*Update: See pics from Lupe Fiasco’s Remember 2 Smile Concert Here.
Lupe Fiasco is preparing for the 2009 edition of his annual Halloween concert. The concert, dubbed Remember To Smile, is a retrospective of Lupe’s career and has also influenced his current music. We spoke to Lupe today about the concert, and much much more. Part of our discussion centered on figuring out exactly what it is you want in life, and being able to be less critical of yourself when you don’t always live up to your aspirations. It was while speaking on that topic that Lupe addressed the roster changes at his label FNF. We’ve heard rumblings that acts such as He Say She Say and Hey Champ had left the label, and during our interview Lupe confirmed that he did indeed clear house.
“I got rid of, and you’re the first to know, but I got rid of the entire First and Fifteenth Record Label. Me and Sarah Green are the only artists on the label, like I got rid of the whole label,” Lupe told me today. He said that it came down to his ambitions going beyond his abilities, and something that he had to correct. “It was just such a ‘this isn’t right for you right now. This isn’t gonna work for you right now. You need to focus on you,'” he added.
Lupe is currently working on his next album We Are L.A.S.E.R.S., which does not have a release date at this time. Lupe told me that going through his old music in preparation for tomorrow night’s concert has somewhat influenced the direction of new music. He also spoke on not being named one of MTV’s Hottest Emcees and how that has also somewhat re-energized and inspired the Chicago emcee. Look for the full interview on RH soon, and don’t miss his show at the Congress Theatre tomorrow.