Lupe’s fiasco

Written by Rizoh. Posted in Gumbo

Published on October 08, 2007 with 38 Comments">38 Comments


[Spotted at hiphopdx.com]

I tried my best to ignore Lupe’s previous remarks about A Tribe Called Quest, a group to which he should be paying royalties. After all, the guy is young and is bound to say some stupid things somewhere down the line. But, as a proud owner of an original copy of Midnight Marauders, I’m surprised by his latest sprouts of ignorance. It’s one thing to say you’ve never listened to Midnight Marauders, it’s another thing to say you don’t care for it. That last point is sheer arrogance, and Lupe needs to apologize for that.

And this is coming from a guy who constantly bigs up Lupe as the next great thing in hip-hop.

The truth is, that 2 bar slip-up would not be getting all the attention it’s getting if Lupe hadn’t bragged about not listening to Tribe and not bothering to discover their music at all. Lu, please stop making excuses and own up to your nignorance.

Backstory on Fiascogate:
Lupe Fiasco vs. Phonte [Okayplayer]

TRU

Rizoh

Rizoh is the most powerful man in all the lands. He lives in Houston where he earned a BS in Nerf Herding. He's the founder of The Rap Up, the editor of Roc4Life.com, and is in the Grammy-awaiting band Pervertable Disciples.

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  • http://jamesoldcastle.blogspot.com James

    Yeah, I loved Food & Liquor and am looking forward to The Cool, but damn.

    Lupe made an ass out of himself on this one.

  • http://jamesoldcastle.blogspot.com James

    Yeah, I loved Food & Liquor and am looking forward to The Cool, but damn.

    Lupe made an ass out of himself on this one.

  • kn

    ^^agreed. I hope his head aint getting too big

  • kn

    ^^agreed. I hope his head aint getting too big

  • http://hiphopisread.blogspot.com Ivan

    Why is everybody jumping on my boy Lupe? Give him a break. He said he didn’t grow up on ATCQ. So how come we all expect him to replicate a flawless verse?

    I’m not directing this straight at you Riz, but in general, it’s kinda elitist to say “Oh, you didn’t grow up on Tribe? Oh, so you must be wack!”

    I myself didn’t even grow up on Tribe. It wasn’t until the age of 15 or so that I actually heard one of their songs in entirety.

    And why do we assume that since Lupe is a “backpacker” he MUST be a Tribe fan. Aren’t we trying to eradicate Hip-Hop’s polarity? Instead what that does is intensify it.

    Lupe “the backpacker” grew up on Gangsta rap just like I “the backpacker at heart” grew up on Gangsta rap. The first rap song I can remember hearing was Nuthin But a G Thang back in the early 90′s (I was born in ’87), and the first rap song to make a lasting impression on me was Coolio’s performance of Gangsta Paradise on the Grammys. That was my plunge into the rap world, and the basis for my quest to learn more about it. More or less, Lupe’s coming from the same angle. So why do we have to criticize him for being true to himself?

    Plus when did he ever say anything to disrespect Tribe?

  • http://hiphopisread.blogspot.com Ivan

    Why is everybody jumping on my boy Lupe? Give him a break. He said he didn’t grow up on ATCQ. So how come we all expect him to replicate a flawless verse?

    I’m not directing this straight at you Riz, but in general, it’s kinda elitist to say “Oh, you didn’t grow up on Tribe? Oh, so you must be wack!”

    I myself didn’t even grow up on Tribe. It wasn’t until the age of 15 or so that I actually heard one of their songs in entirety.

    And why do we assume that since Lupe is a “backpacker” he MUST be a Tribe fan. Aren’t we trying to eradicate Hip-Hop’s polarity? Instead what that does is intensify it.

    Lupe “the backpacker” grew up on Gangsta rap just like I “the backpacker at heart” grew up on Gangsta rap. The first rap song I can remember hearing was Nuthin But a G Thang back in the early 90′s (I was born in ’87), and the first rap song to make a lasting impression on me was Coolio’s performance of Gangsta Paradise on the Grammys. That was my plunge into the rap world, and the basis for my quest to learn more about it. More or less, Lupe’s coming from the same angle. So why do we have to criticize him for being true to himself?

    Plus when did he ever say anything to disrespect Tribe?

  • http://jamesoldcastle.blogspot.com James

    Ivan, it was Lupe’s response to criticism of the performance, not Lupe’s ambivalence to Tribe, that people are upset about.

  • http://jamesoldcastle.blogspot.com James

    Ivan, it was Lupe’s response to criticism of the performance, not Lupe’s ambivalence to Tribe, that people are upset about.

  • http://hiphopisread.blogspot.com Ivan

    ^ But what did he say that was so disgraceful??? He’s just being honest…

  • http://hiphopisread.blogspot.com Ivan

    ^ But what did he say that was so disgraceful??? He’s just being honest…

  • Chunky Gunt

    This blog is slippppppin’…Give us some decent shit that isn’t recycled on every hiphop blog…YAWWWWWNNNNN

  • Chunky Gunt

    This blog is slippppppin’…Give us some decent shit that isn’t recycled on every hiphop blog…YAWWWWWNNNNN

  • http://dronkmunk.blogspot.com dronkmunk

    This is the only Blog where I have been able to find the video of this. Thx Riz

  • http://dronkmunk.blogspot.com dronkmunk

    This is the only Blog where I have been able to find the video of this. Thx Riz

  • http://hiphopisread.blogspot.com Ivan

    I know James, I saw the link. But is it about his post that’s so awful??? I think folks are blowin’ this outta proportion.

    He’s just being honest.

    Oh, and Chunky: Listen to Timbaland’s Shock Value, Track 7……

  • http://hiphopisread.blogspot.com Ivan

    I know James, I saw the link. But is it about his post that’s so awful??? I think folks are blowin’ this outta proportion.

    He’s just being honest.

    Oh, and Chunky: Listen to Timbaland’s Shock Value, Track 7……

  • http://jamesoldcastle.blogspot.com James

    My bad, I didn’t realize Rizoh linked to it at the bottom of the article.

  • http://jamesoldcastle.blogspot.com James

    My bad, I didn’t realize Rizoh linked to it at the bottom of the article.

  • b

    I just have to ask, and maybe it’s because of Phonte’s point on okayplayer.com, about how Tip wanted artists that would transcend VH1′s audience better, but it seems like my man Consequence would have been a perfect fit here. He and Kanye even did a remix of Electric Relaxation back in 03!

    Maybe it’s just me but I think he would have been leaps and bounds more suited for this type of project.

  • b

    I just have to ask, and maybe it’s because of Phonte’s point on okayplayer.com, about how Tip wanted artists that would transcend VH1′s audience better, but it seems like my man Consequence would have been a perfect fit here. He and Kanye even did a remix of Electric Relaxation back in 03!

    Maybe it’s just me but I think he would have been leaps and bounds more suited for this type of project.

  • http://www.therapup.net Rizoh

    ^Consequence is a member of ATCQ, so it wouldn’t have been appropriate for him to do it.

  • http://www.therapup.net Rizoh

    ^Consequence is a member of ATCQ, so it wouldn’t have been appropriate for him to do it.

  • http://rockthedub.blogspot.com khal

    I’m 100% behind you, Riz, but I also dislike Lupe, so my word might not count.

    I can see not listening to ATCQ, but I think Tay said it perfectly in that OKP post. That post is also indicative of why I can not even entertain visiting that forum for a friendly chat.

  • http://rockthedub.blogspot.com khal

    I’m 100% behind you, Riz, but I also dislike Lupe, so my word might not count.

    I can see not listening to ATCQ, but I think Tay said it perfectly in that OKP post. That post is also indicative of why I can not even entertain visiting that forum for a friendly chat.

  • Purpose

    Yeah, he just neeeded to be like I fucked up and keep it moving.

    Getting indignant only made it worse. So what you didn’t listen to them, you are supposed to be a professional. Learn the lyrics and get it right first time. If you cant, take your lumps and move on.

    His indignant explanation was worse that fucking up the lyrics.

  • Purpose

    Yeah, he just neeeded to be like I fucked up and keep it moving.

    Getting indignant only made it worse. So what you didn’t listen to them, you are supposed to be a professional. Learn the lyrics and get it right first time. If you cant, take your lumps and move on.

    His indignant explanation was worse that fucking up the lyrics.

  • http://www.theehlp.com esbee

    Ivan, no one really cared for whether or not Lupe listened to MM. The gripes ppl had began when Lupe first put up a post on OKP saying he hadn’t listened NOR CARED TO LISTEN.

    His ambivalence towards listening to MM rubbed ppl the wrong way but there was no backlash and ppl just encouraged him to listen to the album. Fast forward months down the road, Lupe is invited by *gasp* Q-tip whom Lupe claimed was HIS FRIEND.

    How can you call someone YOUR FRIEND and you haven’t cared to listen to their seminal album, arguably their most popular album?

    Not even that you then accept to perform a song off THAT album and then proceed to have a flub or whatever (not that I can’t forgive a flub ‘cos it happens to them shoot I’ve missed verses whilst performing too).

    Why ppl are mad is ‘cos Lupe never cared for ATCQ yet performed an ATCQ song and then messed up, then proceeded to cop pleas and attempt to defend his mistake instead of accepting his mistake apologising and moving on. Ppl are not so forgiving…you don’t bite the hand that feeds you and this thing Lupe has done may haunt his career…

    I don’t have an issue with what type of music he came up on or what he thinks are or is his influence the bottomline no matter how its sliced is ATCQ is one of the reasons Lupe can have a voice in this industry, hence a respect factor is required and an importance on not brazenly putting one’s ignorance on display.

  • http://www.theehlp.com esbee

    Ivan, no one really cared for whether or not Lupe listened to MM. The gripes ppl had began when Lupe first put up a post on OKP saying he hadn’t listened NOR CARED TO LISTEN.

    His ambivalence towards listening to MM rubbed ppl the wrong way but there was no backlash and ppl just encouraged him to listen to the album. Fast forward months down the road, Lupe is invited by *gasp* Q-tip whom Lupe claimed was HIS FRIEND.

    How can you call someone YOUR FRIEND and you haven’t cared to listen to their seminal album, arguably their most popular album?

    Not even that you then accept to perform a song off THAT album and then proceed to have a flub or whatever (not that I can’t forgive a flub ‘cos it happens to them shoot I’ve missed verses whilst performing too).

    Why ppl are mad is ‘cos Lupe never cared for ATCQ yet performed an ATCQ song and then messed up, then proceeded to cop pleas and attempt to defend his mistake instead of accepting his mistake apologising and moving on. Ppl are not so forgiving…you don’t bite the hand that feeds you and this thing Lupe has done may haunt his career…

    I don’t have an issue with what type of music he came up on or what he thinks are or is his influence the bottomline no matter how its sliced is ATCQ is one of the reasons Lupe can have a voice in this industry, hence a respect factor is required and an importance on not brazenly putting one’s ignorance on display.

  • b

    I knew Cons did some songs with them but I didn’t know he was officially in the group…I forgot about that

  • b

    I knew Cons did some songs with them but I didn’t know he was officially in the group…I forgot about that

  • http://differentkitchen.blogspot.com/ ian

    Serioulsy who cares but this is why I always said this kid was overrated….

  • http://differentkitchen.blogspot.com/ ian

    Serioulsy who cares but this is why I always said this kid was overrated….

  • http://www.therapup.net Rizoh

    Ian, how did I know you would say that? lol

  • http://www.therapup.net Rizoh

    Ian, how did I know you would say that? lol

  • http://differentkitchen.blogspot.com/ ian

    Well to be fair to Lupe, I thought the ‘flub’ was very minor (I was at the show live and missed it and barely noticed while watching the playback looking for it a couple hours ago) so I’m not sure why he’s overreacted the way he has and is acting so defensive??

  • http://differentkitchen.blogspot.com/ ian

    Well to be fair to Lupe, I thought the ‘flub’ was very minor (I was at the show live and missed it and barely noticed while watching the playback looking for it a couple hours ago) so I’m not sure why he’s overreacted the way he has and is acting so defensive??

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  • Diction is cool

    I’m going incorporate nignorance into my conversations.

  • Diction is cool

    I’m going incorporate nignorance into my conversations.

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