Chapter 7 - Business Marketing

When an artist signs with a record label their should be an underlying trust in the relationship commitment. Atlantic Records has had some issues with Lupe Fiasco for reasons unknown. They were delaying the release of Lupe's third album "Lasers" until fans protested outside of the label, demanding the album. A similar situation occurred with the release of Lupe Fiasco's latest album, "Tetsuo & Youth", until the hacker group 'Anonymous' threatened to release confidential information and within 24 hours a release date was revealed.

Chapter 11 - Developing and Managing Products

Lupe Fiasco's mixtapes are an example of test marketing. The were marketed not as much as an album however it showed how many people were willing to download his music. This is what probably gave the record label the confidence in the artist to pay for marketing and distribution for Lupe's 5 albums.
Lupe Fiasco is in the decline stage of his career. He only sold about 15,000 copies of his last album Tetsuo and Youth, which is a dramatic decrease in his past 4 albums. People aren't talking about him as much, as he has drifted away from the mainstream. Now that he is finally off of Atlantic Records, it's rumored that he will be going independent. So only time would tell if he can get back to a growth stage where he draws in new fans.

Chapter 8 - Segmenting and Targeting Markets

I personally believe that rapper Lupe Fiasco was positioned to be an equal or greater success as Kanye West. Both being from Chicago, and both rappers had dominant debuts that were deemed "classic" by fans. (Lupe's album Food and Liquor, and Kanye's album The College Dropout). That positioning led to the downfall of Lupe's commercial success. He wasn't selling as well as Kanye, not nearly as many people gravitated towards him as well. This positioning led to the highest of expectations, and mainstream fans disappointment.

Chapter 15 - Marketing Communications

In order to sell, you must be able to communicate what it is you're trying to sell. In the music industry there is an accustomed process in which you do this, which also applies to Lupe Fiasco. First they announce the work they are going to be selling, whether that is a mixtape or an album. Lupe Fiasco announced his album first on Twitter using a mass communication method, in which the rapper can see his fans" feedback directly. How much they are anticipating a new album, if they want an album, how it compares to previous releases, etc. Then after self promoting by doing shows, Lupe has to do a series of radio interviews, usually close to the release date. These are forms of interpersonal communications where the artist becomes more of an entertainer, and a personality. 

Lupe Freestyle after interview on Sway in the Morning

Chapter 10 - Product Concepts

Lupe Fiasco's albums are specialty products which consumers may directly search for, but also made convenient. People are able to purchase his music and download it and less than a minute, from services like iTunes and Google Play. Being an artist and celebrity, Lupe Fiasco is basically his own brand. Every time he's in the public he is branding himself. Being signed to Atlantic Records, which is a brand in its own right serves sort of like Lupe's labeling. Like if a new candy were to come out people would be reluctant to buy it, however if Hershey were to put its label on it, it would draw in skeptics.

Chapter 17 - Personal Selling and Sales Management

Lupe Fiasco as a rap artist, he must keep his loyal fan base pleased. As a consumer of music, I know that I love seeing artist I invest my time and money into grow. As these artists grow, its almost as you grow along with them. So as an artists you have to make sure each body of work that you put out into the world it has to be at least as good as the prior work, if not better. Retaining loyal customers is the second step in the Common CRM Marketing Database Applications.

In this day and age personal selling is becoming the norm for music artists. They no longer need as much assistance with distribution, and publicity. Artists can now do all of that themselves, and I think we are in for a change and I look forward to what the future independent artists do with the culture. This includes my personal favorite rapper Lupe Fiasco, as his contract with Atlantic Records just ended with his Fifth Studio Album, "Tetsuo and Youth"

Friend of the People

Chapter 16 - Advertising, Public Relations and Sales Promotion

Relevancy is a necessity to maintain a career in the music industry. The way to keep your product apt to people's attention is through advertising. The classic model for advertising is called the AIDA concept, which is an acronym for attention, interest, desire, and action. As pertaining to Lupe Fiasco's most recent release of his album, "Tetsuo & Youth" here is an example for the AIDA concept.

Attention: In order to grab people's attention, you have to first let you know what it is you're going to talk about. So Lupe first announced his fifth studio album's release on Twitter. "Anonymous" (computer hacker group, most commonly known on YouTube) claimed responsibility for the release of the album, due to the complications between Atlantic Records, and their signed artist Lupe Fiasco.  http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/news/id.29105/title.lupe-fiasco-tetsuo-youth-release-date-hackers-claim-responsibility

Interest: Next step is to keep their attention. Lupe created interest due to his past works, and just talking about features of the album itself. Releasing the cover art and having open discussion about the meaning of the cover with his fans on Twitter. Also releasing the track list, having singles on the radio, and doing interviews.

Desire: The desire to buy an album obviously comes from  the music itself. Before the actual release date, Lupe Fiasco released a few tracks highlighting his skills, which he claims will be on a future mixtape.

Action: The 3 steps before this one leads to the customers decision whether to purchase the product, or not. The album was available on Itunes, Google Play, etc, and the leaks of the album didn't have the same sound quality as the album when I personally purchased it.

Lasers

Lupe Fiasco's Third Studio Album: Lasers

Chapter 14 - Marketing Channels and Retailing

Lupe Fiasco signed with a major record label, Atlantic Records. To my knowledge they handle the distribution, publication, and advertising. They have relationships with radio shows (Hot 97, Power 105.1, etc.), retailers (iTunes, Google Play, Amazon, etc.) and handle advertising. This is why most rappers sign with a major. Even with their musical talent, they may not have the network ability to get their art to the masses. However with the emergence and evolution of social media, artists are taking the independent route.

Enemy of the State

Lupe Fiasco's Enemy of the State: A Love Story

Chapter 6 - Consumer Decision Making

Buying Music

The amount of people purchasing music is drastically decreasing. Most people stream for free, or download the music illegally. This gives us the consumer less reasons to purchase anything, "Why should I buy this album, or this song when I can just get it for free, or listen to it on YouTube." With two-thirds of the American population having a smartphone in their reach they can do a quick information search on Lupe Fiasco, and they will find his free mixtapes, some free songs, and albums for sale. Typing the word "free" in the search bar you can find every song in his catalog available to download to your device for free. With the way things are now, this is routine response behavior. People are downloading music for free all the time.

Downloading music illegally is now part of the music culture, and this forces artists like Lupe Fiasco to put out free music to, what I think, to appease fans and attract those who are involved in the music, or those "who have their noses open" because those are the people that will make purchases. Our value for music also decreases because of this, that's why the music industry seems full of gimmicks and faked personas, a game now must be played to be able to sell their work.

People of pasts generations, usually refer to present day music as "trash, terrible, weak, lacking" and this opinions have to be coming from somewhere. I believe there is a lack of appreciation of the art of music, the amount of effort it takes to make a good song. I personally enjoy bodies of work, like an album or a mixtape as opposed to listening to the redundant radio songs.  My favorite albums is Lupe Fiasco's The Cool. However, I first heard this album when I was 14-15, I didn't have money of my own, and just really starting to get into hip-hop and I didn't buy it. I listened to it on YouTube and I found appreciation of Lupe's music. That consistency of appreciation led to trust in the artist himself so when I purchase an album the day it is released I know it isn't money wasted. I think with more appreciation for the art, we will undoubtedly be more supportive of our favorite artists.

2nd Studio Album: Lupe Fiasco's The Cool

Chapter 5 - Developing a Global Vision

With the evolution in which we now receive music through internet, artists are being heard around the world. With satellite radio, and other services people around can tune into the music that people in NY hear daily on a Hot 97 or a Power 105.1, despite living hundreds or thousands of miles away. This creates a demand overseas for artists like Lupe Fiasco and which is why more international tours take place nowadays.

Lupe Fiasco was recently named music director for the United States Men's National Soccer Team. Given that title in the biggest sport in the world can only help your brand I imagine.

1st Studio Album: Lupe Fiasco's Food and Liquor

Chapter 4 - The Marketing Environment

Atlantic Records, Other Major Labels, and How WE Get Music

Lupe Fiasco signed a deal with a major label in 2006 (Atlantic Records). However all major labels have been doing the same format of marketing. Have their artists be featured with popular artists at the time, releasing radio friendly singles to promote an album, doing various interviews with radio shows, etc. The way we receive music has drastically changed with technology. Lupe would put out a few singles, maybe a free mixtape, and have a few features and soon we would see a release date for an upcoming album. Atlantic would handle the marketing (radio show agreements, advertising, etc) and the distribution of the actual album. With the changing of the times distribution is now agreements with services like iTunes, Google Play, and Spotify, and marketing is more done with social networks.

Even the way we listen to music isn't the same. Without money we would have to listen to the radio, now all you have to do is upload music online and it can be heard globally. This made Us, the consumer more picky to what we want to listen to. Thus started the trend of artists being more focused on their core fan-base, then trying to amass more fans. Me being a fan of a Lupe Fiasco, or a J. Cole, or a Kendrick Lamar, I'm more opted to buy their albums, and go to their shows, and buy their merchandise etc. As opposed to someone who isn't really a fan and is just wants to hear a song once or twice so they would download it for free.

Technology also influenced artists like Lupe Fiasco's touring. With Internet and social media, his music is listened to, and enjoyed worldwide, which has created more opportunities internationally which leads to success. Pretty soon we're going to have music beamed into our minds in an instant.

Fahrenheit 1/15 #3

Fiasco's Third Official MIxtape

The last installment of the Farenheit 1/15 trilogy

All tracks featured on this project using beats by the Gorillaz, thus the name "a rhyming ape"

Chapter 3 - Ethics & Social Responsibility

For the kids.

Uplifting songs. giving back to the community, putting the people he came up with on, conducting well as far as being professional and staying out of the media for trouble allowing him to be a role model. Recently made a song called Mission, a motivational song with personal statements from people battling cancer, with a charity foundation attached (http://www.weareonamission.org/). As I stated in the Mission Statement he also has a foundation in his name called The Lupe Fiasco Foundation co-founded by his sister Ayesha Jaco. Self-proclaimed kid at heart doing things for the youth going through hardship.

Fahrenheit 1/15 #2

Fiasco's Second Official Mixtape

"They tryin' to censor the influencer, that just makes me sicker, influenza" -Jedi Mind Tricks

"Switch" a song in which Lupe flexes his rap versatility.

Chapter 2 - Strategic Planning for Competitive Advantage

Bars. Bars. Bars. Since Lupe's debut he has put out nothing lacking lyrical content with a recognizable authentic Midwest flow From similes, to allegorys, to double and triple-entendres, to multiple point of views of societal and political issues. A rare mainstream conscious rapper competing with what I call "radio rappers" who just put out songs with Dr. Seuss rhymes and a catchy hook. To be a true competitor in the hip hop industry you have to have longevity, and Lupe Fiasco has that.

Farenheit 1/15 #1

Lupe Fiasco's First Official Mixtape

Notable Instrumentals: Kanye's Jesus Walks, Nas' Hip Hop is Dead, Ali movies' Champ is here

"The Gravity Of The Vocabulary Is A Caliber Equal To Excalibur

Swung With The Grace Of Agassi In His Amateurs"

Chapter 1 - Brief History & Mission Statement

Brief History

Born in a Muslim family on February 17, 1982, Wasalu Muhammad Jaco aka Lupe Fiasco was the fifth child out of nine siblings. His father is an engineer as well as an apt drummer while his mother is a gourmet chef. Little Fiasco was raised in Westside of Chicago and pursued his education at Illinois' Thornton Township High School. Rapping had gone into his head while he was still very young, but gangsta rap was popular during the time that he was intimidated by the profane lyrics produced by the rappers at that time. Thus he gave up rapping as a career choice. 


However, when he heard Nas' 1996 album, "It Was Written", Fiasco was dumbstruck and instantly attracted to the art of rapping. At 19 years old he had formed a rapping group called Da Pak that were signed by Epic Records and released a single. Unfortunately, the group split up just after they were about to begin but fortunately for Fiasco who chose to go solo after that. He immediately signed to Arista Records but when chairman and CEO Anthony "L.A." Reid stepped down from the position, he too had to quit from the label. 

Refusing to stop in the track, Fiasco recorded a number of mixtapes and began uploading them on-line. Soon enough he was a quite popular Internet artist that his work was heard by renown rapper Jay-Z. His appearance in Mike Shinoda's mixtape "Fort Minor: We Major" landed in the hand of Jay-Z who later on offered Fiasco to join his Roc-A-Fella label. Since Fiasco had already started mixing, releasing singles and gained money from it, he had enough preparation to start his own record label. Thus he turned down the offer from Jay-Z to start 1st and 15th Entertainment which is an imprint of Atlantic Records. 


Through his own label, Fiasco released his debut studio album called "Food and Liquor". The album became a major success, gaining as much as four nominations at the 2007 Grammy Awards. Fiasco, by then was acknowledged as one of the rappers who was closely associated to A-listers in Hip-Hop community such as Kanye West, Pharrell Williams and Jill Scott. Together with the first two musicians he formed a supergroup called Child Rebel Soldiers who spawned many mixtapes......

(Lupe's Grammy Award winning song featuring Jill Scott, from his debut studio album Food and Liquor.)

Mission Statement

Rapper Lupe Fiasco's mission statement is found throughout his music. To create thought provoking songs with deep themes and complex lyrics to make the listener think. Commonly revered as a pioneer of the conscious hip hop movement Lupe wants to build young minds. In 2009 Lupe created the Lupe Fiasco Foundation which works to inspire and unite communities in Chicago. More specifically Lupe's foundation focuses in on 3 key points, food justice, hip-hop curriculum, and empowerment funding. This is to show that by equipping the youth with tools to discuss and fix problems will have a positive effect on the community as a whole.

http://www.lupefiascofoundation.org/

http://www.aceshowbiz.com/celebrity/lupe_fiasco/biography.html