NEW YORK, NY (By Sydney Margetson/ Atlantic Records) - 1st & 15th/Atlantic recording artist
Lupe Fiasco makes his major label debut this week with the highly anticipated grand opening of "LUPE FIASCO'S FOOD & LIQUOR." The acclaimed album - which features the singles "Kick, Push," "I Gotcha," and "
Daydreamin'" featuring
Jill Scott - drops in stores nationwide today,
September 19th. Executive produced by Jay-Z, Chill, and Lupe Fiasco, the highly anticipated set has already shot to No 1 on iTunes' Hip-Hop chart.
Recently named one of Rolling Stone's "10 Artists To Watch 2006," the Chicago-based MC will herald the release of "LUPE FIASCO'S FOOD & LIQUOR" tonight with an explosive MySpace Secret Show at the Metro in Chicago. Special guest DJs - Tone B. Nimble (of All Natural) and 5ifth Element - will also take the stage. The show is free for all ages and begins at 7 p.m.
Next, he'll celebrate the album's release with a Wednesday, September 20th performance on ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live." The appearance - which will see Lupe busting out "Kick Push," as well as the current single, "I Gotcha" - follows the MC's recent performances on Direct TV's "CD USA" and at the "Billboard R&B Hip-Hop Conference Awards" in Atlanta.
Lupe has a number of TV appearances on tap, including spots on MTV's "Sucker Free" (airing September 25th) and "Wild 'N Out" (airing October 5th). The MC will also help profile his hometown of Chicago on an upcoming installment of MTV's "My Block," due to air on October 9th.
The companion video for "I Gotcha" has just been added into rotation at MTV2, where Lupe was recently named "Freshest MC" at the 1st annual "All That Rocks" celebration. In addition, he has just been nominated for the "Breaking Woodie" - presented to the year's Best Emerging Artist - at the upcoming "mtvU Woodie Awards 2006," set to be presented on October 25th at New York's Roseland Ballroom and broadcast November 2nd on mtvU and mtvU.com.
The "I Gotcha" clip is also scoring at both Fuse and BET, coming in among the week's top 10 Most Played videos at both networks. Lupe recently taped an appearance on BET's "Rap City," set to air later this month.
Lupe is also making major waves online. The MC is currently featured on AOL Music's Breakers (https://music.aol.com/artists/breakers) and was just named to Rhapsody's "Ones to Watch" list for September (https://www.rhapsody.com/lupefiasco).
In other Lupe news, he has been invited to perform on a handful of Jay-Z tour dates in the UK beginning this Saturday in Birmingham, England, followed by shows in London and Dublin.
Lupe Fiasco has quickly established himself as one of hip-hop's most exciting and intriguing young artists. The 24-year-old MC first made himself known last year via his underground skateboard anthem, "Kick Push," as well as with his appearance on Kanye West's hit single, "Touch The Sky."
Laced with 14 tracks of complex, thought-provoking, and playful lyricism coupled with sure-fire beats, "LUPE FIASCO'S FOOD & LIQUOR" features production by the likes of Kanye West, Needlz, Mike Shinoda of Linkin Park, and Atlantic chief Craig Kallman, not to mention 1st & 15th producers Soundtrakk and Pro. Driven by inventive tracks like the Neptunes-produced "I Gotcha," and the new single, "Daydreamin'," the album is certain to thrust Lupe into the forefront of mainstream hip-hop.
Lupe has been praised to the skies for his playful wordplay and complex chronicles of the streets and the 'burbs. Among his biggest fans are some of hip-hop's leading luminaries, including Jay-Z, who raved, "I just love his wordplay. I think he's one of the most creative new guys in the game right now." Atlantic Records' own Twista declared Lupe to be "the next hottest sh*t in the Chi," noting that "if Twista said it, ain't nothing else need to be talked about after that." "He's one of the best MCs coming out," said Kanye West, explaining Lupe's inclusion on his multi-platinum smash, "LATE REGISTRATION," while the Neptunes' Pharrell Williams sums it up: "Lupe's a star. He's on his way and you'll see him."
For more information, please visit www.lupefiasco.com, www.myspace.com/lupefiasco and the below video streams for his new single, "Daydreamin'" featuring Jill Scott.
REAL
https://streamos.atlrec.com/real/atlantic/lupefiasco/video/daydreamin/daydreamin.ram
WINDOWS
LO: https://streamos.atlrec.com/wmedia/atlantic/lupefiasco/video/daydreamin/daydreamin-100.wvx
MED: https://streamos.atlrec.com/wmedia/atlantic/lupefiasco/video/daydreamin/daydreamin-300.wvx
HI: https://streamos.atlrec.com/wmedia/atlantic/lupefiasco/video/daydreamin/daydreamin-450.wvx
QUICKTIME
LO: https://streamos.atlrec.com/qtime/atlantic/lupefiasco/video/daydreamin/daydreamin-100.mov
MED: https://streamos.atlrec.com/qtime/atlantic/lupefiasco/video/daydreamin/daydreamin-300.mov
HI: https://streamos.atlrec.com/qtime/atlantic/lupefiasco/video/daydreamin/daydreamin-450.mov
