Urban Magazine Daily News

Atlantic Records recording artist & Grammy Award-winning rapper Lupe Fiasco is briefing the world on his perception as a gifted, lyrical storyteller and why he doesn’t want to accumulate the level of success of others rappers (such as Jay-Z).

Taking to his blog last December to clarify the distinction between staying true to one’s artistic ingenuity and “selling out”, Fiasco provided his insight.

“There seems to be a lot…A LOT…of misconception and misguided info floating around the net…let me reaffirm and debunk some things and just turn down the general noise that is surrounding Lupe Fiasco…thats me…My Third Album is Titled “LASERS” not “WE ARE LASERS” or “LUPE.N.D.“…MY NEXT ALBUM IS NOT TITLED “LUPE.N.D.”…”LASERS” is NOT my last and final album…”LASERS” does NOT drop in 2009…”LASERS” does NOT HAVE A RELEASE DATE YET…”SOLAR MIDNITE” is NOT a single off of “LASERS”…Nor was it intended to be apart of “LASERS” project…”SOLAR MIDNITE” was exclusively done at the request of the Twilight: New Moon Team to be apart of their film, motion picture soundtrack and as a vehicle to promote the film…NOT TO PROMOTE “LASERS”…I produced “SOLAR MIDNITE” I’m not SELLING OUT by doing a song for NEW MOON…People thought I “SOLD OUT” when I did “Kick, Push“…”

For Fiasco, he deems helping build character in others more of a reward than financial measure.

“…I don’t have necessarily the celebrity success they want me to have but it’s more social success and being able to speak at a college about world affairs. That’s a success, to me. I don’t want to be Jay-Z and be worth $400 million and perform on every awards show. It’s getting in touch with somebody who needs to improve their self-esteem…”

Fiasco wants to deliver a product to the public that will allow him to be considered amongst the elite in his craft.

“The last six months, it’s been like, ‘I gotta really, really go out there and show that I’m nicer than all of them,’ ” he explained. “It’s like, ‘All right, so be it. If it takes three more albums to do it, then so be it.’ …It’s really to get that status and lock it in and [and have people] be like, “Look at this positive dude, the underdog. The positive one who came and murdered all these dudes. And he’s there, and he’s good…”