nux4lyfe Posted October 18, 2014 Share Posted October 18, 2014 How Anonymous Forced Atlantic Records to Release Lupe Fiasco's 'Tetsuo and Youth' Album By David Gilbert October 16, 2014 07:41 BST Rapper Lupe Fiasco arrives at the 55th annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, California February 10, 2013.(Reuters) The global hacktivisit movement Anonymous has become well-known for many actions and operations over the last four years, most of them targeting injustice, oppression and a denial of privacy and right to free speech. However throughout that time, the group has retained its sense of humour (aka "the lulz") and has not been afraid to use its powers for less weighty actions. So it was on Wednesday that one faction within Anonymous decided to use the power of the group to force a record label to finally release the latest album from American rapper Lupe Fiasco. Atlantic Records and the rapper/record producer had been at loggerheads over the release of his new album, Tetsuo & Youth, with Atlantic saying they wouldn't release it until Fiasco produced a pop-friendly single. Threats This stand-off had led to the album effectively being shelved and failing to get an official release date. On Wednesday however, the @TheAnonMessage Twitter account posted a series of tweets essentially threatening that if Atlantic Records didn't give the album an official release date in the next 24 hours, "we will launch a direct action against your website, your associates and your executives." Less than a day later, the official Atlantic Records Twitter account announced that Lupe Fiasco's Tetsuo and Youth album would be released on 20 January, 2015. While the timing of the announcement may have been a coincidence, it seems that Anonymous gave the record label the push it needed to announce a release date. A statement from Anonymous however, seems to claim full responsibility for the announcement of a release date for the album: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RUPERTKBD Posted October 18, 2014 Share Posted October 18, 2014 Soooo...this is a good thing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dazzle Posted October 18, 2014 Share Posted October 18, 2014 Love it, About time artists that actually speak the truth get more exposure. Time to wash out the crappy hip-hop out the mainstream and make way for artists that rap about things other than money, drugs, cars and 'hoes' . Noooooo. I think I really need that Ferrari. I just don't understand why Atlantic would give in to this though. Are they avoiding trouble? Essentially, they are "victims" of blackmail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nux4lyfe Posted October 18, 2014 Author Share Posted October 18, 2014 Soooo...this is a good thing? Well it's a step in the right direction, I'm not necessarily a big Lupe fan but it helps get good music out rather than that watered down radio crap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nux4lyfe Posted October 18, 2014 Author Share Posted October 18, 2014 Noooooo. I think I really need that Ferrari. I just don't understand why Atlantic would give in to this though. Are they avoiding trouble? Essentially, they are "victims" of blackmail. Pretty much. But I'm sure no one really wants the frack with Anonymous , They will make your life miserable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dazzle Posted October 18, 2014 Share Posted October 18, 2014 Pretty much. But I'm sure no one really wants the frack with Anonymous , They will make your life miserable. Yeah, that's for certain. They are highly skilled and highly dangerous for those who get in the way. Fortunately, they try to do good, even if their methods are on the extreme side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RUPERTKBD Posted October 18, 2014 Share Posted October 18, 2014 Well it's a step in the right direction, I'm not necessarily a big Lupe fan but it helps get good music out rather than that watered down radio crap. I have to confess that I have no idea what separates "good" rap from "bad" rap, but I'm at a loss to understand why it was necessary to blackmail a record company into providing a release date for an album. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nux4lyfe Posted October 18, 2014 Author Share Posted October 18, 2014 I have to confess that I have no idea what separates "good" rap from "bad" rap, but I'm at a loss to understand why it was necessary to blackmail a record company into providing a release date for an album. Fair enough. Essentially that's how Anonymous works. They pretty much 'blackmail' , threat you for what they stand up for and believe in. Thing about major record labels is that they want to control your content, They want you to have 'radio friendly' songs. You cannot just give them a final product and expect them to just put it out there. Lupe is an activist, He raps about situations that people can actually relate too and pretty much this.. targeting injustice, oppression and a denial of privacy and right to free speech. But, I guess since it's not as marketable as opposed to rapping about chicks, money and cars the record company doesn't see a profit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
otherwise Posted October 18, 2014 Share Posted October 18, 2014 I have to confess that I have no idea what separates "good" rap from "bad" rap, but I'm at a loss to understand why it was necessary to blackmail a record company into providing a release date for an album. It's the fact that many record labels won't relase an album unless it has a pop-y, radio friendly album, rather than relying on the fans of an artist that will go out and buy that album, they try and use the charts to prove wheather or not an album will sell and if an artist can't or won't make a song like that their album won't be given a release date. Many people think it's out dated method for a lot of reasons; some being that not as many people listen to the radio, these "radio friendly" songs are normally weak in lyrical content. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RUPERTKBD Posted October 18, 2014 Share Posted October 18, 2014 Fair enough. Essentially that's how Anonymous works. They pretty much 'blackmail' , threat you for what they stand up for and believe in. Thing about major record labels is that they want to control your content, They want you to have 'radio friendly' songs. You cannot just give them a final product and expect them to just put it out there. Lupe is an activist, He raps about situations that people can actually relate too and pretty much this.. But, I guess since it's not as marketable as opposed to rapping about chicks, money and cars the record company doesn't see a profit. It kind of reminds me of the story behind Rush's release of 2112... The band's previous album, Caress of Steel, was not well received by the record company and the boys were instructed in no uncertain terms to make the next album "radio friendly". Of course, they did nothing of the sort. The story goes that the band members had a meeting and decided that they were going to "go out on their own terms", so to speak. Essentially releasing the album that they wanted to make and if it proved to be their last, so be it. History shows us that the album was so well received by the public, the record company basically acknowledged that the band would henceforth have total creative control over the content of future albums. 40 years and more than 20 albums later, they are still going strong. I suppose that sort of thing just doesn't happen anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RUPERTKBD Posted October 18, 2014 Share Posted October 18, 2014 It's the fact that many record labels won't relase an album unless it has a pop-y, radio friendly album, rather than relying on the fans of an artist that will go out and buy that album, they try and use the charts to prove wheather or not an album will sell and if an artist can't or won't make a song like that their album won't be given a release date. Many people think it's out dated method for a lot of reasons; some being that not as many people listen to the radio, these "radio friendly" songs are normally weak in lyrical content. Again, I admit not knowing much about rap, but that last sentence kind of suggests to me less swearing. less condemnation of government policy, etc. In a nutshell, less content that someone might find contrary to their personal beliefs... I have to say, it seems strange. I would have thought that the target demographic would be interested in hearing exactly that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GLASSJAW Posted October 18, 2014 Share Posted October 18, 2014 lupe's shtick is to rap about how unique he is, and it got old really fast. instead of saying anything, he's devoted 75% of his career to talking about what he DOESN'T talk about -- his entire career is devoted to preaching to a choir. the same stuff that other rappers have said more succinctly in a single verse, lupe has tried to stretch out for a career and this is one of many reasons why most critics haven't given lupe a second look in almost a decade Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nux4lyfe Posted October 18, 2014 Author Share Posted October 18, 2014 It kind of reminds me of the story behind Rush's release of 2112... The band's previous album, Caress of Steel, was not well received by the record company and the boys were instructed in no uncertain terms to make the next album "radio friendly". Of course, they did nothing of the sort. The story goes that the band members had a meeting and decided that they were going to "go out on their own terms", so to speak. Essentially releasing the album that they wanted to make and if it proved to be their last, so be it. History shows us that the album was so well received by the public, the record company basically acknowledged that the band would henceforth have total creative control over the content of future albums. 40 years and more than 20 albums later, they are still going strong. I suppose that sort of thing just doesn't happen anymore. That's awesome! Of course with so much more music out there now it's kind of harder to reach a bigger audience, Under a major record label you do get more exposure as they do most of the work promoting...not to say if Lupe went independent he wouldn't be well off but I guess his music will reach a bigger following now that he has a release date. Being independent is a lot more work but worth it at the end, Too bad many great artists get stuck in contracts and therefor don't have complete control of their content. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nux4lyfe Posted October 18, 2014 Author Share Posted October 18, 2014 lupe's shtick is to rap about how unique he is, and it got old really fast. instead of saying anything, he's devoted 75% of his career to talking about what he DOESN'T talk about -- his entire career is devoted to preaching to a choir. the same stuff that other rappers have said more succinctly in a single verse, lupe has tried to stretch out for a career and this is one of many reasons why most critics haven't given lupe a second look in almost a decade I sort of agree with you on that, Like I said I'm not a huge Lupe fan but the I'm looking at the 'bigger picture' here, That people can force major record deals to release albums as the artist intended. Too me, It's a big step in the right direction. And honestly, I'd rather listen to Lupe than any of the crap they call rap on the radio. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GLASSJAW Posted October 18, 2014 Share Posted October 18, 2014 I sort of agree with you on that, Like I said I'm not a huge Lupe fan but the I'm looking at the 'bigger picture' here, That people can force major record deals to release albums as the artist intended. Too me, It's a big step in the right direction. And honestly, I'd rather listen to Lupe than any of the crap they call rap on the radio. ya i agree with that, i'm not even sure why i posted what i said to be honest. it's like a tick. i have no idea what it is about lupe, but the guy just rubs me the wrong way and each time someone mentions him, i say something to that effect i love rap, both underground and some pop stuff, but i had no idea lupe was actually being played on the radio or in the mainstream... but that said, i do know he has a big ol house and a large car collection that's worth more than most indie labels pull in every 5 years, so maybe he shouldn't be biting the hand that feeds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FramingDragon Posted October 18, 2014 Share Posted October 18, 2014 Food and Liquor is a pretty good album. I honestly haven't heard anything else by him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdatb Posted October 18, 2014 Share Posted October 18, 2014 "Good music" lmao Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tortorella's Rant Posted October 18, 2014 Share Posted October 18, 2014 I'm glad Anonymous is putting their effort towards a good cause. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dazzle Posted October 18, 2014 Share Posted October 18, 2014 I'm glad Anonymous is putting their effort towards a good cause. This could be perceived as sarcasm... It's not really the best of causes. That being said, Anonymous does do a lot of good things, or at least tries to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RRypien37 Posted October 18, 2014 Share Posted October 18, 2014 If Lupe doesn't want to be oppressed and held down by likes of these main stream labels....why continue to be with them? Take a lesson from Immortal Technique. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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