**Official Lupe Fiasco Thread** (LASERS March 8, 2011 // Friend of The People Coming Soon)

[kidflint13]

Hopefully after this disaster he comes back to his senses. The petition, the protest, the long !%% wait all for this garbage? Lupe owes all his fans an apology.

 

[nom de guerre]

Does anybody realize this dude never had a platinum album. F&L didn't even go gold. The cool managed to go gold off superstar. This dude is to big of an artist to not have any albums gone platinum, the record label has every right to utilize his star power. Lupe should have embraced that when your on a major your there for a reason. Do some music that true to yourself and that reaches the masses. But he f%$% that up a long time ago dude is a drama queen. Minus 1 or 2 tracks this album could have been a hit but he's the one saying he hates it and was forced to do it. Now after this album flops he could spend more time speaking at colleges saying how he was wronged.

 

[jking0821]

Well i was going to buy the album....but not after these reviews....gonna download it

go out on the 8th and buy F&L again.

 

[757bred]

Does anybody realize this dude never had a platinum album. F&L didn't even go gold. The cool managed to go gold off superstar. This dude is to big of an artist to not have any albums gone platinum, the record label has every right to utilize his star power. Lupe should have embraced that when your on a major your there for a reason. Do some music that true to yourself and that reaches the masses. But he f%$% that up a long time ago dude is a drama queen. Minus 1 or 2 tracks this album could have been a hit but he's the one saying he hates it and was forced to do it. Now after this album flops he could spend more time speaking at colleges saying how he was wronged.

http://kidflint13.niketalk.yuku.com/

I see what you're saying, but disagree.  Lupe had a nice fan base building.  This album had CRAZY anticipation for it.  I mean, what other case do you know where fans were marching to have an album released?  Reaching Gold isn't a small feat, especially these days.  By forcing those tracks on him and trying to make him be something he isn't, they run the risk of him putting out a subpar product and isolating his original fan base.  Look at the reviews in this thread, a lot of people aren't going to pick this album up now.

 

[nom de guerre]

757bred wrote:

---

Does anybody realize this dude never had a platinum album. F&L didn't even go gold. The cool managed to go gold off superstar. This dude is to big of an artist to not have any albums gone platinum, the record label has every right to utilize his star power. Lupe should have embraced that when your on a major your there for a reason. Do some music that true to yourself and that reaches the masses. But he f%$% that up a long time ago dude is a drama queen. Minus 1 or 2 tracks this album could have been a hit but he's the one saying he hates it and was forced to do it. Now after this album flops he could spend more time speaking at colleges saying how he was wronged.

http://kidflint13.niketalk.yuku.com/

I see what you're saying, but disagree.  Lupe had a nice fan base building.  This album had CRAZY anticipation for it.  I mean, what other case do you know where fans were marching to have an album released?  Reaching Gold isn't a small feat, especially these days.  By forcing those tracks on him and trying to make him be something he isn't, they run the risk of him putting out a subpar product and isolating his original fan base.  Look at the reviews in this thread, a lot of people aren't going to pick this album up now.
The people reviewing the album in this thread would have bought the album trust me. Lupe should have embraced the idea of expanding his fanbase there are some good songs on here. I know Record labels are almost always the blame for everything but they just wanted Lupe to be a bigger artist. He can only blame himself.

  

 

[flatbushfiyah23]

Originally Posted by MASERATI HARM

Originally Posted by FlatbushFiyah23

Originally Posted by MASERATI HARM

Originally Posted by FlatbushFiyah23

Originally Posted by MASERATI HARM

Originally Posted by FlatbushFiyah23

BTW I think purchasing his other 2 albums on the 8th is a great idea.

SMH @ those blaming Lupe when they wouldn't have done any differently. Fact is there is not much dude could have done in his situation if you are being realistic.

@#!%% Please ..



How about Not sign with a Major and then you wouldn't have to complain and $#$%* about getting Jerked?




Or better yet ... NOT drop the album?




Force $!!%$# hands




At the end of the day this +@!* IS on him ..




He had a chance to gain full control of  how he wanted his album to sound ..




Yet, this @#!%% dropped the ball ..




All the Protesting was a waste cuz he totally alienated his fans with this +@!*




And 

 @ ya'll wanting to him to drop a mixtape to make up for this ..




Good Luck with that ..

Sigh you're just posting a whole bunch of ignorant statements. SMH

Dude had been signed with a major for his first two albums so we all knew that and he knew that. Obviously when he signed the deal he never thought it would come this.  I am sure if he had a crystal ball and could look into the future he wouldn't so your point about not signing with a major is quite absurd.

NOT drop the album?! Really when your an artist and your still forced to record albums that your under contract you don't have much of a choice.  Lupe doesn't like the situation but at the end of the day he knows just putting out what they want will be the sooner he gets out of his contract. It is what it is...not much you can do when your under contract.  In order to get out of a contract you have to fulfill it unless you can get out of it early and that it is not easy at all. Clearly you don't understand how this works hence your posts but this happens to a lot of good artists.  Once Lupe rejected the 360 deal you knew Atlantic wasn't going to let him go easy so not dropping the album was NEVER a realistic option.

But apparently in your fantasy land Lupe had a chance to gain full control of his album.  SMH at being uniformed and posting. 

 

 @ Lupe fantasty Land ...



FOH ..

@ that being the best response you can come up with after your ridiculous statements were shutdown.

FAIL

I thought it was funny 




Personally I don't give no %#@*$ at all about what you think homie

I just was too Lazy to type



BUT ok ..




How was my statement ridiculous? 




He *+#%+#% moaned and complained about how Atlantic was doing him ... From jump Street




But he signed with these %$!$+! and cashed that check ..




Like I said everything thats happening.. THATS ON HIM ..




IMO opinion , Creative Control is/should be of the upmost importance to any artist .. 




once you !$%$ with that , ANY artist in their right mind should "say nah, !$%$ that"




Atlantic Clearly took the creative control away from him .. Really He gave it up willingly




But He had No choice 

I'm living in a "fantasty land"?




I called this train wreck of an Album MONTHS ago ...




Where were you?




You giving this **%@* a pass for putting out this Trash  like "he had no choice" .. "He did what he had to do"




This **%@* had a choice .. He chose Alienate his fans .. Not take a stand




Those same fans who signed a petition and who were going to protest outside the station to hear one of the nicest MC's get date to drop the album that's been done for a year- 2 years? 




they pretty much got spit in the face with this album .. ( like I predicted)




His fans didn't wanna hear on a track with Trey Songz 

He's still "forced" to record? .. BS




He could've of been one of the few artist to have put their foot down and got out of their contracts and not bend to the label !+%+#$*




Easy or not it's possible, as you have said




Of Course They was gonna give him the blues when he rejected that deal, cuz they knew they wont make NO money off him




Not Dropping an album is a very realistic Option ..




It the biggest !$%$ you that an artist can send ..




just like retiring ..




"Instead of letting you bastards control my destiny .. I'll retire and not drop $!%% !$%$ Ya'll"




Worst they could do is legal action




**%@* need to grow balls and get smart  straight up ..




I'll continue to live in my fantasty land while you and other continue to make excuse for this wack %+@ album 

If you are judging the album for what it is, its a decent album. If you are judging the album against his first two, its horrible.

 $!%% like this ..





when have you heard in any other album thread ( other then Jay) someone make an excuse like this?




Let that $!%% been any other rapper .. %$!$+! would be merciless 

I said if he did that type of album he would've been giving Atlantic the middle finger.Okay?

There's a difference between making awful music and hating the fact that you're doing it and purposely making bad music and having fun with it cuz you're mocking the whole industry while you do it.

Oh ok homie I gotcha... My fault for misreading 




Either way his care fans wouldve still been salty

Its clear that you have no idea of how business works in the real world or how the music industry works. In an ideal world everything you propose Lupe should have done would be great but unfortunately this it he real world and it doesn't work like that.


Me telling how things work in reality is not making an excuse for an album that is horrible. Just stating the facts instead of making up uniformed fantasy scenarios.

 

[lukethejediknight]

Originally Posted by nom de guerre

757bred wrote:

---

Does anybody realize this dude never had a platinum album. F&L didn't even go gold. The cool managed to go gold off superstar. This dude is to big of an artist to not have any albums gone platinum, the record label has every right to utilize his star power. Lupe should have embraced that when your on a major your there for a reason. Do some music that true to yourself and that reaches the masses. But he f%$% that up a long time ago dude is a drama queen. Minus 1 or 2 tracks this album could have been a hit but he's the one saying he hates it and was forced to do it. Now after this album flops he could spend more time speaking at colleges saying how he was wronged.

http://kidflint13.niketalk.yuku.com/

I see what you're saying, but disagree.  Lupe had a nice fan base building.  This album had CRAZY anticipation for it.  I mean, what other case do you know where fans were marching to have an album released?  Reaching Gold isn't a small feat, especially these days.  By forcing those tracks on him and trying to make him be something he isn't, they run the risk of him putting out a subpar product and isolating his original fan base.  Look at the reviews in this thread, a lot of people aren't going to pick this album up now.
The people reviewing the album in this thread would have bought the album trust me. Lupe should have embraced the idea of expanding his fanbase there are some good songs on here. I know Record labels are almost always the blame for everything but they just wanted Lupe to be a bigger artist. He can only blame himself.

  


Yup

 

[cadillacflow]

While I'm disappointed in the direction that this album went, it's still not as bad as some of you make it. But, it's by FAR the worst of his albums.

 

[mronegative]

I'm listening to it right now.

I heard from a few people and places that it was

so I rushed to check it.

I hope some of it grows on me eventually...

 

[mronegative]

Is it just me or is the first track "Letting Go" the B-Side to Ye's Homecoming?

@*%+ this album, imma dust off Enemy of the State and pretend like this never happened.

 

[dipsetgeneral]

[color= rgb(153, 153, 153)]Mar 2 2011 2:07 PM EST[/color]
[h1]Lupe Fiasco Says Recording L.A.S.E.R.S. Was Like 'Painting Poodles'[/h1][h2]Rapper discusses friction with his record company while making the album, which drops March 8.[/h2]
By Jayson Rodriguez (@jayhovawitness) /www.mtv.com/sitewide/images/charlie/sprites/site_wide.png);">http://www.mtv.com/sitewi.../sprites/site_wide.png); background-attachment: scroll; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-color: initial; height: 11px; width: 13px; background-position: 0px 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; ">

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[color= rgb(51, 51, 51)]Text Size[/color]/www.mtv.com/sitewide/images/charlie/sprites/site_wide.png);">http://www.mtv.com/sitewi.../sprites/site_wide.png); height: 18px; width: 18px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; background-position: -49px -46px; "ecrease/www.mtv.com/sitewide/images/charlie/sprites/site_wide.png);">http://www.mtv.com/sitewi.../sprites/site_wide.png); height: 18px; width: 18px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; background-position: -31px -49px; ">Increase

Lupe Fiasco was tapped by Jay-Z as someone to keep an eye on years ago after the mogul reportedly missed out on the chance to sign the Chicago MC. Since that time, however, the "Kick, Push" rapper has had a rocky road to stardom.

Fiasco's first two albums, Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor and The Cool,earned critical praise, Grammy nominations and a dedicated fanbase. But the rapper also endured a public battle with his label, Atlantic Records, over the direction of his third album, L.A.S.E.R.S., and the incarceration of his manager.

The challenges haven't been lost on Fiasco, as he revealed in an interview with the Chicago Tribune, explaining the battle over his lead single, "The Show Goes On."

"I was literally told for 'The Show Goes On' that I shouldn't rap too deep," he told the newspaper. "I shouldn't be too lyrical. It just needs to be something easy on the eyes. Like a record company telling Picasso that we don't need these abstract interpretations of life, where people have to sit down and look at it and break it down. It was better to paint the Upper West Side lady and her poodle so everyone could look at it right away and understand what was going on. I felt like I was painting poodles."

Fiasco has long raged against "360" deals, the standard record deal for new artists that allows labels to make money off of more than just album sales, including tour merchandise, songwriting publishing and the like. He claims that because he refused to sign a 360 deal, his project is less of a priority for the record company.

Last year, fans of the rapper organized "Fiasco Friday," where they rallied for the release of the L.A.S.E.R.S. album, which resulted in a release date being set shortly after. The album leaked online this week, in advance of its official release date of March 8.

After initial displeasure with executives, Fiasco said he found a balance with the album. Still, he described the project as being one he had mixed feelings about.

"I'm comfortable and happy with the record as a whole, where before there was an imbalance," he explained. "I hate this record, the process of making this record, and I love this record. What I had to go through was not fun, the ugliness I saw in people. But I love the manifesto, that the message got out, that fans protested for four hours in front of the label's New York headquarters and demanded attention."

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[color= rgb(193, 193, 193)]|[/color] Comment On This Article

1. 
   
   
   Lupe Fiasco

 

[theone218]

maybe I'm just ignorant, but I kinda like this album 

 

[Carreraa]

Idc i like the album
But same time you cant really compare Lasers to F&L
Btw Lupe clearly said he hates the process/the making of Lasers, due to the probs with Atlantic

 

[finessesosa]

Originally Posted by FlatbushFiyah23

Originally Posted by MASERATI HARM

Its clear that you have no idea of how business works in the real world or how the music industry works. In an ideal world everything you propose Lupe should have done would be great but unfortunately this it he real world and it doesn't work like that.


Me telling how things work in reality is not making an excuse for an album that is horrible. Just stating the facts instead of making up uniformed fantasy scenarios.

Everything Harm said is right though. That is how it works. He dont gotta do nothing if he dont want to. He's contractually with them but whats the worst that could happen? They gonna gun him down?

. They could sue him but if he really believes in what he preaches why put it out and make all these excuses? I dont understand people standing up for son and he made people petition and put out this trash. Stop it...

They simply woulda just dropped him from the label a year or two from now and everybody would of went their separate ways. He shoulda just "accidentally" leaked the album before release to show what he REALLY wanted to put out. Make the label panic and then they put out their own version. Right then and there he would of made his point.

All these excuses for Lupe...%!%+ is tired (im a BIG fan of him)

 

[flatbushfiyah23]

Originally Posted by FinesseSosa

Originally Posted by FlatbushFiyah23

Originally Posted by MASERATI HARM

Its clear that you have no idea of how business works in the real world or how the music industry works. In an ideal world everything you propose Lupe should have done would be great but unfortunately this it he real world and it doesn't work like that.


Me telling how things work in reality is not making an excuse for an album that is horrible. Just stating the facts instead of making up uniformed fantasy scenarios.

Everything Harm said is right though. That is how it works. He dont gotta do nothing if he dont want to. He's contractually with them but whats the worst that could happen? They gonna gun him down?

. They could sue him but if he really believes in what he preaches why put it out and make all these excuses? I dont understand people standing up for son and he made people petition and put out this trash. Stop it...

They simply woulda just dropped him from the label a year or two from now and everybody would of went their separate ways. He shoulda just "accidentally" leaked the album before release to show what he REALLY wanted to put out. Make the label panic and then they put out their own version. Right then and there he would of made his point.

All these excuses for Lupe...%!%+ is tired (im a BIG fan of him)

You also have no idea how business or the music industry works! You guys are confusing stating the facts with defending Lupe.  Just saying how it is NOT defending him!

Worst that can happen is Atlantic takes away his ability (budget) to record and tour completely and then how is dude gonna eat?! At the end of the day dude still needs to earn money like any other working adult.  The problem with you guys who clearly don't get it is you only look at it from one perspective and believe that the artist will always win when taking a stand.  When you have to eat and make money its hard to take a full stand.  Lupe knew he could have made a point all that he wanted but at the end of the day he still wants to get paid to do what he loves and support himself and his family.  I am sure Lupe did not want to put out this kind of album but put yourself in his shoes for a second and consider the NEED to still make money and survive.   That is just being realistic point blank period. 

As I said in an ideal world Lupe would have taken a stand and Atlantic would have folded and let him make the album he wanted but that is not how the world works. Atlantic (as a major record label) holds the power and got what they wanted out of Lupe. You guys foolishly believe Lupe could take an ACTUAL stand when he doesn't hold the power in this situation. A long fought stand would have had Lupe earning no money at all whatsoever.  Lupe probably realized that his best option at this point is to put out these albums and fulfill his contract and get off Atlantic ASAP so he can record the way he likes.  It sucks but at the end of the day that is the logical move....a long drawn out fight with Atlantic would only end badly with dude never getting what he wants and his time passing him by.  It simply is what it is but some of you refuse to accept that and believe that every situation has to be a battle when there is not a battle to be won here.

SMH once again I am just laughing at those posting yet extremely uniformed. 

 

[maserati harm]

Must've forgot how Prince got out of his deal with Sony ...



A record label can't take away your ability to tour

**+% you hear that from?




And gives a **+% about a budget when you refuse to record?




#$@%+% funny ... 

Sosa is actually IN the industry and you say he don't even have business sense

Are you in the Industry Flatbush Fiyah?

 

[finessesosa]

Your telling me Lupe was dragged & forced to go in the booth & make this album? You just keep giving him excuses

. Son would of still been touring & selling out shows with or without this album dropping. You know how many artists this has happened to and said "forget that, your not gon make me record what I dont want to."

im done though. This will be a never ending argument when Flatbush your clearly not getting the point we tryna make. Im not his lawyer/manager & I dont know the clauses in his contract and im not in his camp but I KNOW for a FACT he's not forced to do anything musically/artistically he doesn't want to in that contract.Like Harm said, Lupe knew what it might turn out being from the jump when he signed and when he cashed that big check.

 

[ervinsb91]

Originally Posted by Hendrix Watermelon

Originally Posted by ScottHallWithAPick

He want to climb mountains and watch anime.

 

[flamboyant8o1]

The song with John Legend is sick!!

 

[flatbushfiyah23]

Originally Posted by MASERATI HARM

Must've forgot how Prince got out of his deal with Sony ...



A record label can't take away your ability to tour

**+% you hear that from?




And gives a **+% about a budget when you refuse to record?




#$@%+% funny ... 

Sosa is actually IN the industry and you say he don't even have business sense

Are you in the Industry Flatbush Fiyah?

Really ?! Comparing an artists of Prince's stature to Lupe's situation is so foolish its not even funny.  No need to argue with fools like you and Sosa who clearly don't know what your talking about.
No matter what actual truths I bring up that you can't refute with any logic you guys will say I am making excuses when I am not. It is what it is and I don't have time to argue with those who clearly just don't get it. 

 

[finessesosa]

"U Right"

 

[flatbushfiyah23]

Originally Posted by FinesseSosa

"U Right"

True Story but U Mad! 

 

[finessesosa]

 

[polosanddunks]

I love Lupe's music but FlatbushFiyah sounds like a groupie/stan who is just mad he put out a wack album.  

@ the amount of bad ratings this album got. Nay we need a review for how mediocre it was. 

 

[cragmatic]

Lupe should just release an Acapella and let people make their own beats and release the best ones.