Lupe Fiasco has been in the news for some bizarre reasons this year-- from getting a tomato thrown at him, to writing a mystery novel on Twitter, so it's always good to hear some updates about his music. In an interview with Dj Whoo Kid, the Anime-repping emcee spoke of his upcoming project, Tetsuo & Youth, the features on the project, and his respect for Joey Bada$$.
“The one thing that I did do on this album, which I was hesitant to do on my last album was I opened up my feature box,” said Lupe of the process for T&Y. “So, I got Rick Ross on the album. But I got Rick Ross and Big K.R.I.T. on the same song. I got a joint called ‘Chopper.’ I got my man Billy Blue on there. I got Yung Buk from Psychodrama. Not Young Buck from G-Unit. The OG Yunk Buk from Psychodrama is on there. My man Trouble Trouble is on there. My man Glasses Malone is on there. My man Family is on there. My man Trae The Truth is on there."
Lupe went on to argue that while there seems to be a lack of "backpack" rap in the current hip hop climate, there are still a few emcees he would pin with the title.
“I think you got like Pro Era and Joey Bada$$ and his whole crew." he said. "Like for me they keeping that backpack—that grimy, high school, Timberlands. To me, when I look at a crew I look at people who doing it today who have that kind of essence of the 90s. What I grew up [in]. What I grew up rapping as and rapping towards. I always go back to Joey and kids who nice, but still got like a certain authenticity about themselves.”
Watch the full interview below.
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