Wassulu Muhammad Jaco (born and raised in Chicago, Illinois) Lupe Fiasco (pronounced LOO-PAY) (Lupe says his name is a reference to his nickname from Hispanic friends from the "Loo" in Wassulu and the word "fiasco" which means "disgrace"). Lupe first became known to the mainstream hip-hop community in 2005 when he appeared on, "Touch The Sky" for Kanye West's sophomore album Late Registration. He is to release his debut album, Food & Liquor on Atlantic Records in spring 2006. He released a preview track for the album in August 2005, named "Kick, Push," which showcased his hobbies and interest in skateboarding, along with an ear-pleasing smooth tale of what it is like trying to find an area to peacefully skateboard without interruption. He has released three mixtapes titled, "Fahrenheit 1/15 Part(s) 1, 2, & 3," and has been featured on songs with Fort Minor (Mike Shinoda of Linkin Park's alias project) such as "Spraypaint & Inkpens" featuring Ghostface Killa.

Lupe has previously been on label Epic with his group and then signed a solo deal with Arista Records. His years at Arista only led to the 2003 promo single "Pop Pop" as well as guest appearances on singles from Tha' Rayne (2002's "Kiss Me" and 2003's "Didn't You Know") and K Fox (2003's "This Life"), then Arista folded in 2004 and Lupe was signed to Atlantic Records. Rapper and current president of Def Jam Records, Jay-Z was so impressed with Lupe that, even though he couldn't sign him to Def Jam, he decided to executive-produce his album, anyway. Vice president of self-founded 1st & 15th Entertainment, Lupe has a keen business interest. He will no doubt use this, his friendship with Kanye West and other such stars, and his talent on the mic to mount a raid on the mainstream hip-hop charts in future years.