Lupe Fiasco – Words I Never Said video featuring Skylar Grey

Producer: Alex da Kid
Album: Lasers
Director: Sanaa Hamri

Most have heard about all the tug of war that went on with this album. Atlantic did not like singles Lupe was putting out and told him to change up his style, he refused and subsequently stalemate ensued in what escalated to a threat of thousands of people demonstrating unless Lasers was released. Here at last though, will his core fans really appreciate it? When you hear a track like “All Black Everything” you just wonder what this album could have been if Lupe had full creative control. A lot of people will really like this CD, but the fear seems to be that they will all be twelve year old white girls.

Drowning in guest appearances to the point that only a few songs exist with which Lupe is able to take the reigns, the absolute saddest thing is that of the few, two of those songs are titanic failures. “Till I Get There” is abysmal and “The Show Goes On” was so bad I wanted to just turn the whole thing off. The Modest Mouse sample from “Float On” was not appreciated. Heads will be put in hands when tracks like “State Run Radio” are played while fists may even rise to the heavens damning all with a listen of “Coming Up.” “Break The Chain” sounds like emo synth meets euro pop as opposed to witty 808-hop. Where is Lupe on his own album?

Lupe Fiasco is known for his hard hitting lyrics and crunchy beat selection. This project though is more a collage of “pop” music with some trite forgettable hooks. This is not the same production by any means. It would seem the beats are done by committee although none were a clear substitute for Prolyfic and/or Soundtrack. The direction this CD was trying to go is not easily understandable — it does not flow. Underneath a lot of that though is still a supremely gifted lyricist who can formulate a dope verse with the best of them.

This is not MGMT’s Congratulations – Fiasco did not take any risks, any chances. It is not so out there that it takes a couple of listens to decipher. How much is the label and how much is Lupe Fiasco himself is a question that pops into mind… The label politics that where taking place in between the three year hiatus signified to a lot of people that this album was going to be dangerous, hard hitting and unforgiving. Maybe this is the give back album considering it is the last he has to put out to fulfill his contractual obligations with Atlantic.

Lasers does not feel like a Lupe Fiasco album, it feels like a compilation album featuring Lupe. That being said critics mean naught often times in the eyes of the fan. The end product being such a heavily pop influenced album how will the core fans react? With all of the energy it took in order to drop this album though, I am surprised this is the end product. It is tough to believe this is the album he was fighting so vehemently for. While I am sure Lasers will not be the worst album this year it shall most surely not be the best.

Common, Lupe Fiasco, Jennifer Hudson, No I.D. – We Can Do It Now video

A video inspired by the track written for Season 3 of REPLAY: REPLAYtheSeries.com

Lupe Fiasco – I’m Beaming video

The official video for Lupe Fiasco’s “I’m Beaming” from his upcoming album Lasers due out later this year.

Directed by Illusive Media.

Lupe Fiasco & Kenna – Resurrection video

Official visuals for the Lupe Fiasco & Kenna Download To Donate “Ressurection” track produced by Mike Shinoda. Click here to donate.

Directed By Shomi Patwary & Robert Simmons for IllusiveMedia.

Friday 3/5 – Bridges Auditorium – Claremont, CA – (w/B.o.B)

Saturday 3/20 – Bob Hope Theatre – Stockton, CA

Wednesday 4/07 – House of Blues – Boston, MA – (w/B.o.B)

Friday 4/09 – House of Blues (Atlantic City) – Atlantic City, NJ – (w/B.o.B)

Saturday 4/10 – The Fillmore NY at Irving Plaza – New York, NY – (w/B.o.B)

Tuesday 4/13 – 9:30 Club – Washington, DC – (w/B.o.B)

Wednesday 4/14 – Royal Oak Theatre – Detroit, MI – (w/B.o.B)

Friday 4/16 – Eagles Ballroom – Milwaukee, WI – (w/B.o.B)

Saturday 4/17 – Lund Arena (Gustavus Adolphus College) – St. Peter, MN

Sunday 4/18 – Midland Theatre – Kansas City, MO

Tuesday 4/20 – Peoria Civic Center Theatre – Peoria, IL – (w/B.o.B)

Thursday 4/22 – East Tennessee State University Center – Johnson City, TN

Friday 4/23 – UNC – Charlotte – Charlotte, NC – (w/B.o.B)

Saturday 4/24 – Worcester Polytechnic Institute – Worcester, MA

Monday 4/26 – House of Blues – Houston, TX – (w/B.o.B)

Tuesday 4/27 – House of Blues – Dallas, TX – (w/B.o.B)

Thursday 4/29 – Ogden Theatre – Denver, CO – (w/B.o.B)

Saturday 5/01 – House of Blues (Las Vegas) – Las Vegas, NV – (w/B.o.B)

Sunday 5/02 – House of Blues (Sunset) – Los Angeles, CA – (w/B.o.B)

Wednesday 5/05 – Regency Ballroom – San Francisco, CA – (w/B.o.B)

Friday 5/07- Showbox SoDo – Seattle, WA – (w/B.o.B)

Lupe Fiasco – Solar Midnite video

iTunes bonus to the Twilight: New Moon soundtrack.

Lupe Fiasco – Solar Midnite video [Behind The Scenes]

AplusFilmz takes us on a behind the scenes look at Lupe’s music video for “Solar Midnite” from the Twilight: New Moon soundtrack.

The film is both inspired by and based on co-executive producer Howard Zinn’s books A People’s History of the United States, which has sold more than two million copies, and, with co-executive producer, Anthony Arnove, Voices of a People’s History of the United States. The film was also produced by Josh Brolin, Matt Damon and Chris Moore.

The film will feature dramatic performances chronicling the history of this country, including charter documents, letters, diaries and more, from such celebrities as Matt Damon, Josh Brolin, Viggo Mortensen, Kerry Washington, David Strathairn, Marisa Tomei, Don Cheadle, Q’orianka Kilcher, Michael Ealy, Lupe Fiasco, Bruce Springsteen, Eddie Vedder, Allison Moorer, Jasmine Guy, John Legend and more.

VOICES OF A PEOPLE’S HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES (www.peopleshistory.us) seeks to bring to light little known voices from U.S. history, including those of women, African Americans, Native Americans, immigrants, and laborers. The goal of Voices of a People’s History of the United States is to encourage civic engagement and to further history education by bringing the rich history of the United States to life through public readings of primary-source materials.

Lupe Fiasco new album Lasers promotional video