— Veteran wordsmith, Lupe Fiasco, prepares to deliver his seventh studio album, DRILL MUSIC IN ZION, this summer.
Twisting and contorting the English language to fit the meter and his every whim, Lupe Fiasco uses his superb lyrical skill to process the changing world in which he lives. Drawing connections between the concrete and spiritual in his hometown of Chicago, Lupe announces DRILL MUSIC IN ZION, his next album.
The product of a burst of thoughtful spontaneity, Lupe created the new album over a short period, diving into a folder of beats sent by his longtime producer Soundtrakk and emerging with a fully-realized album in just three days. When discussing their collaboration, Lupe has stated, “Soundtrakk is the swordmaker, I’m the samurai. He’s the mechanic, and I’m the driver.”
Armed with Soundtrakk’s soulful sounds, Lupe creates a focused statement that reflects on the past and paves a way forward, preaching strength through mindfulness and self-sustaining community. DRILL MUSIC IN ZION is set to arrive on June 24th via Thirty Tigers and Lupe’s own 1st & 15th Entertainment.
Along with the announcement of the album, Lupe shares “AUTOBOTO,” the first single off the album. Mischievous, playful, and deceptively dense, “AUTOBOTO” gets its power from Soundtrakk’s creeping keys and modal guitar melodies along with Lupe’s mantra-like hook. The rapper weaves meticulous metaphors and wry words of wisdom, proclaiming his fierce independence even as he decries the uselessness of individual rebellion in the face of rising tides of corruption and industry.
“Why buy a tub when the Bayou a flood, better buy you a sub.
How you gon’ survive in the club, you gon kayak it, cuz, when they rise up above,
and the waves come and push and the tidal’s a shove,
What’s an infrared dot to a whole dot gov.”
To finish off the song, Lupe passes the mic to Nayirah, who slows down Lupe’s hook to a languid tempo and allows the defiant message to marinate.
His first new album since 2018’s DROGAS WAVE, DRILL MUSIC IN ZION marks the start of another chapter in Lupe’s illustrious career. The proud Chicago native has already had a busy 2022, marked with sold out shows, new music, and much more including his recently closed out Food & Liquor Tour — a series of performances in which he plays his debut album in full. He paid tribute to his hometown in the reflective, self-produced “100 Chicagos,” just last month.
Lupe Fiasco also recently launched his “LFT” program, a new NFT program that allows fans to get closer than ever to Lupe. Unlike many NFTs, which solely exist in the digital space, the “LFT” program offers token-holders an array of online and offline benefits. The benefits start with a generative art profile pic — each LFT holder gets a unique digital artwork inspired by Lupe’s album Lupe Fiasco’s The Cool, which celebrates its 15th birthday this year.
With DRILL MUSIC IN ZION on deck, an invigorated Lupe Fiasco seeks to prove once again that few rappers in history can rhyme like him. Stay tuned for much more from the legendary artist in the coming weeks and be sure to follow him on his official Instagram and Twitter pages.