Check out Lupe Fiasco’s red carpet interview at the ESPYS:

Lupe Fiasco:

“I’d rather have one kid buy my album and it encourages him to be a professor or something than have me sell millions and have the listeners want to be a gangster.”

Below is the video of CNN’s Black in America. If you just want to listen to Lupe, fast forward to 5:35.

Here is a bit more footage from the CRS “Everyone Nose” video shoot. This is a video of Pusha T doing his thing.

As we all know, Lupe Fiasco is part of CRS (Child Rebel Soldier). Pharrell was recently asked about CRS while talking to allhiphop.com. As you read through the interview, you’ll notice that Pharrell is not giving away anything about the group’s projects. The fans are waiting for updates but they are not coming. Here’s a little bit about what Pharrel had to say when asked about Child Rebel Soldier.

AllHipHop.com: Now I know Lupe was on stage talking about filming the Child Rebel Soldier video and there’s a video about the video that’s leaked. This project was really kept under wraps and now the secret’s out, but why was it kept such a secret for so long?

Pharrell: Well I don’t know what you’re talking about. [laughs]

AllHipHop.com: Not fair, even Lupe said it.

Pharrell: What did he say?

AllHipHop.com: He said we’re filming the Child Rebel Soldier video.

Pharrell: Ohh you mean CRS. Ohhh CRS – ohh Ciara, Rihanna and Shakira.

AllHipHop.com: Yeah, [laughs] that’s the project I was talking about.

Pharrell: That’s gonna be cool. CRS stands for “can’t really sing.”
That was corny but it worked.

Here’s a cool Lupe Fiasco picture from Paris. Matthew Santos is in it too.

It has been announced that Lupe Fiasco’s next single will be “The Coolest.” I totally agree. What do you all think? There is no news on the video just yet. It should be dope though.

Also, here is a recent MTV interview with Lupe Fiasco:

So what’s on Lupe’s agenda?

- He proudly joined the ranks of Barack Obama and “a bunch of other rich bastards” as on of Esquire’s Best-Dressed Men in the World for 2008. “I’m not that rich,” he explained, “but I was on the list.”

- He’s been out discovering new and upcoming talent, recently signing a group from Chicago called He Say She Say (they boast a sound Lupe described as “amazing” and “dope”)
When a homeless man interrupted Lupe’s interview with an alcohol-infused freestyle, the rapper put on his mogul hat and said, “That’s my next artist there too, you know what I’m sayin’! Just signed him 15 minutes ago!”

- He’ll soon be rolling out the video for “The Coolest,” the next single from The Cool.

- He also plans to begin working on his last album. What? Last album? Well, that’s when Lupe decided to really get demure, switching the subject completely and finally responding to the original question that he had dodged so vehemently. “My last album — that’s later though. Right now it’s about CRS’ ‘Everyone Nose’ remix!” Touché, Lupe. Touché.

Lupe Fiasco has over 200 posts on his official message board but has not been very active over the past few months. He has finally come out and made a rare post. You can read what the fans had to say to his comments on Lupe’s official forum. This is what he had to say:

“Them other nigga’s I don’t Vibe with.”

-’Hi-Definition’ Lupe Fiasco’s The Cool

Hey Guys…Much Love to ya’ll…I’m taking this time out to inform you beautiful guy’s and gal’s about a few things that seem out of order and rather odd to me…I pose the question…

Does the media in hip-hop conspire to create controversy and tension in the culture just for the sake of publicity?

Vibe.com recently started a campaign with the intention of crowning one lucky artist from the vast talent pool of hip-hop as “Best Rapper Alive” (FYI the notion of someone being the “best” of something especially in a category as subjective as music is a rather impossible idea to bring to fruition with any credibility. Its based on bias and political maneuvering when in the public realm. I mean in private you simply like what you like as it fits to how you live your life and how you feel at a particular point.) I do find these rather unfounded events entertaining and even in some instances rather valid when a large amount of research and an unbiased, objective approach is taken using damn near scientific methods to make a list of criteria that tests artists in various formats and divisions to really reach a conclusion that is “This Person Is Based On This List Criteria Is The Best Of Something…” But when these spectacles are done just for the sake of manifesting publicity and controversy at the expense of someone’s physical safety and overall state of mind I find them rather disgusting and an abomination of the lowest caliber.

I thought at one point that is was “Us vs. Them” however much a misconception or an overwhelmingly idiotic notion when you take into accounts the odds that are against “Us”. “They” have superior weaponry, superior discipline, vast amounts of resources and lack morals and ethics to the highest degree. The fight against them in a rational mind seems rather futile but in a mind taught to believe that the “pen is mightier than the sword” and the weapons of the weak can overcome the mighty weapons oppressive when in the hands of the righteously motivated few. And that you had allies in your elders and in the trusted institutions that were set up to safeguard the truth and use it to empower the individuals who were under their charge. Our source of unbiased, uncontaminated truth that was our beacon to the North guiding us in the darkness to freedom and enlightenment. Faith is ignorance and faith is tested when you become informed and that is what makes you strong. All you have to do to make people weak and keep them weak is to let them have faith, let them be tested by becoming informed and let them even feel that they are becoming stronger but make sure the information they are tested with is tainted and poison. And to make sure they keep taking the weakening poison make it so that they give it to themselves. I ain’t a saint. Never claimed to be. But I did believe in ideals and I believed in “Us”. And I fought for “Us”. I continue to wage war against “Them”. Sacrificing wealth and fame for the sake of the state of mind of “Us”. I started to realize in the course of my career that “Us vs. Them” is now “Us vs. Us”. Our institutions of information are just interested in creating spin, feeding controversy and pumping out useless information in between vibrant ads for things we don’t even need from companies without souls.

Why would you create a forum under the guise of “friendly competition” in which you pit individuals whom have at present or have had in the past friction in the real world in direct competition with each other in a virtual setting that you know will re-ignite feelings of ill will amongst the constituents of these people and quite possibly the individuals themselves???

This is insidious and reckless action. And I will not be apart of it.

So I humbly ask all of my fans and friends to boycott any voting and refrain from any participation whatsoever on my behalf in the Vibe Magazine and Vibe.com “Best Rapper Alive” Tournament.

The love and continued support of my musical career and my endeavors outside of music that you guys give are immensely satisfying accolades in themselves. The shine of any trophy on my mantel pales in comparison to the light that I see in the smiling faces of my fans…

Peace & Much Love To Ya!!!

Lupe…Z q

“a kung fu that is righteous will always prevail even in defeat.”

Emperor Lu

Lupe Fiasco and Fam-Lay discover a new talent on the street. Haha, check it out:

Here’s a funny video of Lupe Fiasco messing around at a recent video shoot. I believe this is the video shoot for the new “Everyone Nose” remix.

Check out this performance of Lupe Fiasco’s “Hello Goodbye” live in London at the Somerset House.

Lupe Fiasco said CRS is shooting a new video on Wednesday. I really hope it’s true. There’s no news on what song, and it shouldn’t be “Us Placers.” Who knows, maybe they got a new song that they’ve been hiding from us.

Here is the video of Lupe Fiasco talking about the video shoot:

From Starbury at Baller Status:

Nas is the rapper who said Hip Hop Is Dead a couple years back, but according to him, someone has saved it.

In a recent interview with Complex, the Queensbridge rapper said he thinks Kanye West has saved the genre.

“I think Kanye West saved rap. I think Lil Wayne is showing there is a future for all kinds of artists to continue doing this. You know, I love it,” Nas said.

So if the genre is no longer dead, who still gets Nas excited when he hears them? Kanye, Outkast, and Eminem.

He later touched on the issue with his the controversial title he chose for his upcoming album — which was later changed from Nigger to Untitled — and said if had had it to do over, he wouldn’t.

“I think the Hip Hop Is Dead and the Nigger album, they were for that time. … People may think it’s a controversial title, but it’s really what I’m feeling,” he told the mag. “I’m not going to make the title less controversial because it’s going to offend people.”

The interview took place during a Kanye-esque photoshoot for the magazine, and while it’s not usually Nas’ style, he had fun with it.

“That’s not how I dress, but for a magazine spread, it’s out there to be fun,” explained Nas. “… I always do what I do, so I just wanted to change it up a little bit. Get people talking shit, so it’s cool.”

Nas’ upcoming untitled album hits stores July 15.

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What do you all think? Leave a comment with your thoughts. I don’t think it’s only Kanye but a combination of a few rappers, including Lupe Fiasco,  Common, and Jay Z. There are plenty more but those are the ones keeping me interested lately.

Killer Mike raps to one of his new songs and talks about his rap life. Check out his new album called “I Pledge Allegiance to the Grind II.” Killer Mike has some good tracks on there.

Matthew Santos will be performing at the “Rockin’ 4 Barack” fundraiser on Friday, July 18th in Chicago at Alhambra Palace. If you are in the area, make sure to check out Matthew Santos and all the other artists. Obama for President!

And John McCain hates bloggers. That’s just another reason to support Obama.

John McCain - what a twat.

From ILIKEMUSTIC:

Ethiopian-born, Virginia Beach-bred Kenna returns with a new track to get the heart beat racing and everyone up on their feet.

‘Say Goodbye To Love’ is out August 11th released through Star Trak/Interscope Records. The track is written and produced by Kenna and Pharrell Williams and the single also includes a remix featuring Lupe Fiasco.

‘Say Goodbye To Love’ is taken from Kenna’s dynamic album ‘Make Sure They See My Face’, which was released earlier this year to rave reviews.

This is straight from the official Lupe Fiasco website:

“Tune in tonight to BET’s 106 & Park to catch Lupe’s new video “Paris Tokyo” as the NEW JOINT of the day! It all goes down at 6pm only on BET, so don’t miss it! The clip was directed by the world famous Erik White and features cameos from the entire FNF crew. And don’t forget after the video premieres to head over to BET.com to vote the new video on the countdown.”

Lupe Fiasco fell while performing on stage. He continued doing his thing as best as he could. Check out the video:

Lupe Fiasco joins Jian Ghomeshi in Studio Q for a very nice interview. You’ll find out about Lupe Fiasco’s new book and much more. Check it out:

This may not be about Lupe Fiasco, but it’s still interesting. It’s a pretty short interview with Common in which he speaks about his album and working with Kanye West.

“Common passed on this beat, I made it to a jam.” - Kanye West

Common’s New Song

Common’s new song is called “Announcement” featuring Pharrell. For a direct download, click here.

Barack Obama is getting some mad support. Here is a Obama remix to the Milli beat. Listen and download it here.

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