Lupe Fiasco

Lupe Fiasco is a Hip-Hop artist from Chicago, Illinois who was discovered by Jay-Z. His debut album Food & Liquor was nominated for Best Rap Album at the 2007 Grammy Awards.

Born and raised on the west side of Chicago, Fiasco is the fifth child of nine brothers and sisters. Fiasco started rapping when he was in the eighth grade, but was initially put off by the vulgarity and violent imagery of his father's NWA records. It wasn't until he heard Nas' 1996 album, It Was Written, at the age of 14 that he began to pursue hip hop again. After several false starts with record companies, Lupe released a number of popular mix tapes and built a significant underground following. He signed onto Atlantic Records in 2004 after Arista Records dropped him and subsequently went out of business.

It was believed that Lupe Fiasco was performing with a UK band called Japanese Cartoons. It had been reported he was using the pseudonym Percival Fats. The band denied the claims stating that Lupe Fiasco was not a member of the band, though he does finance and produce them.NME.com: Lupe Fiasco abandons rap and launches post-punk band? (January 5, 2009)

1. 2006: Food & Liquor
2. 2007: The Cool
3. 2009: LupEND

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• Entertainment

• Music

• Hip-Hop

• Rap