Lupe Fiasco

Lupe Fiasco's "Jonylah Forever" is the Most Important Song in Hip-Hop Right Now

The funeral for Jonylah Watkins, a six-month old baby who died after being shot five times last week on the south side of Chicago, will take place this morning. Bulls basketball superstar Derrick Rose has offered to pay for the service. In a musical tribute moved by the gun violence in his hometown, ... More >>

Locally Grown Collective Grow Their Hip-Hop Roots

[Locals Only] This dream team of young rappers cultivates a sound that resonates beyond OC

Asher Roth: Frat-Rapper Turned Hip-Hop Nostradamus

Tonight, rapper Asher Roth plays the Yost Theater. In the almost-four years since his single "I Love College" propelled him into regular radio rotation, he and his legacy have gone under a particularly curious metamorphosis. Like him or not, his celebration of the white-stoner millennial lifestyle w ... More >>

How 'The Cypher Effect' Has Changed the Local Underground Hip-Hop Scene

In his dedication to the culture, Jorge Soria had been involved for many years on the local Los Angeles scene helping hip-hop artists by doing promotions, putting shows together and recording music all before taking a break. He returned last year offering his skills in music video production when an ... More >>

[UPDATED w/ Beat Beef Squashed] Pete Rock's Not Feelin' Lupe Fiasco's New Single

UPDATE MAY 23 1:57 P.M.: A recent phone call between Pete Rock and Lupe Fiasco has effectively put to rest the "T.R.O.Y." controversy that erupted following the premiere of "Around My Way (Freedom Ain't Free)." The hip-hop legend was angered by the remake of his classic cut from twenty years ago voi ... More >>

Rock the Bells 2012 Lineup Announced

Last night, the folks at Guerilla Union announced the lineup and dates for Rock the Bells 2012 and a couple new surprises to its format.In an obvious attempt to capitalize on the popularity of the Coachella's decision to clone itself, this year's Rock the Bells will be expanding its lineup to two co ... More >>

Lowkey, UK-based Rebel Rapper, Calls it Quits

Lowkey's approach to hip-hop was always professorial and politicized. His critically acclaimed independently released double-album Soundtrack to the Struggle last year was layered with lyrical lectures and skits sampling luminaries like Tariq Ali. It was, then, as surprising as it was fitting that t ... More >>

Top 5 Hip Hop Releases of 2011

​ Although it may feel like it when tuning into the radio, hip-hop is far from being dead. Keeping the culture alive and vibrant, a plethora of creative and conceptual albums from all over the globe were released in 2011. Narrowing down a list of the five best offerings from them is a painstaking ... More >>

Top 10 Most Annoying Songs Of 2011

​As I mentioned once before, there's a shitload of really, really bad and annoying music out there. The music released in 2011 is no exception (No hate to Kreayshawn, but "Gucci Gucci," anyone?). Whether it's overexposure, repetition, or just a terrible melody, each of the songs below are some of ... More >>

The Ten Most Disappointing Albums of 2011: #5 - #1

Stop grinning. Your album sucks. ​See also: The Ten Most Disappointing Albums of 2011: #10 - #6 5. Jane's Addiction The Great Escape Artist There was no way Perry Farrell and company were going to shock the world with another Ritual lo Habitual. That much we knew -- if for no other reason t ... More >>

Lupe Fiasco: 'These Ain't Bars, This is Barbarity!'

​ When I first downloaded Lupe Fiasco's free Friend of the People mixtape on Thanksgiving, I had no clue what to expect. Like many fans of the rapper these days, everything new that he does comes with the preoccupation as to whether the music industry will clamp down and restrain his genius. The i ... More >>

Lupe Fiasco's 'Friend of the People' Mixtape Drops Tomorrow!

​Rapper Lupe Fiasco is in a giving mood again. Last Christmas, he gifted fans with the premiere of the music video for the first single "The Show Goes On" off of his chart topping Lasers album. This time around, Fiasco is releasing his Friend of the People mixtape tomorrow on Thanksgiving.

Big Sean, Now Really Big

The Detroit rapper lives the dream on his debut album

Kreayshawn Gets Nominated Best New Artist at the VMAs--and Other WTF Moments This Year

​I've never agreed with any award-giving body on who gets nominated or gets awards for best this or that, but this year's VMAs are akin to the year Milli Vanilli won Grammys over the Indigo Girls. (The fact that I date myself by remembering this hoopla means I'm really mystified by what's going on ... More >>

I MiX What I Like! An Interview with Jared Ball (Part II)

​Yesterday, we published the first part of an interview with Jared Ball, author of I MiX What I Like! A Mixtape Manifesto, where the "Funkinest Journalist" talks about the politics of hip-hop and popular culture. Read the first part of the interview with Jared Ball here; in this second installment ... More >>

I MiX What I Like! An Interview with Jared Ball (Part I)

​ As I MiX What I Like! A Mixtape Manifesto pays homage in title to a series of articles written by the late freedom fighter Steve Biko, Dr. Jared A. Ball's first book declares hip-hop's mixtape as a principle means by which to "fight the power." Provocative in his analysis, the "Funkinest Journal ... More >>

Cee Lo Green Talking to Strangers on Fuse

On June 22, rapper/singer Cee Lo Green will debut his television series Talking to Strangers on Fuse TV. According to Pop & Hiss, the program will follow a standard talk-show format focused on interviews and performances à la The Johnny Cash Show. Featured guests will include Lupe Fiasco, Grace ... More >>

Lupe Fiasco: Barack Obama's a Terrorist

Well, I guess we know who's not being invited to the White House anytime soon. When asked about the political content in his music, rapper Lupe Fiasco told CBS' Shira Lazar, "My fight against terrorism, to me, the biggest terrorist is Obama in the United States of America." The rapper appeared on th ... More >>

'Lasers' Beams In at No. 1

​ It's now official! Grammy Award-winning rapper Lupe Fiasco can now claim a No. 1 album on his musical résumé, with first week sales of Lasers coming in at more than 204,000 copies. The Nielsen SoundScan numbers confirmed the expected, as the new release edged out and ended Adele's two-week rei ... More >>

Lupe Fiasco, 'Lasers,' and Artistic Freedom

lupefiasco.com​ Lupe Fiasco's Lasers, one of the most embattled albums in recent hip-hop history, finally finds its way to shelves and digital downloads today. It took a fan organized protest deemed "Fiasco Friday" back in October to force Atlantic Records to preemptively announce a release date f ... More >>

Gorillaz, Yeasayer, Lupe Fiasco and More Give the Gift of New (And Free!) Music

Myspace.com​Hot artists from Gorillaz to Lupe Fiasco are releasing new material. The cool part? The songs will be available online for download, and the cost ranges from totally free to "name your own price." These artists are among the most creative and challenging in popular music today, so ... More >>

'Fiasco Friday' Turns into Victory March as 'Lasers' Gets a Release Date!

www.lupefiasco.com​A week before a legion of Lupe Fiasco loyalists planned to descend on Atlantic Records in protest, the rapper finally reached an agreement with his label on a release date for his third album, Lasers. The long-completed and long-awaited project from the Grammy-award winning rap ... More >>

Where Is Lupe Fiasco's Lasers?

www.myspace.com/lupefiasco​Critically acclaimed and Grammy-award winning rapper Lupe Fiasco awoke today to growing fan support demanding a release date from Atlantic Records for his completed album "Lasers." The album, whose title is a backronym for "Love Always Shines, Everyone Remember 2 Smile, ... More >>

What You Missed: MS Benefit, Common, the Cool Kids, Kevin & Bean's KROQ April Foolishness

Christopher VictorioStacy Clark enjoys some Stereofix. ​On Saturday night, Turkey and Friends helped put together an awesome lineup of talented bands to benefit the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Local faves like Stacy Clark, Stereofix, Beta Wolf, the Relative Strangers, We Are the Pilots ... More >>

Show Announcement: Coachella 2010 Dates Confirmed

Beth StirnamanCoachella 2009: Day Two​The 2010 Coachella Valley Arts & Music Festival will take place Friday, April 16, Saturday, April 17 and Sunday, April 18 2010 at the Empire Polo Club, Indio, Calif. Pre-sale and layaway plans go on sale today at coachella.com. Three-day passes start at $ ... More >>

Travis Barker: More Hip Hop than Hip Hop

​Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker has had plenty of side gigs over the years. Box Car Racer and 44 both featured other Blink members, while a duo called TRV$DJAM included his friend Adam Goldstein. Known as DJ AM, Goldstein, of course, was with Barker in a Learjet crash that killed four people in ... More >>

Two Reasons to Be at House of Blues Tonight (Even If You Don't Like Jet)

Don't get me wrong, it's not that I have any specific gripes against the Melbourne-based rockers of Jet, except for maybe this photo. Any band that has managed to brave the music business in the heart of the download era for more than one album deserves a little credit. Plus, you know they're all fa ... More >>

Beating a Dead Horse: Coachella Third Day Pics, Easy Access Links!

Coachella may be a distant, sweaty, sticky memory at this point, but that doesn't mean that I'm willing or able to shut up about it quite yet. Beth Stirnaman had some car troubles, causing her arduous trek from Indio to be delayed (and nothing's better than being stuck in Indio when there isn't a hu ... More >>

Live from Coachella: The Body Says No (plus, Okkervil River, Sebastien Tellier, Lupe Fiasco!)

Hey, did you know it's hot here today? 98 degrees at last word. But it "feels" like, I dunno, a billion? Yep. Pretty awesome. Trying to summon my (in?)famous reserves of ENDLESS ENERGY, but not necessarily succeeding. The Cure are probably going to play like three hours today. That's pretty cool. Is ... More >>

Daily Coachella Update: Still No Lineup, but There is a Fake One

It's getting to the point where the idea of the Coachella lineup is actually more appealing than whatever the eventual Coachella lineup will be, even if the actual lineup is really impressive. It's like Spock said, "having is not such a pleasing thing as wanting."So yeah, still no official Coachella ... More >>

Rhythm and Blue Balls: A Case Against Current R&B, A.K.A. 'Rap and Bullshit'

[Hits!] Top-Selling Records at Music Revolution

Photos: Jill Scott at the Grove of Anaheim on 02/12

Jill Scott - whose song "Daydreamin'" (with Lupe Fiasco) just won her another Grammy in the R&B category - took her vocal chords to Anaheim last night. 'Twas lovely but so loud that our photographer hid in the venue's Tea Rose Room, where he found some older ladies kicking back with some wine an ... More >>

Kanye West LA Date Announced

Recently crowned Grammy Award-winning rapper/producer Kanye West will be performing at LA's Nokia Theatre April 21. Joining him on the Glow in the Dark Tour are Lupe Fiasco, Rihanna and N.E.R.D. Tickets go on sale Feb. 15 at 10 a.m. And are available at Ticketmaster locations and www.ticketmaster.c ... More >>

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Cool Hand Lupe

Hip-hop's lovable eccentric never ceases to amuse

Career Killah

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Strong Work Ethics

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It Was Free Cuz I Stole It

WEB EXCLUSIVE!: The Year In Unfair Shares

Indie Vs. Major: Who's Got the Flavor

Urban music in 2006 was typified by what it wasnt as much as what it was

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