Why didn't Lupe Fiasco achieve long mainstream success? | r/hiphopheads

[TEKBEATZ]

I remember this

 

[Rapmastermind]

F&L and The Cool were really nice starts. I never crowned him like some, I took a wait and see approach. But I was impressed with how he started. The Jay-Z connection and Kanye feature is why I gave him a shot. He outshined Ye in one verse on "Touch the Sky". Also the mixtapes were good too. I could tell he was heavily influenced by Esco as well. The Problem is he took a 3 year gap before "Lasers" came out. "The Cool" dropped late 2007, so he was able to ride that in 2008. But it was like an eternity in Hip Hop . So much in the game had changed in 2009, 2010 and then 2011 when he finally dropped. I also don't think it had to do with "Commercial" records. "Kick and Push" was a commercial song, I gotcha" was Commercial, "Superstar" was Super Commercial with that pop hook. He did those on his first two albums. He was rapping about skateboards for crying out loud.

Sure the Label issues didn't help but Atlantic felt vindicated when "Lasers" came in at #1 on the Charts. They were like "See Lupe, do it our way". Ironically, "Lasers" would be kind of his last Big album. "Show Must Go On" and the Trey Songz record were clearly meant for radio and sales. Since that LP, Charts and sales wise it's been downhill. I also agree that his Political views may have hurt him at the time. Most people knew Lupe could get deep lyrically but once he started getting overly political, it turned some people off. I didn't care about that stuff. I only focus on the music. You can see the quality went down. I still think he can be proud of his overall career. Most rappers flame out after 2 albums. They are lucky to get 3. I think his overall catalog is just OK but there are some strong highlights in it. You could argue it was Lupe success that paved the way for Kid Cudi, Drake, Big Sean, Wiz Khalifa, K Dot and the next generation of those new rappers. Kanye normally gets that credit but he was not young like Lupe was.

 

[Art Barr]

He publically dissed Obama too.


When publically.

Your best reply about Obama is saying he is the greatest military commander in us history and leaving it at that.

While the work was going on.
You could have said I am waiting for both terms to conclude to speak publically about Obama presidency



Speaking ill about obama publically and being from chicago is violation of a united front as a black man.


If you say shyt publically about obama. That is inflammatory.
Then speak in covert talk.
while never saying our past trumpanzee president.
just tried to have a coup of america. After that trump coup moving forward. Then never say shyt neg worthy about that trumpanzee presidency publically.
I think you are a covert traitor.
to us as black people.



Art Barr

 

[O.Red]

I am a Lupe supporter and the answer is simple. That nikka likes trash beats. End of story.

I won't necessarily say trash but some of us have an ear for certain types of beats. What I mean is you can hear some of Lupe's beats and tell he does a lot of things in house and out of pocket, and Lupe definitely don't seem like the type of nikka that's gonna pay 50 thousand for a beat

 

[O.Red]

One word: timing

If Lupe dropped in 2002 when mainstream records with lyricism were still selling and complex bars were heard in all kinds of rap singles, Lupe would have blew the world. Too bad he dropped in 2006 when the lyrical bar was greatly lowered and people were obsessed with southern beats and feminine dances. Nobody wanted to hear triple-meaning bars and dope lyrical records at that point.

That's not true at all. I think we sometimes forget that Lupe has platinum records. The premise of this thread could mislead us into thinking Lupe's career was a flop but that's ignoring a lot of the context

Lupe reached a point where he was offered entry into the pop world. Lupe was offered a multitude of opportunities. The nikka was sponsored by Ferrari where the rubber meets the road is Lupe didn't like the perceived cost of these opportunities, so he rejected them

If Lupe came out in 2002 he would be Jurassic 5 status.

 

[Art Barr]

His ear for beats is ass

Not entirely true.

As the model for the overproduction hip "pop" record is actually created in genesis from Lupe and Santos.

That big sellout joshua tree u2 sounding shyt in rap originated from lupe.

Only reason it is not given Favor in pr is because.
lupe fell out of favor with Atlantic. as their version of jayz.


Art Barr

 

[Supa]

What "Lupe-style" rapper made it big in the past 20 years?

Mos Def and Kweli are basically at Lupe's level.
Kanye basically transcended the rap game.
Thought ain't really doing #'s like that.
Even Tribe's reunion album didn't really bring Tip back into the mix.

Lupe's right where he should be given how hip hop has trended.

This is the only right answer. People getting way too cute with these explanations instead of looking at the obvious reason.

He had his run and the game changed.

 

[Sean7]

Besides the fact he’s released many dud albums after he dropped The Cool?

Lasers was his chance to hit mainstream and dropped a weed plate


I’m a fan but he’s very hit or miss musically

I am a fan as well and he is VERY hit or miss I agree. HIs first two were nice as you said then he had Lasers.... I like the most recent one he dropped and had that in rotation last summer (Drill Music In Zion) but a few of his albums I skipped! I still have not listened to a few of them in depth as well I admit but the three I mention were probably my faves from him but he is hit or miss. I think Drogas Wave was nice as well but I will have to go back and listen again.

 

[NoHalfWay]

One word: timing

If Lupe dropped in 2002 when mainstream records with lyricism were still selling and complex bars were heard in all kinds of rap singles, Lupe would have blew the world. Too bad he dropped in 2006 when the lyrical bar was greatly lowered and people were obsessed with southern beats and feminine dances. Nobody wanted to hear triple-meaning bars and dope lyrical records at that point.

If Lupe came out in 2002, he woulda been a gangsta rapper on Rocafella in the same vein as Freeway & Beanie

I don’t know if he woulda been able to pull off his transition from hood hustler lyrics to conscious rap as seamlessly if he prematurely dropped the OG version of Food & Liquor recorded from 2002ish or 2003 to 2005

 

[Tetris v2.0]

I think he did much better than expected given his content and approach. I think he mostly caters to his hardcore fans at this point which can be a great place if you have a strong following, do lots of shows, merch hitting etc.

 

[Rasille]

For his era he had pretty good mainstream success. This was the time when they weren’t playing lyrical rappers like that. But yet Kick Push and Superstar was getting burn.

 

[Surreal]

He said he used to hate Hip Hop

And his albums after FnL proved that

 

[KingsOfKings]

Subs

 

[Easy-E]

I think the issues with Atlantic played a role. But all in all, I’d say he had a very successful career

/thread

Lupe's nerd ass fans (I'm a huge fan, just not a nerd fans) tried to put this man in a box since Kick, Push

Lupe could've been BOB but the business was bad

This sounds EXACTLY like a Lupe album cut

 

[ISO]

He was never that guy voice, beats, and hooks left a lot to be desired.

He had a good run but the blog era stars and trap+drill movements left him with no place.

He should be compared to guys like Wale rather than the legends y’all try to bring him up with.