Orange caught up with hip-hop rising star Lupe Fiasco to talk about Madonna, his idols and his hometown of Chicago.
You don't swear on your records. Was that something that influenced album track ‘Dumb It Down’?
Lupe Fiasco: The chatter that goes behind the scenes, either in the music business or the [hip-hop] community or whatever, they'll be like, “Yeah he doesn't represent the streets”, or “He's too soft” or “He's too lyrical” or “He needs to make music that the common man can understand”. There's a lot of people that understand my music, I just took a shot back at the people who are always like “You're not winning awards, you gotta make music like this”. I'm like “Nah, I like making music like this. I don't need to dumb it down."
At the time of your first album you were very clean-living. Do you still follow those beliefs?
Lupe Fiasco: Yeah. I don't really go out unless it's super-special. I went out last night but that was for Estelle's album release party, so I still pretty much keep low-key, out the way, you know. I'm trying to stick to my morals somewhat.
What do you make of Estelle?
Lupe Fiasco: Estelle's great. Super-talented.
What about rumours of you forming a super-group with Kanye?
Lupe Fiasco: Yeah yeah, Child Rebel Soldiers. Pharrell [Williams] came up with the idea [and it] kind of made sense. We're all on [Kanye's Glow In The Dark] tour together so we're going to be debuting the material we've recorded together then.
How have you found the UK's response to The Cool?
Lupe Fiasco: I don't know about the album. I know ‘Superstar’ was a massive record here but I haven't seen too much on the album. I know people got into it, people like it because there are songs on the album that are being played here, but I haven't had time to get over here and hear what people are saying about it.
Have you turned down many collaboration offers? Are there any you're desperate to do?
Lupe Fiasco: I've got a few. Most of them I've done like the ‘Superstar’ remix and Wyclef [the pair appeared together on Wyclef's ‘Fast Car’] you know, most of them I've done but I'm not really reaching to do a lot of collaborations.
There's no one at all?
Lupe Fiasco: If Madonna reached out… in a heartbeat, you know, I'd jump at it.
Who are your hip-hop idols?
Lupe Fiasco: Nas and Eminem, but mostly Nas. Nas kind of embodies everything that I like, that I'm about as a music artist.
Eminem's a little bit in contrast to you, particularly on the belief side of things.
Lupe Fiasco: Yeah, but I don't really judge it like that. You don't necessarily have to agree with what I do 'cause I like [Young] Jeezy a lot, so I don't necessarily base it on an artist's beliefs but just the way they master the art and express themselves.
Lupe Fiasco’s The Cool is out now on Atlantic Records
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