"I think I’m obligated for like, three more records on my label after The Cool, but you ain’t necessarily gotta do ‘em. [Laughs.] If you really don’t want to, you don’t necessarily got to keep recording. But as far as quitting, that just [refers to] recorded music." Lupe tells Ben Westhoff of the Village Voice.
"The entity of recorded music really sucks, it’s really wack, especially when you’re doing it through a major. It’s like, you don’t make any money unless you sell tons and tons of records. And I’m not selling tons and tons of records. So, financially, it’s like, this ain’t making no sense. I’m making more money off my shows or off sponsorship or whatever. So, you start to feel like it’s 1950 again, like, “Damn, did I just sign away my life? Damn, I feel stupid.” I’ll still tour. It’s funny, because I just had the same conversation with Ian Astbury last night. I was like, “This recorded music shit sucks,” and he was like, “Yeah, it does.” But, we’ll see." He continued.
Oddly enough, the MC who is praised as one of today's most socially conscious artists, says he really doesn't think he's saying as much as others.
"In the realm that I’m in, it’s not that hard to be saying something. If we go down a few tiers to more underground [artists], there are people who are saying more than I am. But I just don’t think I have that much to say."
Lupe fans will also be happy to know that he is also writing a book.
In other news…
"I'm writing a book now. The book I’m writing is about a window-washer.....it’s deep, though. Imagine all the stuff I don’t put into my music because I can’t find a word to rhyme with “plethora.” I’m trying to practice how to write for an extended period of time. In writing, you kind of hit a ceiling. I hadn’t wrote on it in like, a year or two. So, hopefully, when I have more time [away] from the recording and the road I’ll jump back into it. It’s really good. They printed a chapterette of it in a magazine in London called Blag."
And for those of you who just can't wait for the album or the book, Lupe will bring iMeem's 19 million users into his world this week, handpicking his favorite music and videos and offering a sneak peek of his new album, "The Cool", one week before it hits stores.
Fans can check out Lupe's hot music picks including songs by Jay-Z, Kanye West, Linkin Park, Ian Brown, and UGK as well as Lupe's top video picks featuring Block Party, Shoot Em Up, Wii Sports, Law & Order, Street Fighter 2 and music videos from Kenna, Foo Fighters, Nas, U.N.K.L.E
There will also be a skateboard design contest judged by Lupe with a chance to win a limited edition production run by legendary skateboard company Element Skateboards and a feature with the leading street couture publication Vapors Magazine ( Lupesboard.imeem.com).
COMMENTS
you don’t make any money unless you sell tons and tons of records. And I’m not selling tons and tons of records. So, financially, it’s like, this ain’t making no sense. I’m making more money off my shows or off sponsorship or whatever
this nigga totally contradicted what he said
but go cop the cool tho
lol..
how is he contradicting himself Mak?!
i feel wat lupe's saying if u dont go 2x plat or more u aint making shit... how u think rappers make most of their money, endorsements n doing shows, take "major" artist like madonna, U2 etc, dem nuggas make anything from 10-30 mill just off touring
yea that do sound dumb so he makein cds for the money or is ths nigga doin it for his fans
Ima have to agree wit every1 else in saying... how does he contradict himself at all?? Anyways... he right tho... people just dont buy CDs anymore... I bet only 30% of the so called Hip-Hop Heads on this site have bought a CD in the past 2 years... But since almost all rappers make most their dough from shows and sponsors and shit... it is kinda sayin that he only does the CDs for the money...(might be what mak meant bout contradicting) I dunno if its just me but lately somethin about Lupe characted just ain't "Cool" ya know??
he's making music because he loves to do it, for the fans....but if you aint selling records in a store, its a hobby....not a career, if he actually were to put out music for his fans regardless of him being financially screwed, then he truely is an idiot.....
however, he isnt gonna be able to tour and make money off his shows if he doesnt put out new material every once in a while.....so he's gonna have to come to a compromise most likely....
what yall retarded
he said he not making money at all cause he not selling records
then turned around and said im makin money off my shows and sponsorship
lol thats a contradiction... im not speakin bad on him
whether u making money off fans buying ur records, or making money off doing shows for the fans
its still the music business, at the end of the day u still gettin money off it somehow someway. u cant say man im not making any money cause fans aint buying my shit. then say im making money off doing shows for the fans. they dont go together, thats all im sayin... no big deal
I had to make a profile just to ask.... How is he contradicting himself?
lol haha MAk has a point tho, and i wana hear it
It really shouldn't be about the money.. But yet that's all he's been complaining about..
he has a good reason to complain dude is like one of tha top lyricist and is loosing out on album sales to a nigga whos best line is "youuuuuuuu'llllllllllll"
if u puttin in a cool mill into an album u gone want at least 1.5 back ta say u broke even wit intrest.........
niggas like Jay-z, eminem...........they do it for tha love of it......but thats only cuz they awready made they money offa tha situation so they can rest easy...........lupe still virtually underground
exactly what Devon tha real said!!!
He Would Sell If He Make Hit Concept Records. He Doesn't Stay On Subject...If You Listen To Superstar He Didnt Stay On Topic Thru The Whole Jumpoff...The Chorus Was Hot, But It Didnt Go Wit The Lyrics
^^^^^^ now i know he's going over peoples heads if this dude above me cant even understand "superstar".......how can u say his lyrics don't match the chorus??? do u fools listen to music or do u just skim through it....
Give Me One Verse He Spit On Subject Lupe Genious
tha hell it made perfect sence...................think about it.....thats y niggas like jim jones is eatin great right now he on koch so its like he sold like 300k thats like goin platinum at a indie......and lupe sellin just shy of like 280k as of 2 months ago and he is onna major.............onna major he pry makin like a dollar or maby 2 dollars for every cd while indies are makin damn near 6 offa each cd sold........thats tha only reason y niggas is gettin so rich still offa rappin and why tours got so long.........sellin out shows is like an artist bread and butter.......u can make ur money back that u spent on tha production and marketing of an album 3 fold ya dig......................up ur education homie
Ye-up .. its not looking good right for for rappers that tryna sell albums lupe is sick man... hope dosent retire any day soon
I dont know if u guys notice but this year was a kick ass year
american gangster (jay-z)
the cool (lupe fiasco)
the solution(beanie sigel)
curtis(50 cent)
graduation (kanye west)
free at last (freeway)
m.a.d.e (scarface)
super gangster extraordinary gentlemen (styles p)
For Whom the Beat Tolls (canibus)
b.a.r.s(cassidy)
8th diagrams(wutang)
the big doe rehad(ghostface killah)
Rap-Murr-Phobia The Fear of Real Hip-Hop (keith murray)
Red Gone Wild(redman)
From Nothin' to Somethin(fabolous)
Buck the World(young buck)
Return of the Mac(prodigy)
the kush(havoc)
Finding Forever(common)
In the Movies(ice cube)
Ultimate Victory(Chamillionaire)
Adrenaline Rush 2007(twista)
Greatest Hits(nas)
Writer's Block Volume 5(jr writer)
SORRY SOULJA BOY DIDNT MAKE THE CUT
^^ to bad half these albums didnt get the credit they deserve Wonder what the future is installed....
You 4got the Talib Kweli joint, Eardrum...
Lupe need to stop bitchin an record music because he wants to. Because he loves music and loves making it and he loves hip hop and has a desire to be a part of it. Welcome to the record game nigga. You make money off shows and endorsments. But guess why you get money off shows and endorsements?????? Because of the recorded songs you made nigga.
An on the topic of souljah boy. The people who enjoy the song in the club dont take him half as seriously as yall niggas do. Nobody thinks he's a real MC, he prolly dont even think he's a real MC. He cant think he's a real MC. Jus put him in the same category as you would the electric slide or the Macarena or the Cha Cha slide or some shit like that and crank that shit an have some fun.
oh and yea Dumb it down, the beat on that is just crazy not to mention the lyrics
He just need more support from his customers. Jay z didnt go platium till his third. He's not going to move units unless, he become a household name or starts a beef.
LUPE FIASCO THE BEST RAPPER ALIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
cant seem to get Lupe...
he's a gifted MC but i think he goes over ppl heads...
I don't know what he got into the business for but i would think making recorded ppl and having a fan base would be nice. I know that money is the motivation but i don't think he thought he would be on a Jay/Kanye level
Either way I cant wait for this album and ya'll should hit up datpiff and get some of his other mixtapes if u aint familiar wit dude like that.
www.myspace.com/sthamogul
Lupe is the greatest after Jay-Z, flat out... He needs to dumb down just a bit, but he needs to still keep on puttin out that fire like he do as well in order to grow clientel... I mean, his music is ahead of its time and no one will recognize that Until about 2 or three years down the line... He just needs to stay with it and keep goin and I bet he get's those honors he deserves...
I dont know who be the more delerious Lupe or Wayne fans. Dude is aaaaaiiiiiight. He dont say nothing so deep that anyone else hasnt said before. Whos head he be goin over? Complete idiots? Everytime a nigga dont make sense dont mean he sayin somethin deep. Sometimes niggas talk about ridiculous shit cuz they really dont got that much to say.
"If we go down a few tiers to more underground [artists], there are people who are saying more than I am. But I just don’t think I have that much to say."
From his own mouth and i been tellin niggas that an they be gettin mad.
Its not about subject matter. If Lupe waz rappin about the same shit every ringtone and bubble gum nigga waz rappin about he be the best in the game. But niggas diss him cuz he talk about real shit, the truth, the shit dese Plies and Wayne Fans dont wanna hear. Niggas b tellin him to rap about that shit sense they dont care bout the positive lyrics and intelligent flows....peep "Dumb it Down"
And dis nigga 1Life talkin bout how niggas voices are in rap? It aint nuthin wrong wit Lupe's tone. His rhymes are so superb he doesn't have to scream over tracks and shit like fuckin Gucci Mane or fuckin Young Jeezy. Screamers are cats who dont have impressive lyrics so they yell and shit as a gimmick. Like DMX, dont get me wrong, da nigga can flow, but his damn voice overshadowed his mediocre rhymes.
LUPE SUCKS
YALL NIGGAS KNOW HE DOESN'T TALK REAL NIGGA SHIT.
REAL SHIT PERIOD.
HE NEEDS TO RETIRE.
Nigga u wack, "Realrapmd", yeah right. First of all its HipHop what i listen too, shit that is an art, not something you do for the money (rap), but the whole culture (hiphop). Now i know Lupe pretty much stated he do it 4 the money, but he still got skills. That's like a football player saying they don't like football, but play it cuz they're good at it(i met people like this and many professional athletes changed sports cuz they were better at another). Ne Way back to u fuckboy, what do you mean "real nigga shit", see this is what he means by dumb it down, for stupid ignorant NIGGAS like you. I don't know why i took my time and created a profile just to respond to yo lame ass. YOU JUST A HATER! Retire from making comments Nigga. NOW THAT'S REAL SHIT FOE YO ASS.
Lupe just hit the nail on the head saying "But I just don’t think I have that much to say." when being compaied to socially conscious artists. I've noticed that about Lupe, it's like ..his lyrics are dope... but what you trying to say? That's why I give him title of "On Deck for Best Lyricist" behind Kweli.
lupe's one of the hottest rappers out, but damn, he whines alot
startin to think he is a she, writing? are you kidding me? emcees write... but they dont write no damn books... most writers are homo thats a proven fact... this dosent take away the talent he has on the mic though, he is lyrically a BEAST, but my homie and I were discussing the possibilites of him being super suspect with him bitchin all the time about one thing or another and now he wants to write a damn book? haha more power to you lupe
Wow, that sounds extremly ignorant. Most writers are homo? Really? Also, you have the audacity to say it's a proven fact? So simple minded....
Ima have to agree wit every1 else in saying... how does he contradict himself at all?? Anyways... he right tho... people just dont buy CDs anymore... I bet only 30% of the so called Hip-Hop Heads on this site have bought a CD in the past 2 years... But since almost all rappers make most their dough from shows and sponsors and shit... it is kinda sayin that he only does the CDs for the money...(might be what mak meant bout contradicting) I dunno if its just me but lately somethin about Lupe characted just ain't "Cool" ya know??
cop the dam cool and support ma nigga man!
Lupe doesn't need better beats, his beats are fine and marry his voice and flow perfectly.....what he needs to maybe do is expand his horizons and move out past just his in house dudes and create a little variety......but i for one am a HUGE lupe fan, and just because dude supposedly isnt saying a lot, that doesnt mean he isnt an amazing storyteller, and is absolutely demented at writing....
so yes, COP THA COOL....do my man some service, half the dudes complaining on here bout "HE'S ONLY DOING IT FOR THE MONEY..HE SHOULD DO IT FOR HIS FANS"....odds are these faggots aint even buying albums of there favourite artists......i know dudes who have a favourite artist, i'm talking established artists, with 8 albums, and listen to nothin but them, and NOT OWN ANY ONE OF THEIR ALBUMS..... now u tell me, would u make music just for your die hard fans, if they were like that....
COP IT, SUPPORT HIP HOP....REAL HIP HOP...cause thats what it is, no matter how deep wat he's saying is...
I Heard If You Aint Got A Hustle Outside This Hip Hop/Rap Thang You Gone B Broke!!! So You Gotta Grind It Out Lupe
He got a shoe contract with reebok and some other things i will get back at you with that.
Yeah imeem.com
Now its crazy how yall talking, im 17 and lupe is not going over my head why should it go over anyone else its crazy let show you how real he is, BUT IT'S BEAUTIFUL HERE IT'S NOTHING LIKE THE FEELING WHEN YOU DO IT FROM HERE YOU DIDN'T MOVE A PACK DIDN'T HAVE TO SHOT A GATT AND YOU STILL GOT YOUR MOMMA AND MOVED HER FROM HERE YOU AINT DROP OUT AND YOU FIGURED THE WORLD OUT TO SURVIVE OUT ANYWHERE LEARNED HOW TO DO IT IN HERE.
Real Talk people think about it. Holla got school.
And your point is ok its been around before me and you were born but im saying just look at what he brings to the game HIPHOP really it's nothing but the truth. And it's crazy how your older than me your talking that nonsense for no reason at all to just to get a kick. Get on your grown man 1life.
Lol I really cant see your face so i dont know but you called me a little boy so i thought that you are a old head taking noise.
Ay jo i hust gotta say All his shit be makin sense its just u gotta listen. Dont be on no close minded shit. All his shit make perfect sense and i dig his complex story tellin. Go lupe gaddamiit.
Yeah it makes since...in one line he is specifically talking about album sales...the other side he's talking about the actual grind (touring, shows, appereance's)..its like the game is backwards.....
nigga u got videos on tv and niggas been waiting for your album to drop for a min. and you talkin this crazy shit. who gives a fuck. if its that bad stop rappin theres a million niggas that would rather live your life
buy this cd you poor ass niggers
lupe is the best rapper alive!!! but anyway i feel lupe, wat yall gotta understand is yea they do it for love but they also gotta pay bills and make sure they fam is well if he aint selling records how he gonna manage doing that. lupe is a really dope rapper and if u see him in concert he gives it his all i would hate to see him retire but wateva he dicides to do ill be ridin wit him.
FNF UP!!
THE COOL IS COMING DEC 18TH!!!!
GO GET IT
Lupe a straight genius,thats all i gotta say, he raw, yall kno it,And let me say sum of yall is straight ignorant wit yall comments. Smarten up
Without a doubt Lupe is one of the best rappers out there. He puts out some real honest shit that people can relate to, but the main freakin' problem is that he's always tellin stories!! It can get borring as hell after a while. And plus he don't have any real opinions about anything, he sits on the fence in his music/interviews just to please whoeva...unlike rappers like 50 who will tell you who & what he don't like without any remorse.
The real truth about the music industry is that there is money in it. The problem is that most of the rappers out there are greedy, including Lupe.