Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor

Last updated
Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor
Foodliquor.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedSeptember 19, 2006
Recorded2003–2006
Studio
  • 1st & 15th (Chicago)
  • Record Plant (Hollywood)
  • Right Track (New York City)
Genre
Length72:13
Label
Producer
Lupe Fiasco chronology
Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor
(2006)
Lupe Fiasco's The Cool
(2007)
Singles from Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor
  1. "Kick, Push"
    Released: April 18, 2006
  2. "I Gotcha"
    Released: August 8, 2006
  3. "Daydreamin'"
    Released: September 11, 2006

Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor (commonly referred to as 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.

Contents

Originally, the album was reported to have debuted at number 12 on the Billboard 200; however, due to incomplete Nielsen SoundScan reports, the album actually debuted at number eight. [1] 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 a music video for "Just Might Be O.K.", nine years after the album's original release.

Background and conception

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. [2] He later signed a recording contract with Arista Records, but was dropped when president and chief executive officer (CEO) L. A. Reid was fired. [2] In 2006, fellow rapper Jay-Z was impressed by Fiasco's feature on Kanye West's "Touch the Sky" and agreed to become the executive producer of the album. [3]

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. [4] It also refers to the "constant tug of war between good (food) and evil (liquor)". [5] 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, 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." [6]

Lupe Fiasco performing L Fiasco Diego062.jpg
Lupe Fiasco performing

Prior to the release of Food & Liquor, Fiasco was one of Rolling Stone magazine's "List of Artists to Watch" in 2006. [7] In April 2006, the entire album was leaked onto the Internet, which resulted in it being shelved. [8] With the leak of the album, Fiasco was heralded as the potential "savior of hip hop" by critics, [9] [10] [11] as well as fellow recording artists West and Williams. [12] [13] 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. [14] Recording sessions took place at 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. [15] Prior to its release, Fiasco had to make "several last-minute changes" due to "sample issues". [16]

Musical content

Subject matter

Food & Liquor contains elements of alternative hip hop. [17] Fiasco covers a wide variety of subjects on the album. The opening track begins with Fiasco chanting the opening lines of the Qur'an in Arabic. [18] The following track, "Real", is a reflection of "making music of which he doesn't have to be ashamed". [19] "Kick, Push", the album's lead single, is about a young male and his love for skateboarding. [20] 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 is skateboarding, the actual meaning of the song is rejection, and being criticized for doing what one loves.[ citation needed ] On "The Instrumental", Fiasco addresses addiction to television. [21] "He Say She Say" deals with the story of a single mother and a child lacking a father figure. [21] "The Cool" follows the story of a dead gangster who rises from the grave and returns to the hood where he lived and died. [21] With its "haunting keys and strings", "Hurt Me Soul" deals with displacement and alienation from his neighborhood. [22] On "American Terrorist", Fiasco discusses the misconceptions of Islam in America. [4] He also addresses the issues of racism and gun culture. [21] The song had originally sampled a song by Chick Corea, but due to sampling issues, it was never cleared. [16] 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 the album.

Production

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 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". [23]

Artwork

The album cover of Food & Liquor was designed by Chuck Anderson and Righteous Kung Fu. [24] It was inspired by a skateboard deck Fiasco owned. [25] 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". [26] In the liner notes, Fiasco parodies drug dealing by replacing liquor with milk and cookies, and drive-by shootings by replacing guns with books. [4]

Reception and legacy

Critical response

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic 83/100 [27]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [17]
The A.V. Club A [28]
Entertainment Weekly B+ [29]
Mojo Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [30]
MSN Music (Consumer Guide)A− [31]
NME 7/10 [32]
Pitchfork 7.9/10 [33]
Rolling Stone Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [34]
Slant Magazine Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [35]
Uncut Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [36]

Food & Liquor received widespread acclaim from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 83, based on 20 reviews. [27] Several writers lauded the lyrical content on the album. [18] 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] the parameters of mainstream hip-hop". [28] Sarah Godfrey of The Washington Post hailed the album as a "masterpiece of responsible rap". [37] Darryl Sterdan of Jam! called the album "one of the sharpest and smartest hip-hop discs" of 2006, [21] while Andy Kellman of AllMusic argued that "Food and Liquor just might be the steadiest and most compelling rap album of 2006". [17] 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". [38] Sean Fennessey of Pitchfork 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". [33]

Commercial performance

Food & Liquor debuted at number eight on the Billboard 200, selling 81,000 copies in its first week. [39] As of January 2008, it went on to sell 325,000 copies in the United States, as of September 22 of 2021 the album is certified gold. [40]

Accolades

The album was named best hip hop album of 2006 by several publications and was ranked within several year-end lists. [41] [42] [43] [44] It was also one of the best-reviewed albums of 2006 at Metacritic. [45] Food & Liquor finished 34th in the voting for the Pazz & Jop, an annual critics poll run by The Village Voice . [46] Robert Christgau, the poll's creator, named it the 19th best album of the year in his own list. [47] The album was also included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die . [48]

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". [49] In 2008, "Daydreamin'" won the award for Best Urban/Alternative Performance at the 50th Grammy Awards. [50]

Singles

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 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. [51]

Track listing

Food & Liquor
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Intro"
Chris & Drop3:06
2."Real" (featuring Sarah Green)
  • Jaco
  • Harvey Mason
  • Kenny Mason
  • Rudolph Lopez
Soundtrakk4:02
3."Just Might Be OK" (featuring Gemini) Prolyfic 4:24
4."Kick, Push"
  • Jaco
  • R. Lopez
Soundtrakk4:13
5."I Gotcha" The Neptunes 3:58
6."The Instrumental" (featuring Jonah Matranga)
Shinoda3:26
7."He Say She Say" (featuring Gemini & Sarah Green)
Soundtrakk4:12
8."Sunshine"
  • Jaco
  • R. Lopez
Soundtrakk3:55
9."Daydreamin'" (featuring Jill Scott)
Craig Kallman3:55
10."The Cool"
  • Jaco
  • Dexter Wansel
  • Kanye West
West3:46
11."Hurt Me Soul"
Needlz 4:22
12."Pressure" (featuring Jay-Z)
Prolyfic4:47
13."American Terrorist" (featuring Matthew Santos)
  • Jaco
  • Armando Corea
  • Ewing Jr.
Prolyfic4:40
14."The Emperor's Soundtrack"
  • Jaco
  • Michael Schenker
  • R. Lopez
Soundtrakk2:56
15."Kick, Push II"Howard4:11
16."Outro"JacoChris & Drop12:13
iTunes Deluxe edition bonus track [52]
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
17."Theme Music to a Drive-By"Prolyfic3:04
Limited edition CD bonus tracks [53]
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
17."Tilted"
  • Jaco
  • Cain
Needlz3:33
18."Carrera Lu"
Prolyfic3:11
19."What It Do"
Howard4:07
5th Anniversary edition digital bonus tracks [54]
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
17."Theme Music to a Drive-By"
  • Jaco
  • L. Bell
  • T. Bell
  • James
Prolyfic3:04
18."Tilted"
  • Jaco
  • Cain
Needlz3:32
19."Carrera Lu"
  • Jaco
  • Ewing Jr.
  • Beal
  • Flemons
  • V. White
  • M. White
  • Whitehead
Prolyfic3:10
20."What It Do"
  • Jaco
  • Howard
  • Miller
Howard4:07
Note(s)
Sample credits

Personnel

As listed on Allmusic. [24]

Charts

Certifications

Certifications for Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor
RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI) [62] Silver60,000
United States (RIAA) [63] Gold500,000

Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Notes

  1. ""Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor" A Smash Debut". Static Multimedia. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved May 22, 2007.
  2. 1 2 Kellman, Andy. "Lupe Fiasco > Biography". AllMusic . Retrieved October 18, 2009.
  3. Watson, Margeaux (January 11, 2008). "60 Second Bio". Entertainment Weekly . Time Inc. Retrieved October 18, 2009.
  4. 1 2 3 Loebenstein, Ghita (January 19, 2007). "Lupe Fiasco". The Sydney Morning Herald . Fairfax Media . Retrieved October 16, 2009.
  5. "Lupe Fiasco Rolls With Jay-Z, Shinoda". Billboard . Nielsen Business Media . Retrieved October 10, 2009.
  6. "Atlantic Records :: Lupe Fiasco Biography". Atlantic Records. Archived from the original on December 1, 2008. Retrieved October 18, 2009.
  7. "10 Artists to Watch 2006". Rolling Stone . Wenner Media. September 7, 2006. Archived from the original on August 10, 2009. Retrieved May 22, 2007.
  8. "Leak Bumps Lupe Fiasco Album to August". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. Retrieved October 10, 2009.
  9. Hale, Andreas (September 27, 2006). "Lupe Fiasco - Food & Liquor". HipHopDX. Retrieved September 20, 2006.
  10. "The Rise and Fall of Lupe Fiasco". hiphopmusic.com. October 17, 2006. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved May 30, 2007.
  11. Baber, Anthony (September 9, 2006). "Taste of Chicago". The Michigan Daily . Retrieved October 10, 2009.
  12. "Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor". JBHIFmusic. September 7, 2006. Archived from the original on June 11, 2007. Retrieved May 22, 2007.
  13. "Jay, Pharrell & Kanye Say: 'Lupe Fiasco's The Future of Hip Hop'". PartyPeeps2000. July 10, 2006. Retrieved May 22, 2007.
  14. "Billboard". Billboard. Vol. 118, no. 28. Nielsen Business Media. July 15, 2006. p. 26. ISSN   0006-2510.
  15. Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor (booklet). Lupe Fiasco. United States: 1st & 15th, Atlantic. 2006. pp. 1, 8. B3959-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  16. 1 2 Wehner, Cyclone (January 18, 2007). "Lupe over sampling fiasco". Herald Sun . The Herald and Weekly Times . Retrieved October 16, 2009.
  17. 1 2 3 Kellman, Andy. "Food & Liquor – Lupe Fiasco". AllMusic . Retrieved September 17, 2009.
  18. 1 2 Nixon, Chris (February 8, 2007). "Faith healer". The San Diego Union-Tribune . Union-Tribune Publishing. Retrieved October 16, 2009.
  19. Hicks, Corbin (September 7, 2007). "Refreshing Lupe Fiasco provides introspection to rap genre". The Observer. College Publisher. Retrieved October 18, 2009.
  20. Scott, Bruce (July 10, 2007). "Music Review – Lupe Fiasco, Food and Liquor". movmnt . Retrieved October 16, 2009.
  21. 1 2 3 4 5 Sterdan, Darryl. "Album Review: Food & Liquor". Jam! . Archived from the original on January 15, 2013. Retrieved October 18, 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  22. "Vibe". Vibe. 14 (11). Vibe Media Group: 40. November 2006. ISSN   1070-4701.
  23. "Albums :: Food And Liquor". ProdBy: The Net #1 Source For Hip Hop Productions and Discographies. Archived from the original on July 19, 2011. Retrieved May 22, 2007.
  24. 1 2 Kellman, Andy. "Food and Liquor > Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved October 18, 2009.
  25. Modell, Josh (November 15, 2007). "Lupe Fiasco". Spin . SpinMedia. Retrieved October 18, 2009.
  26. Endelman, Michael (October 20, 2006). "A few of Lupe Fiasco's favorite things". Entertainment Weekly. Time Inc. Retrieved October 16, 2009.
  27. 1 2 "Reviews for Food & Liquor by Lupe Fiasco". Metacritic . Retrieved May 30, 2007.
  28. 1 2 Rabin, Nathan (September 20, 2006). "Lupe Fiasco: Food and Liquor". The A.V. Club . Archived from the original on March 5, 2011. Retrieved September 17, 2009.
  29. Hermes, Will (September 29, 2006). "Food & Liquor". Entertainment Weekly. New York: Time Inc. Archived from the original on February 2, 2017. Retrieved September 17, 2009.
  30. "Lupe Fiasco: Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor". Mojo (157). London: 120. December 2006.
  31. Christgau, Robert (February 2007). "Consumer Guide". MSN Music . Retrieved September 14, 2014.
  32. "Lupe Fiasco: Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor". NME . London: 35. October 14, 2006.
  33. 1 2 Fennessey, Sean (September 21, 2006). "Lupe Fiasco: Food & Liquor". Pitchfork . Retrieved September 17, 2009.
  34. Serpick, Evan (September 29, 2006). "Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor : Lupe Fiasco". Rolling Stone. New York: Wenner Media. Archived from the original on February 24, 2009. Retrieved September 17, 2009.
  35. Jones, Preston (October 10, 2006). "Lupe Fiasco: Food & Liquor". Slant Magazine . Retrieved September 17, 2009.
  36. "Lupe Fiasco: Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor". Uncut (115). London: 113. December 2006.
  37. Godfrey, Sarah (December 7, 2006). "Lupe Fiasco Maintains His High-Road Cred". The Washington Post . Retrieved October 16, 2009.
  38. Love, Josh (September 29, 2006). "Lupe Fiasco – Food and Liquor – Review". Stylus Magazine . Retrieved September 17, 2009.
  39. Crosley, Hillary (December 27, 2007). "Lupe Fiasco is finding some commercial success, but plays hip-hop game his way". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. Retrieved October 24, 2009.
  40. Watson, Margeaux (January 11, 2008). "Lupe Fiasco: The Art of Being Cool". Entertainment Weekly. Time Inc. Retrieved September 24, 2009.
  41. Zaleski, Annie (December 26, 2006). "2006: The Year in Music". Riverfront Times . Village Voice Media. Retrieved October 18, 2009.
  42. "The Top 50 Albums of 2006". Rolling Stone. Wenner Media. December 11, 2006. p. 4. Archived from the original on May 5, 2009. Retrieved October 18, 2009.
  43. "Top 50 Albums of 2006". Pitchfork. December 19, 2006. p. 2. Archived from the original on January 1, 2016. Retrieved October 18, 2009.
  44. Huff, Quentin B. (December 15, 2006). "Best Hip-Hop of 2006". PopMatters. Retrieved October 19, 2009.
  45. "Best Albums of 2006". Metacritic. Retrieved October 18, 2009.
  46. Anon. (2007). "The 2006 Pazz & Jop Critics Poll". The Village Voice . No. February 6. New York. Retrieved September 14, 2014.
  47. Christgau, Robert (February 14, 2007). "2006: Dean's List". Robert Christgau. Retrieved September 14, 2014.
  48. Robert Dimery; Michael Lydon (2014). 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die: Revised and Updated Edition. Universe. ISBN   978-0-7893-2074-2.
  49. Barry, Rebecca (December 15, 2006). "Life as a true Fiasco". The New Zealand Herald . APN News & Media . Retrieved October 18, 2009.
  50. "Early 50th annual Grammy Award winners". USA Today . Gannett. February 10, 2008. Retrieved October 18, 2009.
  51. "Lupe Fiaso - The Instrumental (Behind the Scenes)". HipHopDX. April 30, 2007. Retrieved May 22, 2007.
  52. "Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor (Deluxe Version)". iTunes. 27 June 2006. Retrieved 10 February 2018.
  53. "Lupe Fiasco – Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor". Discogs. 19 September 2006. Retrieved 10 February 2018.
  54. "Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor (5th Anniversary Edition) [Explicit]". Amazon. Retrieved 10 February 2018.
  55. "Dutchcharts.nl – Lupe Fiasco – Food & Liquor" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved September 17, 2009.
  56. "Lescharts.com – Lupe Fiasco – Food & Liquor". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 17, 2009.
  57. "Lupe Fiasco | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved September 17, 2009.
  58. "Lupe Fiasco Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved September 17, 2009.
  59. "Lupe Fiasco Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved September 17, 2009.
  60. "Lupe Fiasco Chart History (Top Rap Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved September 17, 2009.
  61. "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 2006". Billboard. Retrieved September 24, 2020.
  62. "British album certifications – Lupe Fiasco – Food & Liquor". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved October 5, 2021.
  63. "American album certifications – Lupe Fiasco – Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor". Recording Industry Association of America.

Related Research Articles

<i>Lasers</i> (album) 2011 studio album by Lupe Fiasco

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.

<i>The College Dropout</i> 2004 studio album by Kanye West

The College Dropout is the debut studio album by the American rapper Kanye West. It was released on February 10, 2004, by Roc-A-Fella Records and Def Jam Recordings. In the years leading up to release, West had received praise for his production work for rappers such as Jay-Z and Talib Kweli, but faced difficulty being accepted as an artist in his own right by figures in the music industry. Intent on pursuing a solo career, he signed a record deal with Roc-A-Fella and recorded the album over a period of four years, beginning in 1999.

<i>Graduation</i> (album) 2007 studio album by Kanye West

Graduation is the third studio album by the American rapper Kanye West released on September 11, 2007, through Def Jam Recordings and Roc-A-Fella Records. Recording sessions took place between 2005 and 2007 at several studios in New York and Los Angeles. It was primarily produced by West himself, with contributions from various other producers, including DJ Toomp. The album features guest appearances from recording artists such as Dwele, T-Pain, Lil Wayne, Mos Def, DJ Premier, and Chris Martin. The cover art and its interior artwork were designed by contemporary artist Takashi Murakami.

Japanese Cartoon is an American rock band that was formed in 2008 by rapper Wasalu Muhammad Jaco, otherwise known by his stage name Lupe Fiasco. The band consists of Jaco (Vocals) who can be heard singing in a Mockney accent for some songs, Graham Burris (Bass), Matt Nelson (Keyboard), and Le Messie (Production). Their album In the Jaws of the Lords of Death was released July 16, 2010 as a free online download from their website.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lupe Fiasco</span> American rapper and record producer (born 1982)

Wasalu Muhammad Jaco, better known by his stage name Lupe Fiasco, 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 was the chief executive officer of 1st and 15th Entertainment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Touch the Sky (Kanye West song)</span> 2006 single by Kanye West and Lupe Fiasco

"Touch the Sky" is a song recorded by American hip hop artist Kanye West for his second studio album, Late Registration (2005). The song features Lupe Fiasco on his career debut. It was produced by Just Blaze, standing as the album's only track to not include production from West. The song was released in the United Kingdom as a digital EP through Roc-A-Fella and Def Jam on January 1, 2006. On February 14, the aforementioned labels serviced the song to US mainstream radio stations as the album's fourth single. The next month, it was released in various countries for digital download by Roc-A-Fella and Def Jam and as a CD single through Universal Music, respectively.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)</span> 1992 single by Pete Rock & CL Smooth

"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. The song contains a sample from "Today" which is part of the album The Honeysuckle Breeze by Tom Scott and the California Dreamers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kick, Push</span> 2006 single by Lupe Fiasco

"Kick, Push" is the first single released from Lupe Fiasco's debut album, Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor. It was written by Lupe Fiasco and Soundtrakk, who also produced the song. It describes a love story between a male and a female misfit skateboarders. It has been referred to as "a needle in hip hop's haystack of complacent songs."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Daydreamin' (Lupe Fiasco song)</span> 2006 single by Lupe Fiasco featuring Jill Scott

"Daydreamin'" is the third single taken from Lupe Fiasco's album Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor (2006) and features soul singer Jill Scott. The song won Best Urban/Alternative Performance at the 50th Annual Grammy Awards, earning Fiasco his first Grammy and Scott's third.

<i>Lupe Fiascos The Cool</i> 2007 studio album by Lupe Fiasco

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lupe Fiasco discography</span>

American rapper Lupe Fiasco has released nine studio albums, seven mixtapes, 38 singles, and 37 music videos.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Child Rebel Soldier</span> American hip hop supergroup

Child Rebel Soldier, shortened CRS, is the alternative hip-hop side project of American rapper Lupe Fiasco. The project was originally a supergroup composed of Lupe (child), Kanye West (rebel), and Pharrell Williams (soldier). Formed in 2007, the trio released two collaborative singles prior to their original disbandment in 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Superstar (Lupe Fiasco song)</span> 2007 single by Lupe Fiasco featuring Matthew Santos

"Superstar" is a song performed by rapper Lupe Fiasco featuring Matthew Santos. It is the first single off his 2007 album Lupe Fiasco's The Cool. iTunes released "Superstar" on September 25, 2007 along with a radio version of "Dumb It Down."

"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. In "Us Placers," the trio speaks on the entrapments of fame. Having been released on a free mixtape, the song did not enter the charts but became an online hit and received strong reviews from music critics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prolyfic</span> Musical artist

Prolyfic is an American Grammy-nominated hip-hop record producer, and songwriter best known for his work with hip hop artist Lupe Fiasco.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Demarco Castle</span> American rapper

Demarco Lamonte Castle, also known as Gemstones, is an American singer and rapper from Chicago. He is most well known for his affiliation with fellow Chicago artist Lupe Fiasco.

<i>Food & Liquor II: The Great American Rap Album Pt. 1</i> 2012 studio album by Lupe Fiasco

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle Scars</span> 2012 single by Guy Sebastian featuring Lupe Fiasco

"Battle Scars" is a song performed by Australian recording artist Guy Sebastian featuring American rapper Lupe Fiasco. It was released digitally in Australia and New Zealand on 10 August 2012 by Sony Music Entertainment. The song lyrics and music were written by Sebastian and David Ryan Harris, with the rap written by Fiasco. It was the third single lifted from Sebastian's seventh album Armageddon. Fiasco added "Battle Scars" to his fourth album, Food & Liquor II: The Great American Rap Album Pt. 1 in countries other than Australia. It was released as the fourth single on 28 August 2012, credited as a duet.

<i>Tetsuo & Youth</i> 2015 studio album by Lupe Fiasco

Tetsuo & Youth is the fifth studio album by American rapper Lupe Fiasco. The album was released on January 20, 2015, by 1st & 15th Entertainment and Atlantic Records.

Craig Bauer is an American Grammy Award winning mixing engineer and record producer. He has been nominated for two Album of the Year Grammy Awards for his work on Kanye West's multiplatinum album Late Registration and double platinum follow-up album, Graduation. He won a Grammy Award in 2008 for mixing The Clark Sisters' 2007 album, "Live: One Last Time".

References