FREE SHIPPING ON ORDERS $120 AND OVER (U.S. DOMESTIC ONLY)

Your cart

Your cart is empty

Continue shopping
Do It to Em’ Lu :: Lupe Fiasco’s Last NYC Show?

Do It to Em’ Lu :: Lupe Fiasco’s Last NYC Show?

By Christopher Harris

Lupe Fiasco has fans. He has enough fans to sell out a multi-city tour entitled Tour for the Fans. On Friday, February 5, a diverse group of them filled the inside of B.B. Kings Blues Club and Grill in midtown Manhattan. There were short fans, tall fans, big fans, small fans, black fans, white fans, Hispanic fans, Asian fans, and multi-ethnic fans. Rich fans and poor fans, too. There were a lot of fans. Some, knew all the words to every song, while others hummed to his hits, emphasizing the hooks. There were day-one fans that stood in the front, by the stage, mouthing every single lyric in unison with Lupe. They cheered continuously and chanted his name often, “Lupe!” One fan—who chose to make his song requests known—yelled “Dumb it Down” (a nod to a track off of Lupe’s The Cool album) after every song that wasn’t.

“Stop fucking screaming ‘Dumb it Down,'” Lupe replied, after several unsuccessful attempts by the devoted attendee.

Lupe is loved. In New York City, he performed in front of a black-and-white mural of African child soldiers. Songs like “Mural,” “Dot the Line,” “Scarlet Letter,” “Delivery,” and “Adoration of the Magi,” among others from his Tetsuo & Youth album incited the standing-room-only crowd.
In between tracks, Lupe talked to the fans.

He urged everyone to put away their cell phones. “This is a one-time only event,” he said. “Enjoy it as is.”

Then he said it: a statement that shook me to my core.

“Any music journalists in here?” he asked. I didn’t reply, although I knew I wasn’t alone.

“I don’t really fuck with y’all and if you’re taking notes, kill ya self!”

I finished writing down his comments in the notes section of my iPhone then closed it and put it in my pocket. For a moment, surrounded by fans, and photographers, I reevaluated my life. I wasn’t going to kill myself—not there, or anywhere for that matter. But his statement was jarring. Prior to the show, Lupe had advised artists—on Twitter—not to do any interviews. I was interested in an interview... He declined.