J.O.K.E. (Journal Of K1ng Eljay) – “Seriously, Lupe…”

(Disclaimer: This is longer than I usually post, so bear with me. This also doesn’t necessarily reflect the views of CaliLive and Rhymestyle. This is all K1ng Eljay, so feel free to direct the hate towards me if you have a problem with this.)

Recently, Lupe Fiasco released his highly-anticipated mixtape “Enemy of the State: A Love Story”. Through all of its apparent flaws (mostly snippets, the mixtape topping out at over 22 minutes) it was still worth listening to, especially with the promise of a new mixtape to finish it supposedly coming out on December 25^th. As the time got nearer, people started to talk about it more, and the buzz actually spread thanks to the last mixtape and the Santa vs. Blitzen commercials.

Yes, that’s Lupe as Blitzen and KRS-One as Santa. A Black Santa. Score one for hip-hop.

Then he cancelled it. Which is weird to me, because at the time Lupe would always say he was in the studio recording via Twitter, and etc, etc. so I don’t think he cancelled it because it wasn’t done. Unless Lupe lies in his tweets, he should have well over enough stuff to release a mixtape.

Then I remembered the whole “Mountain Climbing for Charity” thing and I figured that might have something to do with it, and then I let it go. I’m not a huge Lupe fan to begin with (although for the most part, he releases dope music, except that Twilight: New Moon crap), but I figured the one thing that Lupe has over a majority of other artists is intelligence. If he cancelled it, there has to be a good reason for it.

Then I began to read the comments on his blog. I read both sides of the argument. I understand both sides of the argument. On one hand, yes he promised the mixtape and cancelled. Yes, he’s cancelled stuff like this before. On the other hand, he’s climbing a mountain and needs to train. I can understand that.

That’s not where my problem is with this.

So people begin to voice their complaints, one particular user goes harder than the others. Although he’s cursing up a storm, he’s making good points too. Enough to summon Lupe away from his “super-busy schedule of training” to post this:

“Oh please…stop whining…n-ggaz catching feelings over this?  :/ mixtapes are easy…climbing a giant mountain is hard… just hope you don’t have to pay for the next one…if there is a next one… Thanx for the love..”

For some reason, that didn’t sit right with me. Someone that’s super intelligent suddenly surprised that he has such a high demand for his music?

For someone who I hold high as far as intelligence…that was a stupid comment.

So let me recap for a moment… Lupe’s smart. Lupe calculates all of his moves, and Lupe’s mixtape was DONE (allegedly). Sure the mountain is important, but he supposedly knew about it way ahead of time. He promised his fans something and didn’t deliver, although according to him, making a mixtape is EASY. Recurring issues like this takes away credibility as an artist… even if it’s not the artist’s fault.

Lupe’s in a position of power right now lyrically, more or less.  And I’m not even a die-hard Lupe fan. I’m completely unbiased. Seriously, I didn’t buy the first album, but I bought two copies of “The Cool”, and then bought the singles from “Food and Liquor” on iTunes. He was riding a nice buzz from his first mixtape, and people were (more or less) ready and interested to see what part two was about. And he cancels.

(SIDENOTE: Record companies have more input into the release of “free music” than you might think…Just throwing that out there to let you know I am aware of that factor)

Now… Because fans think that he should honor his word and stop being so shifty as far as keeping it, he wants to say people catch feelings? Over music?

I want to say so bad that I agree with him. I want to say, “It’s just music” and be done with it… But I can’t. If it was any other artist, I honestly could say it. I’d be lying to myself, because music is an integral part of my life, but I could get the face up to lie about it. Because of recent history… I can’t for two reasons.

Reason One: I have absolute faith that Lupe could’ve budgeted his time to keep his promise (or at least delay it) because he’s an intelligent dude. Besides, according to him…mixtapes are easy…

Reason Two…and I debated even putting this up here, but…

Recently, one of my friends told me they wanted to commit suicide. They said they were tired of life, and tired of living, and they felt as if they’d be better off dead somewhere. He had even calculated how his death would reduce bills. He was serious. He lived in Texas, and I lived in Alabama, so I didn’t know anyone around him. I didn’t know his family or his friends there, so I couldn’t exactly call his parents and tell them, so I just had to pray for him.

That morning I woke up to a text message from him: “Intruder Alert.” I ask him what that meant, and he responded almost instantly: “I can relate to that. It made me stop…” And the rest of the day, we texted back and forth, and thanks to that Lupe song, my friend’s still alive, as far as I know. I haven’t talked to him in a few months, but I hear he’s married now.

He was alive long enough to find him someone who understands him and could keep him sane, thanks to a random song he had forgot he had on his iPod…by this guy here who says people are catching feelings over music.

My bottom line is this: for some people, it’s just music. For others, it’s their life. And for a few…it’s their LIFELINE.  So do some people catch feelings over music? Should they? Seriously, Lupe? I honestly can’t believe that’s a legitimate question…

I don’t know how else to say it. Eminem states it pretty well too:

“That’s why we sing for these kids, who don’t have a thing
Except for a dream, and a f—in’ rap magazine
Who post pin-up pictures on their walls all day long
Idolize they favorite rappers and know all their songs
Or for anyone who’s ever been through s–t in their lives
Till they sit and they cry at night wishin’ they’d die
Till they throw on a rap record and they sit, and they vibe
We’re nothin’ to you but we’re the f—-n’ s–t in their eyes
That’s why we seize the moment try to freeze it and own it, squeeze it and
hold it
Cause we consider these minutes golden…”

Eminem – “Sing For The Moment”

That’s maybe some of the realest lyrics an artist could say. Hopefully that would hit home with him one day.

Good luck on your training, Lupe. All disappointment aside. Seriously.

K1ng Eljay