Smart & Angry

Admittedly, I am a fan of Lupe Fiasco. I have met the man once and would say that I enjoy most his music as well. I predicted earlier this year that his next album Lasers might be the sleeper of the year. Well with no release date in site, my claim might now go into limbo with that album most likely. Which is sad to see I thought he had some legs behind this one, a good video, two good singles and a hot mixtape. Yet in the world of the music business if you have two Gold albums, a platinum single, and a Grammy, you cannot just release any album you want to.

I don't understand this principle. Carl's Jr seems to come up with tons of new burgers every year to try, I don't think that the burgers ever get stuck in limbo like albums though. Did the Superstar, have problems like this after the success of the Famous Star? Did they have to come up with a better packaging for it? Or did they wait till reviewers gave it praise? Probably not, but in music, no matter how many times an artist has put in the work to make the best album they possibly could at that time is not enough.

There are no guarantees in music, so I don't understand why labels waste so much money trying to generate interest in newer artist, when they have current artist with fans who have supported them consistently through the years? To me that just seems like bad business. Why not try to invest a little more in what is already generating income for you business? We what Big Boi of Outkast (who has one of the biggest selling albums of all time) had to go through to get his latest solo release out. Creating and paying for multiple videos, switching labels, and a bunch of other nonsense to just get his album released. Might I add one more time that this is BIG BOI of Outkast!!! He's like the Sir Paul McCartney of rap in terms of success! I am pretty sure label heads pretty much have to put out any album that man turns in.

Labels continue to prove themselves irrelevant to society, yet artist keep signing with them. Why, so they can get the opportunity to have their art be shelved by forces outside of their control? Who knows, I just honestly hope that Lupe's latest album eventually sees the light of day.

Justa