A member of the Black Panther Party , was a prolific African drummer, karate teacher, operating plant engineer, and owner of karate schools and army surplus stores. Fiasco was raised Muslim on the West Side of Chicago on Madison Terrace housing project. At the age of three, he began taking martial arts classes. His parents divorced when he was five, and he went on to live with his mother, but his father still remained an important part of his life. He described his father's influence over

1854-414: A music video for "Just Might Be O.K.", nine years after the album's original release. At age 19, Fiasco was signed to Epic Records and was a member of a group called Da Pak. The group released one single before splitting up. He later signed a recording contract with Arista Records , but was dropped when president and chief executive officer (CEO) L. A. Reid was fired. In 2006, fellow rapper Jay-Z

1957-586: A new free mixtape, entitled Pharaoh Height , featuring six new tracks that carry Egyptian-themed titles with cuts like "Valleys," "Kings," and "Pyramid." In April 2016, Fiasco announced that he would release a final three albums ( Drogas , Skulls , and Roy ), later becoming Drogas , Drogas Light , and Skulls , but in October 2016, he announced he wouldn't release those albums between October and January and past 2017 would release new music. On December 12, 2016, Lupe released his "N.E.R.D" freestyle (named after

2060-461: A normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 83, based on 20 reviews. Several writers lauded the lyrical content on the album. Nathan Rabin of The A.V. Club praised the album, saying that Fiasco "masterfully melds his peerless storytelling gifts with his idiosyncratic passion for skateboarding, fantasy, and incisive sociopolitical commentary". He also noted that Fiasco "boldly expand[ed]

2163-413: A part of ‘Basic Education’, making it free of charge, with one year of mandatory pre-school education. SEP standardizes curriculum content for public and private schools, which includes Spanish, Mathematics, Natural Sciences, History, Geography, Art, and Physical Education. The National Institute for Assessment of Education monitors standards and provides quality control. Middle Education In Peru , grade 6

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2266-552: A performance in New Zealand in February 2010, Fiasco performed new material from the then-titled We Are Lasers for the first time. He claimed that the album was complete and waiting for a release date from his label, Atlantic Records. However, Atlantic feared that the record lacked commercial singles, and presented Fiasco with songs the label wanted him to record. Fiasco declined, as he was told he would not have any ownership of

2369-400: A pioneer of the conscious hip hop movement, which focuses on social issues. Subjects touched upon on Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor include absent parents, terrorism, Islam and religion, war, and prostitution. Fiasco attributes his interest in social issues to his highly cultured upbringing, as he describes his mother as "very intellectual" and his father as a " Renaissance man ". He rejects

2472-455: 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, his third album, Lasers ,

2575-466: A sample of the well-known song " Daydream in Blue " as covered by I Monster as the chorus. "American Terrorist" contains a middle-eastern style beat provided by Prolyfic . The Neptunes provided a more synth and keyboard based beat on "I Gotcha". Brandon Howard provides a lush piano loop on "Kick, Push II". The album cover of Food & Liquor was designed by Chuck Anderson and Righteous Kung Fu. It

2678-432: A sense. It taught me like, 'Yo, stop rushing, or you're going to have some fiascos.'" When Fiasco was 18, he began creating music as a solo artist in his father's basement, even though his parents were not keen on having their son be a rapper. He scoured flea markets and secondhand stores, where he was able to find an old mixing board and a record player , stacks of vinyl records , and mic stands. At age 19, Fiasco joined

2781-409: A thank you which led to Fiasco asking her to appear on his next album making her a possible guest artist on Tetsuo and Youth . On August 4, 2013, Lupe Fiasco revealed a new song would be released on September 11, titled "Peace of Paper/Cup of Jayzus". On August 24, 2013, Fiasco revealed the first song from Tetsuo & Youth , "Crack", featuring Chris Brown . Then on October 3, 2013, Fiasco announced

2884-472: Is "three generations deep in the martial arts" and they have 5 Karate schools in Chicago. ...I'm not like the poster boy for Islam... I still got my flaws and stuff like that, so I don't really wear that on my sleeve... I don't go to clubs, I don't drink, I don't smoke, you know like my whole – the whole groupie situation is shut down. – Wasalu Muhammad Jaco, on his faith. Lupe Fiasco has stated on MTV's Rap Fix, as well as in various other media, that he

2987-496: Is Muslim and that Islam "plays a part in my life and everything I do, to a certain extent... I don't like putting my religion out there, I don't like wearing it like that, because I don't want people to look at me as the poster child for Islam. I'm not. I don't want them to look at my flaws and be like, 'oh, that's the flaws of Islam'." His mixtape series Fahrenheit 1/15 featured a remix of Kanye West's " Jesus Walks " entitled "Muhammad Walks", which went on to become very popular in

3090-681: Is a tribute to his late father who was a grand master and ran a martial arts school in Chicago. His experiences will help him write his next single called "Air China". The documentary aired exclusively on KIX in Southeast Asia. On September 13, 2018, Fiasco announced that Drogas Wave will be released on September 21, 2018. The album is the second part of a planned trilogy of albums, with Drogas Light as its predecessor followed by Skulls . Fiasco released Drill Music in Zion on June 24, 2022, through 1st & 15th Too and Thirty Tigers . It

3193-405: Is commonly the first or second grade of middle school or the last grade of elementary school, and the sixth school year since kindergarten . In Afghanistan, Grade 6 is the first year of middle school. Students are aged 11–12. Also known as year 6. In Australia , this level of class is called Year 6 . Children generally start this level between the ages of eleven and twelve. Grade 6 is generally

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3296-438: Is either the final year of primary school or the second year of secondary school. In Israel , Grade 6 (called Kita Vav) is the final year of elementary school(except for the cities Lod, Givatayim and Ramat Gan). In Italy , Grade 6 is the first year of secondary or middle school (called "Scuola secondaria di primo grado"). Students are 11-12 years old. In Kenya , the sixth grade is the 6th and last year of primary school in

3399-486: Is going to come back to Wasalu Jaco. When the music cuts off, you have to go home and live with what you say." After turning away from gangsta rap, he developed a greater appreciation of the lyricism of Jay Z and Nas . His mother also gave him a record of the influential group The Watts Prophets , one of the first bands to use spoken words with music. Although he was without a group for the first time, Fiasco continued to record music. One of these first self-recorded tracks

3502-558: Is skateboarding, the actual meaning of the song is rejection, and being criticized for doing what one loves. On "The Instrumental", Fiasco addresses addiction to television. "He Say She Say" deals with the story of a single mother and a child lacking a father figure . "The Cool" follows the story of a dead gangster who rises from the grave and returns to the hood where he lived and died. With its "haunting keys and strings", " Hurt Me Soul " deals with displacement and alienation from his neighborhood. On "American Terrorist", Fiasco discusses

3605-424: Is the final primary/elementary school year before embarking into secondary /high school (Form 1). In Malaysia, primary education are commonly broken down into primary school and secondary school. “Primaria” education, in its current form became compulsory in 2009, and runs from grade one through grade six, for students aged 6 – 12 years. The Secretariat of Public Education (SEP) officially determines primary school as

3708-459: Is the final year of elementary school. In Sweden , Grade 6 is the final year of middle school (mellanstadiet). Students are often 12-13 years old unless they've been promoted or held back. The following grade (Grade 7) is then the start of high school (högstadiet). Students get grades for the first time in Grade 6; once at the end of the first term/winter term (Terminsbetyg) and one at the end of

3811-526: Is the final year of primary school. In the Philippines , Grade 6 ( Filipino : Baitang Anim ) is the final year of Intermediate Level and Elementary School curriculum. The 1945–2017 or K–10 educational system was entirely phased out upon the implementation of K–12 curriculum on Grade 6 in June 5, 2017 which completed the 9-year process of the implementation of K–12 (alongside the adding of Grade 12 into

3914-404: Is the first year of middle school. The sixth grade is the sixth school year after kindergarten . Students are usually 11—12 years old. It is most commonly the first year of middle school , although it can be the last year of elementary school in some school districts. Less commonly, it can also be the last year of intermediate school or the second year of middle school. In Uruguay ,

4017-530: Is told from the perspective of a cheeseburger and addresses the poor nutrition in black communities in the United States, while using a continuous metaphor of drug dealing and hustling. In 2001, Fiasco co-founded 1st & 15th Entertainment with Charles "Chilly" Patton. 1st & 15th is an independent record label separate from Atlantic Records named after the traditional twice-monthly paycheck dates. Although his albums are released by Atlantic since he

4120-410: Is under contract with it, most of his works are usually produced by 1st & 15th and its in-house producers. Although Fiasco was initially to serve as vice-president, he became CEO after Patton was convicted on drug charges. Fiasco and singer Matthew Santos were two of the most recognizable signed artists. In November 2009, Fiasco announced he would discontinue the 1st & 15th label: "It was just such

4223-570: The Billboard 200 ; however, due to incomplete Nielsen SoundScan reports, the album actually debuted at number eight. The album received four Grammy Award nominations, including Grammy Award for Best Rap Album at the 49th Grammy Awards . "Daydreamin'", featuring Jill Scott , won Best Urban/Alternative Song at the 50th Grammy Awards . The album was digitally re-released on September 13, 2011, to mark its 5th anniversary; this version features four new tracks. On April 30, 2015, Lupe Fiasco released

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4326-470: The 50th Grammy Awards . The first international single off the album was " Kick, Push ", a love story about two misfit skateboarders. The second single in Europe was " Daydreamin' " (featuring Jill Scott ) which features a sample of I Monster 's cover of "Daydream in Blue." The second single in the U.S. (and the third international single) was " I Gotcha " which is produced by The Neptunes. The song's video

4429-411: The misogyny common in hip hop , which he discusses in the song " Hurt Me Soul ". Despite this, Fiasco is opposed to censorship in music: "If we're going to [censor things] that are offensive, then we are going to have to blind and deafen everyone. Come on, man. Let's focus on education and literacy and poverty." Fiasco employs various lyrical techniques in his songwriting. The rapper views hip-hop as

4532-691: The 1st & 15th Studios in Chicago , Illinois , the Record Plant Studios in Hollywood, California and the Right Track Studios in New York City , New York . Prior to its release, Fiasco had to make "several last-minute changes" due to "sample issues". Food & Liquor contains elements of alternative hip hop . Fiasco covers a wide variety of subjects on the album. The opening track begins with Fiasco chanting

4635-465: The CBC system. In the 844 system, there are 8 years in total of primary school. Students are usually 10 or 11 in this grade. In Kuwait , Grade 6 can be the first year of middle school but it can also be the final year of elementary school (depending on the education system in place). In Laos , Grade 6 is the first year of middle school. In Malaysia , the equivalent is Year 6 also known as Standard 6, as

4738-482: The Lords of Death . Japanese Cartoon was influenced by a variety of musical genres, with Fiasco saying, "I've always been a fan of all music...Hip hop is just something I actually know how to do but I always had aspirations to participate in other forms of music. Once I got to create some hip hop, it was like, 'Okay, what am I going to do now?' So my artistic side was like, 'Yo, let's do some rock music.'" More than two and

4841-549: The Malaysia academic year starts in January. Before 2021, students will sit for an important exam called Ujian Penilaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR), which translates from Malay into English as "Low/Elementary School Assessment Test", before graduating from elementary education. Now students take the newly implemented exam, called Ujian Akhir Sesi Akademik (UASA), or "End of Academic Session Exam", which runs until Form 3. Standard 6

4944-460: The Muslim community. He can be heard using Islamic recitals in "Hurt Me Soul", "Little Weapon", "Hi-Definition" as well as the intro and outro tracks to Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor . Lupe Fiasco has endorsed the idea that Islam will some day "be the world's religion and conquer the world." Lupe Fiasco%27s Food %26 Liquor Originally, the album was reported to have debuted at number 12 on

5047-529: The Reebok "O.G" model. In 2009, Fiasco performed in The People Speak , a documentary feature film that employs musical performances of the letters, diaries, and speeches of everyday Americans, based on historian Howard Zinn 's A People's History of the United States . On January 7, 2010, Fiasco joined musician Kenna , actress Jessica Biel , and other celebrities and activists for an expedition to

5150-592: The Tetsuo & Youth Preview tour to take place between November 2 and December 15, 2013. The tour featuring label-mate Stalley as a supporting act, and The Boy Illinois as an opening act. He also revealed the album Tetsuo & Youth would be released in early 2014, but was later postponed to 2015. On October 14, 2013, Fiasco released the first supposed song from the album, " Old School Love ", featuring singer Ed Sheeran . Then on October 21, 2013, Fiasco revealed that Big K.R.I.T. and Rick Ross would also be featured on

5253-538: The UK in April 2008) was " Paris, Tokyo " – a song based around Fiasco's experiences of touring the world between his first and second albums. Moreover, in 2007 it was revealed that Fiasco, Kanye West and Pharrell Williams had formed a group called Child Rebel Soldier . CRS initially released one single, entitled " US Placers " and featuring a Thom Yorke sample. In an interview with The Village Voice , Fiasco revealed that he

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5356-464: The United States, as of September 22 of 2021 the album is certified gold. The album was named best hip hop album of 2006 by several publications and was ranked within several year-end lists. It was also one of the best-reviewed albums of 2006 at Metacritic. Food & Liquor finished 34th in the voting for the Pazz & Jop , an annual critics poll run by The Village Voice . Robert Christgau ,

5459-465: The album is a reference to 'Food and Liquor' stores common in Chicago. He explains, "The store is where everything is at...Food to me represents growth and progression. You eat food and you get strength. You need it to live. Liquor is not a necessity; it is a want. It destroys you. It breaks you down. I can see why it's prohibited in Islam...I've always felt like liquor represents the bad, the food represents

5562-486: The album's release, Lasers debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart, with first-week sales of 204,000 copies. Despite the album's commercial success, Lasers received mixed reviews from most music critics. Writing for AllMusic , editor Andy Kellman gave the record three out of five stars and criticized its "lumbering, overwrought choruses", writing that "If there is one MC whose rhymes should not be dulled for

5665-499: The album. Food & Liquor was handled by a variety of different producers; some lesser-known such as Prolyfic , Soundtrakk, Needlz and Craig Kallman , while also having tracks produced by well-known producers such as Kanye West , Mike Shinoda and The Neptunes . On "Kick, Push", Soundtrakk provided lush strings and horns as the backdrop. Strings are prominent through the album particularly on songs such as "Hurt Me Soul", "He Say She Say", and "Daydreamin'". "Daydreamin'" contains

5768-406: The album. On May 19, 2014, Fiasco released the first promotional single before the announcement of the album's track list. "Mission" is a track to empower those facing cancer, revere cancer survivors, and remember those who have passed due to cancer-related illnesses," he explains. He has teamed up with Stand Up to Cancer as a celebrity ambassador. Together, they are planning collaborations tied to

5871-687: The album. On January 17, 2013, he canceled the plan for the release of the second part of the original double disk. He then said that he would release another studio album in 2013. On February 10, 2013, on the red carpet for the Grammy Awards he announced his fifth studio album would be titled Tetsuo & Youth . Since then, he has released songs that are not slated to be on Tetsuo & Youth . These songs are "Light Blue" and "Jonylah Forever." Upon hearing her name in Lupe's song Form Follows Function , Imogen Heap reached out to Lupe on Twitter to give

5974-654: The disaster. Between 2020 and 2023, Fiasco has been a visiting scholar and artist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology , which he taught the class "Rap Theory and Practice". He often collaborates with Professor of Digital Media Nick Montfort . Lupe Fiasco is an avid gamer and likes to play the Street Fighter series of fighting games . He surprisingly won an exhibition match of Street Fighter V against professional player Daigo Umehara in 2016, defeating him 3–2 using Ken . During

6077-640: The end of it, students took the sprawdzian szóstoklasisty , which translates into "sixth grader's exam". In Saudi Arabia , Grade 6 is the last year of elementary school. In Singapore , the equivalent is Year 6 also known as Primary 6. They would have to take the Primary School Leaving Examination at around September to proceed to Secondary School. During this time, students in Primary 6 would learn Algebra and 3D Shapes , age from 12–13 years old. In South Korea , Grade 6

6180-580: The entire album was leaked onto the Internet, which resulted in it being shelved. With the leak of the album, Fiasco was heralded as the potential "savior of hip hop" by critics, as well as fellow recording artists West and Williams. In response of the leak, Fiasco recorded additional songs for the album. Despite stating he would only work with Prolyfic and Soundtrakk, he also worked with other record producers , including Kanye West , Pharrell Williams and Mike Shinoda . Recording sessions took place at

6283-533: The family by saying, "After school, my father would come and get us and take us out into the world—one day, we're listening to N.W.A, the next day we're listening to Ravi Shankar, the next day, he's teaching us how to shoot an AK-47, the next day, we're at karate class, the next day, we're in Chinatown...". In sixth grade , he went to live with his father full-time in Harvey, Illinois . His father lived next door to

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6386-819: The fourth single in the United States on 28 August 2012. It reached number 71 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart, number 23 on the Billboard Digital Song Chart and number one on the R&;B/Hip-Hop Digital Song Chart. The song spent 20 nonconsecutive weeks in the Billboard Hot 100, and reached platinum certification. "Battle Scars" spent six weeks at number one in Australia, and has been certified 9× platinum by ARIA . It also reached number two and double platinum in New Zealand and number two in Norway. Food & Liquor II: The Great American Rap Album Pt. 1

6489-466: The funk rock duo of that name and over the instrumental to J. Cole's " Everybody Dies "), which included the line "Artist gettin' robbed for their publishing/By dirty Jewish execs that think his alms from the covenant." Brian "DJ Z" Zisook of hip-hop website DJBooth, who is Jewish, wrote an editorial denouncing that line for its alleged anti-Semitism . After "N.E.R.D" was apparently removed by SoundCloud for "hate speech," Lupe ultimately tweeted that he saw

6592-522: The good, and everyone is made up of a little of both." Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor was officially released on September 19, 2006. The album featured production from Jay-Z, Kanye West, Mike Shinoda , The Neptunes , Prolyfic , among others. The record spawned the singles "Kick, Push", " I Gotcha " and " Daydreamin' " featuring Jill Scott . The critically lauded album was later nominated for three Grammy Awards including Best Rap Album . Fiasco won "Best Urban/Alternative Performance" for "Daydreamin'". In

6695-534: The grade (Sexans betyg). Students also get to do their second national tests, called "Nationella prov" in Sweden. These tests are done at the end of Grade 3, Grade 6 and finally Grade 9. In Grade 6, the students participate in two different parts of the tests: First oral tests during the first term and then written tests in the second. The oral test is test A, then the written tests are done on separate days and are divided into Test B, C, D and E. These tests are done in

6798-502: The internet, which gained notoriety by word-of-mouth. He remixed Kanye West 's song, " Diamonds from Sierra Leone ", renaming the new version as "Conflict Diamonds". With this remix, Fiasco wished to raise awareness of the conflict diamond business. This caught West's attention, and he asked Fiasco to perform on the song " Touch the Sky " for West's album Late Registration . The song, which sampled Curtis Mayfield 's " Move On Up ", became

6901-486: The last grade for primary schools in Australia . In Brazil , grade 6 ( 6º Ano or 6ª Série ) is the first year of middle school. It is the sexto ano do Ensino Fundamental II . In France , the equivalent of sixth grade is Sixième and is the first year of Collège (middle school). Students are 10-11 years old. In Germany , where the different federal states have different educational systems, Grade 6 ( 6. Klasse )

7004-411: The lyrical aspects of music. He began rapping his poems in the eighth grade, and upon hearing Nas ' 1996 album, It Was Written , began to pursue hip hop. While attending Thornton Township High School , Fiasco met gang member Bishop G. The two became friends due to their shared interest in music. Fiasco's father allowed him and Bishop to make mixtapes in his basement, and the two gained notoriety at

7107-462: The majority of the corner stores are called 'Food and Liquors.' The store is where everything is at, whether it be the wine-o hanging by the store, or us as kids going back and forth to the store to buy something. The 'Food' is the good part and the 'Liquor' is the bad part. I try to balance out both parts of me." Prior to the release of Food & Liquor , Fiasco was one of Rolling Stone magazine's "List of Artists to Watch" in 2006. In April 2006,

7210-490: The misconceptions of Islam in America. He also addresses the issues of racism and gun culture . The song had originally sampled a song by Chick Corea , but due to sampling issues, it was never cleared. For example, the song opens with,"We came through the storm, nooses on our necks, and a smallpox blanket to keep us warm ." The album concludes with Lupe reading off an extensive appreciation list of people who helped with

7313-522: The opening lines of the Qur'an in Arabic . The following track, "Real", is a reflection of "making music of which he doesn't have to be ashamed". " Kick, Push ", the album's lead single , is about a young male and his love for skateboarding . The lyrics follow the skateboarder through many stages of his life such as his childhood, finding love, marriage, and adulthood. Although the literal meaning of this song

7416-601: The parameters of mainstream hip-hop". Sarah Godfrey of The Washington Post hailed the album as a "masterpiece of responsible rap". Darryl Sterdan of Jam! called the album "one of the sharpest and smartest hip-hop discs" of 2006, while Andy Kellman of AllMusic argued that " Food and Liquor just might be the steadiest and most compelling rap album of 2006". Stylus Magazine ' s Josh Love felt that it benefits greatly from Fiasco's impressive rapping and subtlety, which he found to be characteristics that are "incredibly rare in hip-hop in 2006". Sean Fennessey of Pitchfork

7519-403: The petition "brought [him] to tears", and in response to the petition, Fiasco released a song titled "B.M.F-Building Minds Faster" to thank his fans. While waiting for Lasers to be released, Fiasco completed another album, titled Food & Liquor II: The Great American Rap Album . He was unsure if the Food and Liquor II would ever be released, though he released the song "Go To Sleep" from

7622-414: The poll's creator, named it the 19th best album of the year in his own list. The album was also included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die . The album earned Fiasco three nominations at the 2007 49th Grammy Awards : Best Rap Album , Best Rap Solo Performance and Best Rap Song for " Kick, Push ". In 2008, " Daydreamin' " won the award for Best Urban/Alternative Performance at

7725-441: The pre-university cycle) and phaseout of the older K–10 that were started on May 20, 2008 and April 24, 2012, respectively. Students usually in females can also start at the young age of 10. In Portugal , grade 6 ( 6º ano de escolaridade ) is the second year of middle school. In Poland , grade 6 ( klasa szósta ) is the sixth year of primary/elementary school. Until 2017, it was the last year of primary/elementary school, and at

7828-519: The record "out of desperation" to put out new music. He also pursued numerous side projects in the midst of the delay. In April 2010, Fiasco formed the hip hop collective All City Chess Club along with Pharrell, Asher Roth , B.o.B , The Cool Kids , Charles Hamilton , Blu , Diggy Simmons , Wale , J. Cole , & Dosage. The group has so far made one song, a remix of Fiasco's "I'm Beamin". Additionally, On July 16, 2010, Fiasco released his rock side-project Japanese Cartoon 's debut EP In The Jaws of

7931-640: The sake of chasing pop trends, it's Lupe Fiasco". Lasers , however, was nominated Best Rap Album, with "The Show Goes On" nominated for Best Rap Performance, and Best Rap Song at the 2012 Grammy Awards . Lupe Fiasco later involved himself at the Occupy Wall Street movement where he donated tents and released a poem in support of the protesters. He also released his "Friend of the People: I Fight Evil" mixtape on Thanksgiving Day . Fiasco subsequently released Food & Liquor 2 , as well as put work into

8034-596: The same year, he was voted by GQ magazine as the "Breakout Man of the Year." He also received four BET Hip Hop Award nominations, and it made it to number eight on the Billboard 200 and number two on the Billboard Top R&;B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. That same year he participated in the first Cypher at the BET Hip-Hop Awards . It was a lot of tragedy coming into this album. In the midst of

8137-411: The school for their music. However, they were kicked off stage during their first performance because their eclectic musical style was not embraced by the hip hop community. Early in his career, he went by stage names Little Lu and Lu tha Underdog. Growing up, Fiasco was given the nickname "Lu", the last part of his first name, by his mother. "Lupe" is an extension of this nickname, which he borrowed from

8240-477: The situation as a sign from God to retire from music for good, announcing the cancellation of Drogas, Drogas Light and Skulls . However, he announced DROGAS light would be released on 10 February 2017. The new album will be distributed through the record label Thirty Tigers . In March 2018, Fiasco premiered a three-part television documentary called Beat N Path where he embarked on a journey around China to follow his passion for martial arts. This documentary

8343-421: The songs. He explained, "I don't think the label cares about an album...People just want their number-one record." For six months, the cause of the album's delay remained unclear to the public. In response, Fiasco's fans created an online petition demanding that Atlantic Records release Lasers . The petition garnered considerable attention on hip hop blog sites as well as over 16,000 signatures. Fiasco stated that

8446-489: The subjects Swedish/Swedish as secondary language, Math and English. In Grade 3 students only do one oral test in Swedish and written tests in Swedish and Math and in Grade 9 students do oral tests in the subjects Swedish, Math and English and written tests in Swedish, Math, English, Social Studies (SO) and Science (NO). Some schools also do written tests in modern languages (German, French, Spanish). In Vietnam , Grade 6

8549-496: The top of Mount Kilimanjaro called Summit on the Summit to raise awareness of the billions of people worldwide who lack access to sanitary drinking water. On January 20, 2010, Fiasco released a track called "Resurrection" with Kenna in response to the 2010 Haiti earthquake . The song, part of a compilation released through the charity Music for Relief , aimed to encourage donations for immediate relief and long-term recovery following

8652-560: The track that will be unveiled the same year. On June 24, 2014, Fiasco released a second promotional single titled "Next to It" which features Ty Dolla Sign on the hook. Most recently due to the Ferguson riots of 2014 , Lupe Fiasco has ended up on Twitter feuds with fellow rappers Azealia Banks and Kid Cudi . The feud between Kid Cudi and Lupe Fiasco has not been resolved and has reportedly become worse, with Lupe Fiasco making threats on MTV. On August 29, 2015, Lupe surprised fans with

8755-410: Was "Could Have Been", which described the career options he could have pursued had he not begun rapping. He viewed the song as a turning point in his career that marked a drastic change in the subject matter of his music. "Could Have Been" was released as a demo tape and discovered by MTV despite the fact that no video was created for the song. Fiasco later signed a solo deal with Arista Records , but

8858-477: Was a great spirited child. Smart, a bit complex; he kind of was a loner ; he didn't hang with a lot of people...He always had the glasses. Always had a book bag over his shoulder and some type of a writing tablet." Fiasco initially disliked hip hop music for its use of vulgarity , and preferred to listen to jazz ; he idolized clarinet player Benny Goodman . His struggle to learn to play an instrument led him to create poetry instead, which led to his interest in

8961-457: Was also nominated for Best Rap Album at the 55th Grammy Awards . Originally, the album was set to be released as a double-disc album, but Atlantic Records did not allow this arrangement, so the album was divided into two. It was confirmed that a Part 2 will be released in Spring 2013. Lupe has said the album showcases more of his dexterity and lyrical substance. S1 has confirmed to be producing on

9064-436: Was convicted of attempting to supply heroin to a drug ring and was eventually sentenced to 44 years in a correctional facility. These events greatly affected Fiasco and the subsequent themes discussed on the record. The disc was released in December 2007 in United States while the first single and video from the album, " Superstar " featuring Matthew Santos was released the first week of November 2007. Lupe Fiasco's The Cool ,

9167-444: Was dropped when president and CEO L.A. Reid was fired. During his short tenure at Arista, he met Jay-Z, who was the president of Def Jam Recordings at the time. Jay-Z referred to him as a "breath of fresh air", saying that he reminded him of a younger version of himself. Jay-Z later helped him get a record deal at Atlantic Records . While Fiasco was working on his debut solo album, he released his mixtape series Fahrenheit 1/15 over

9270-516: Was featured on MTV 's " Making the Video ." Fiasco held a poll on his MySpace profile, where fans were able to vote for which song they wanted to be made into a music video. As listed on Allmusic . Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. Sixth grade Sixth grade (also 6th grade or grade 6 ) is the sixth year of formal or compulsory education . Students in sixth grade are usually 11-12 years old. It

9373-576: Was impressed by Fiasco's feature on Kanye West 's " Touch the Sky " and agreed to become the executive producer of the album. The title of the album, (somewhat of a surprise for many coming from a Muslim) refers to the various Food and Liquor stores in Chicago neighborhoods. It also refers to the "constant tug of war between good (food) and evil (liquor)". The title is a philosophy that Fiasco believes about human nature. He went on to elaborate: "In Chicago, instead of having bodegas like in New York,

9476-578: Was inspired by a skateboard deck Fiasco owned. The cover shows Fiasco floating in air, surrounded by several items, including a Banksy postcard , a Nintendo DS , a sketchbook , the Qur'an , and a robot . He explained that the items were picked out carefully, as they were things he "carr[ied] around every day". In the liner notes , Fiasco parodies drug dealing by replacing liquor with milk and cookies, and drive-by shootings by replacing guns with books. Food & Liquor received widespread acclaim from music critics . At Metacritic , which assigns

9579-400: Was less enthusiastic and said that although Fiasco's raps are abundant with "wit and double meaning", the album's biggest flaw is his inability to write memorable hooks , which are instead "blandly-sung, unmemorable couplets". Food & Liquor debuted at number eight on the Billboard 200 , selling 81,000 copies in its first week. As of January 2008, it went on to sell 325,000 copies in

9682-577: Was preceded by two singles, "Autoboto" and "Drill Music in Zion". On 9 December 2022, Fiasco was featured on Aesop Rock 's song "Pumpkin Seeds", produced by Blockhead. The song is a fundraiser for the Collaboratory, an organization promoting two local DIY skateparks in Dayton, Ohio . On 28 April 2023, Fiasco released the song "SentRock" in collaboration with the Chicago visual artist SentRock. The song

9785-469: Was recorded in Sebastian's Sydney studio when Fiasco was in Australia for Supafest , and is featured on Sebastian's album Armageddon . It debuted at number one in Australia in its first week, becoming Fiasco's first number one single. On 21 August it was announced "Battle Scars" would be included on Fiasco's fourth album, Food & Liquor II: The Great American Rap Album Pt. 1 , and was released as

9888-411: Was released in June 2022. His ninth and latest album, Samurai , was released in June 2024. 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

9991-682: Was released in May 2011 to mixed reviews; however, it became his first album to debut at number one on the Billboard 200 . The album was preceded by his highest-charting single, " The Show Goes On ", which peaked at number 9. He released his fourth album, Food & Liquor II: The Great American Rap Album Pt. 1 , in September 2012. His fifth album, Tetsuo & Youth , released in January 2015. His sixth album, Drogas Light , released in February 2017. His seventh album, Drogas Wave , released in September 2018. His eighth album, Drill Music in Zion ,

10094-407: Was released on May 21, which stirred controversy from an infuriated Pete Rock for using a sample from They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.) . Rock said that he felt "so violated" by the use of the sample, although the original track itself used samples from Tom Scott and James Brown . In 2012, Fiasco also collaborated with Australian singer Guy Sebastian on the single " Battle Scars ". The single

10197-407: Was released on September 25, 2012. The songs " Go to Sleep " and " Bitch Bad " were also released as singles. The album received generally positive reviews from contemporary music critics . At Metacritic , which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 70, which indicates "generally favorable reviews", based on 18 reviews. It

10300-444: Was the chief executive officer of 1st and 15th Entertainment. Raised in Chicago , Fiasco 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

10403-471: Was very well received by critics and was referred to as "one of the year's best hip-hop albums" by The New York Times . "Superstar", a semi-autobiographical account of his rise to fame, was released as the first single from the album, and peaked at number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100. Baseball's Hanley Ramírez , Troy Tulowitzki , Ryan Zimmerman , Gerald Laird and Ryan Braun have used "Superstar" as their at-bat song. The album's second single (released in

10506-555: Was writing a novel about a window washer , aptly titled Reflections of a Window Washer . In 2008, Fiasco and his band 1500 or Nothin joined Kanye West's Glow in the Dark Tour which also featured Rihanna and N.E.R.D . The tour stopped in several cities, including his hometown of Chicago. In 2008, MTV named Fiasco the 7th Hottest MC in the Game and announced that he was remixing The Cool with French electro house act Justice . At

10609-671: Was written and produced by Fiasco, while SentRock painted a piece with references to the song's lyrics. Fiasco released Samurai on June 28, 2024, through 1st & 15th Too and Thirty Tigers . It was preceded by two singles, "Samurai" and "Cake". Samurai is a concept album dedicated to the life and legacy of neo-soul singer Amy Winehouse . Fiasco's influence include Nas, Jay Z, Common , AZ , De La Soul , N.W.A , Mos Def , Pharrell Williams , A Tribe Called Quest , Q-Tip , Linkin Park and Gang Starr . Fiasco, along with rappers Common , Mos Def and Talib Kweli , has been credited as

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