Lupe Fiasco Announces ‘Samurai’ Album With Title Track And Music Video
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Lupe Fiasco fans are in for a treat. The rapper revealed details for his ninth studio album, dropping the title track and coinciding music video. Samurai is set to be released by the Chicago-bred musician on June 28, 2024. In the song issued on Friday (May 17), the 24-year-old merges Hip-Hop soul and battle rap over what is described as a prominent drumbeat and a lilting soprano sax lick.
“Samurai” offers perspective on the relationship between Hip-Hop culture and high culture, as well as the gritty journey of a struggling artist.
“The word ‘samurai’ means to serve,” Lupe explains of the album’s title in a statement. “My relationship to that word has always meant that you need to be at the service of other people, either in the overall community, or in this instance, the rap community at large that I’ve been a part of for years.”
Samurai promises eight tracks, and is produced in full by longtime collaborator and friend, Soundtrakk. It also marks the pair’s second time linking up on a full album after 2022’s DRILL MUSIC IN ZION, and is also the first time Lupe, Trakk, and longtime manager Charles “Chill” Patton were in the studio together since Patton’s release from prison in 2023. The last time the trio were able to work together was in Lupe’s 2007 The Cool.
“It felt great to be back in the studio again as a family,” detailed the Hip-Hop veteran.
In a press release, the MIT professor explained Samurai is more revealing than previous projects.
“I sometimes get tagged by my fans as not doing personal records,” he details.
“But I always tell people there’s me in there if you listen closely enough. This album is one of my more personal records to date. It’s not a full biography, but my personal experiences are tied up in all of my music. A lot of the records are me. Some are from the POV of a character. and some are me. The album weaves things from my life as an artist, touching on things other artists go through.”
Watch the music video for “Samurai” above and view the album cover art and tracklisting below.
Samurai tracklist:
Samurai
Mumble Rap
Cake
Palaces
No. 1 Headband
Bigfoot
Outside
Til Eternity
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