Lupe Fiasco, whose real name is Wasalu Muhammad Jaco, is an American rapper and record producer.
He was born on February 16, 1982, and rose to fame in 2006 with the release of his first album.
In addition to his solo career, he is also the frontman of the rock band Japanese Cartoon and previously served as the CEO of 1st and 15th Entertainment.
REAL FACTS ABOUT LUPE FIASCO
FULL NAME: Wasalu Mohammad Jaco
BETTER KNOWN AS: Lupe fiasco
DATE OF BIRTH: February 16, 1982
PLACE OF BIRTH: Chicago, Illinois, U.S
NATIONALITY: American
OCCUPATIONs: Rapper, Singer, Songwriter, Record Producer, Entrepreneur
LABELs: 30 Tigers, The Orchard
EARLY LIFE AND EDUCATION
Born in Chicago, Illinois, on February 16, 1982, Lupe Fiasco, whose birth name is Wasalu Muhammad Jaco, comes from a West African background.
Growing up in a Muslim household in the West Side of Chicago, Fiasco had a challenging upbringing, as his father was involved with the Black Panther Party and exposed him to various experiences.
Despite initially not being a fan of hip hop music, Fiasco started rapping his poems in eighth grade and eventually decided to pursue a career in music, adopting the stage name “Lupe Fiasco.”
CAREER
At the age of 18, Fiasco began creating music in his father’s basement, despite his parents’ disapproval of his aspirations to become a rapper.
He joined a group when he was 19, but ultimately found success as a solo artist. Inspired by artists like Jay Z and Nas, Fiasco changed his musical style.
With Jay-Z’s assistance, he secured a record deal with Atlantic Records after being dropped by Arista.
Fiasco gained recognition through his online mixtape series, Fahrenheit 1/15.
Lupe Fiasco rose to fame with his remix of Kanye West’s “Diamonds from Sierra Leone,” which he titled “Conflict Diamonds,” shedding light on the issue of conflict diamonds in the industry.
He also collaborated with West on the song “Touch the Sky” for the album Late Registration.
Lupe Fiasco’s first album, Lupe Fiasco’s Food & Liquor, was released in 2006 and received high praise from critics. It included popular songs like “Kick, Push” and “Daydreamin’.”
The following year, he released his concept album Lupe Fiasco’s The Cool, which was inspired by a track from his debut album and explored themes influenced by personal tragedies.
Lupe Fiasco’s album “The Cool” was well-received by critics and the lead single “Superstar” reached number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
His song “Paris, Tokyo” reflected his experiences touring around the world.
He also collaborated with Kanye West and Pharrell Williams in the group Child Rebel Soldier and joined Kanye West’s Glow in the Dark Tour.
In 2010, Lupe Fiasco introduced new songs from his album “We Are Lasers,” which had been delayed by Atlantic Records.
Fans petitioned for the album’s release, leading Fiasco to thank them with a song called “B.M.F-Building Minds Faster.”
During this time, he also worked on his album “Food & Liquor II: The Great American Rap Album” and explored other projects.
After a two-year wait, Lupe Fiasco’s album “Lasers” was finally released in 2011.
It featured the hit single “The Show Goes On” and debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart, selling 204,000 copies in its first week.
Although it received mixed reviews, the album received Grammy nominations.
Lupe Fiasco was a supporter of the Occupy Wall Street movement and showed his support by releasing the mixtape “Friend of the People: I Fight Evil.”
After his album “Lasers,” he faced criticism for sampling Pete Rock’s “They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)” in his controversial track “Around My Way (Freedom Ain’t Free).”
In 2012, he collaborated with Guy Sebastian on the successful single “Battle Scars.”
In the same year, Lupe Fiasco released “Food & Liquor II: The Great American Rap Album Pt. 1,” which received positive reviews and a Grammy nomination.
Originally planned as a double album, Part 2 was canceled due to label constraints.
He then teased his album “Tetsuo & Youth” in 2013 with singles like “Light Blue” and “Jonylah Forever,” but its release was delayed until 2015.
During this time, he also released singles like “Mission” and “Next to It.” In 2014, Fiasco engaged in Twitter disputes with rappers Azealia Banks and Kid Cudi.
He surprised fans in 2015 by releasing the free mixtape “Pharaoh Height.”
In 2016, Lupe Fiasco initially planned to release three albums but later changed the lineup to “Drogas,” “Drogas Light,” and “Skulls.”
This decision was influenced by controversy surrounding a freestyle he released in December 2016.
Despite considering retirement from music at one point, he eventually released “Drogas Light” in 2017.
In 2018, Lupe Fiasco introduced the documentary series Beat N Path and announced the release of his album Drogas Wave.
In 2022, he released the song “Drill Music in Zion” under his label 1st & 15th Too and collaborated with SentRock in April 2023.
Additionally, in June 2024, he paid homage to Amy Winehouse with the concept album “Samurai.”
PERSONAL LIFE
During a 2008 interview, Lupe Fiasco discussed his extensive background in martial arts and his ownership of the brand “Righteous Kung-Fu,” which encompasses fashion, sneakers, toys, and more.
He also stated that his family has a strong martial arts tradition, with three generations running five Karate schools in Chicago.
Not much is known about Lupe Fiasco’s romantic life, but it is believed that he had a romantic relationship with the American model Dani Evans.
