"Around My Way (Freedom Ain't Free)" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Lupe Fiasco | ||||
from the album Food & Liquor II: The Great American Rap Album Pt. 1 | ||||
Released | May 21, 2012 | |||
Recorded | 2012 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 4:19 | |||
Label | ||||
Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) |
| |||
Lupe Fiasco singles chronology | ||||
|
"Around My Way (Freedom Ain't Free)" is a song performed by rapper Lupe Fiasco. The song is based on a sample of Pete Rock & CL Smooth's 1992 release "They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)". [1] It was the first single off his album Food & Liquor II: The Great American Rap Album Pt. 1 . It was released as a single on May 21, 2012. [2]
The music video was released on June 27, 2012, on 106 & Park and premiered on YouTube the same day. The video was directed by Alex Nazari and was filmed in Lupe's hometown of Chicago. In the video, Lupe's sporting glowing, demon-like eyes and has a "crew" in 2D Animation, along with what would be a rented car, all three used as a satire for the problems within the American social, economic and political project. Rapper Trae tha Truth makes a cameo appearance in the video.
"Around My Way" is based around a sample that was also utilized in the Pete Rock & CL Smooth song "They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)", a track that has evolved into a hip-hop staple since its 1992 release. Pete Rock himself, via his Twitter account, expressed intense displeasure at the song's producers for choosing "T.R.O.Y." as the backing sample, [3] but soon afterward apologized for the outburst. According to an exasperated Lupe Fiasco, he and the label had reached out to Rock several months beforehand for his approval on using the original instrumental, which eventually had to be intricately replicated by B-Side and DJ Simonsayz; the "T.R.O.Y." song itself sampled work from Tom Scott as well, which further complicated the legalities behind sample clearances. [4]
"Around My Way (Freedom Ain't Free)" debuted at #76 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Chart (2012) | Peak position |
---|---|
US Billboard Hot 100 [5] | 76 |
Lasers is the third studio album by American rapper Lupe Fiasco, released on March 7, 2011 by Atlantic Records. Production for the album took place between 2008 and 2010. Lasers features production by The Audibles, The Neptunes, Needlz, Alex da Kid, Syience, and long-time collaborator Soundtrakk, among others. Trey Songz, John Legend, Skylar Grey, Sway, Matt Mahaffey, MDMA, Eric Turner and Sarah Green contribute vocals to the album.
Peter O. Phillips, better known by his stage name Pete Rock, is an American record producer, DJ and rapper. He is widely recognized as one of the greatest hip hop producers of all time, and is often mentioned alongside DJ Premier, RZA, Q-Tip and J Dilla as one of the mainstays of 1990s East Coast hip hop production. He rose to prominence in the early 1990s as one half of the critically acclaimed group Pete Rock & CL Smooth. Early on in his career, he was also famed for his remix work.
Pete Rock & CL Smooth were a hip hop duo from Mount Vernon, New York. They made their debut with their 1991 EP, All Souled Out and followed that with their 1992 LP Mecca and the Soul Brother.
Wasalu Muhammad Jaco, better known by his stage name Lupe Fiasco, is an American rapper, singer, record producer, and entrepreneur. 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 was the chief executive officer of 1st and 15th Entertainment.
Mecca and the Soul Brother is the 1992 debut album from hip-hop duo Pete Rock & CL Smooth. The album contains their best known song, "They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)". Mecca and the Soul Brother has been widely acclaimed as one of the greatest hip hop albums of all time. The album was mostly produced by Pete Rock and executive produced by DJ Eddie F of Heavy D & the Boyz.
The Main Ingredient is the second album by Pete Rock & CL Smooth, released on November 8, 1994. It is the duo's last studio album to date.
Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor is the debut studio album by American rapper Lupe Fiasco, released on September 19, 2006, on 1st & 15th Entertainment and Atlantic Records. The album features production from The Neptunes, Kanye West, Mike Shinoda, Craig Kallman, Prolyfic, Needlz, Soundtrakk, and Brandon Howard. Jay-Z, Chill, and Fiasco himself are credited as the executive producers for the album. Songs on the record discuss poverty, Islam, terrorism, racism, and individuality.
"They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)" is a song by Pete Rock & CL Smooth, inspired by the death of their close friend Troy Dixon in 1990. The song was the lead single off their debut album, Mecca and the Soul Brother, released in 1992, and later became a staple of early 1990s hip hop. The song peaked at #58 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #1 on the Hot Rap Tracks chart.
Lupe Fiasco's The Cool is the second studio album by American rapper Lupe Fiasco. It was released on December 18, 2007, by 1st & 15th Entertainment and Atlantic Records. Recording sessions took place during 2006 to 2007, with Lupe Fiasco himself, alongside Charles Patton (Chilly) serving as the records executive producers. A concept album, The Cool was based upon the song and a title character from his debut album, Food & Liquor (2006). The album features guest appearances from Gemini, Snoop Dogg and Matthew Santos, while the production was provided by Patrick Stump, Soundtrakk and Unkle, among others.
American rapper Lupe Fiasco has released eight studio albums, six mixtapes, seven soundtrack albums, 38 singles, and 37 music videos.
"Straighten It Out" is the second single by Pete Rock & CL Smooth from their album, Mecca and the Soul Brother, which was released to critical acclaim in 1992. The song deals with bootleggers and sample clearance opportunists. Unlike the previous single, "They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)", "Straighten It Out" did not chart on the Billboard Hot 100. The song contains a sample from "Our Generation" by Ernie Hines.
"Us Placers" is the debut song by American supergroup Child Rebel Soldier, a musical collaboration consisting of American hip-hop artists Lupe Fiasco, Kanye West, and Pharrell Williams. It was released as the third song on the track-listing of West's 2007 mixtape Can't Tell Me Nothing. The song was produced by Fiasco and samples the 2006 song "The Eraser" by Thom Yorke. On "Us Placers," the trio speak on the entrapments of fame. Having been released on a free mixtape, the song did not enter charts but became an online hit and received strong reviews from music critics.
"Biological Didn't Bother" is the first single released from Shaquille O'Neal's second album, Shaq Fu: Da Return. It was released on October 17, 1994 with production from the LG Experience and Warren G. The single was a minor success, making it to number 78 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song is dedicated to Shaq's stepfather, Phillip A. Harrison and samples "They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)" by Pete Rock & CL Smooth.
Mark Williams, better known by his stage name Mickey Factz, is an American hip hop recording artist from the Bronx borough of New York City, New York.
"I'm On" is a song by American rapper Trae tha Truth featuring fellow American rappers Wiz Khalifa, Lupe Fiasco, Big Boi, & Wale and American singer Poo Bear, also known as MDMA. The song was released as a digital download on December 6, 2011. "I'm On" originally appeared on Trae's album Street King, only featuring Lupe Fiasco, Big Boi, Wale and MDMA. The song was later released as a single adding Wiz Khalifa on December 6, 2011. On February 3, 2012, a remix entitled "I'm On 2.0" was released, replacing the featured artists with British singer Mark Morrison and American rappers Big K.R.I.T., Jadakiss, J. Cole, Kendrick Lamar, B.o.B, Tyga, Gudda Gudda, and Bun B.
Mann's World is the debut studio album by American rapper Mann, released through Def Jam Records and Beluga Heights on August 2, 2011. The album is preceded by the singles "Buzzin'" and "The Mack" which were released in October 2010 and May 2011, respectively.
Food & Liquor II: The Great American Rap Album Pt. 1 is the fourth studio album by American rapper Lupe Fiasco, released on September 25, 2012. Production for the album took place between 2009 and 2012. The album was intended to be released in June 2009, but was postponed due to the Lasers album. Food & Liquor II: The Great American Rap Album Pt. 1 features production by The Audibles, 1500 or Nothin', B-Sides, Simonsayz, The Runners, and long-time collaborator Soundtrakk among others. Bilal, Poo Bear, Guy Sebastian, Casey Benjamin, Jason Evigan, and Jane $$$ contribute vocals to the album.
"Poor Decisions" is a song by American hip hop recording artist Wale, released as the first single from the Maybach Music Group (MMG) compilation album, Self Made Vol. 3. The song features fellow American rappers Rick Ross and Lupe Fiasco, the former of whom being the founder of MMG. The song peaked on the US Billboard Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Singles at number nine.
The following list is a discography of production credited to Pete Rock, an American hip hop record producer and recording artist from Mount Vernon, New York. It includes a list of songs produced, co-produced and remixed by year, artist, album and title.
The Only Number That Matters Is Won is the second collaborative studio album by American emcee/producer duo Pace Won and Mr. Green. It was released on September 4, 2012, via Raw Poetix Records LLC. The album features guest appearances from Masta Ace, Lee $cratch Perry, Snoop Dogg, Burnt MD, Lawrence Arnell, Rival.