Back in 2006, then-rising star Lupe Fiasco dropped off a mixtape titled Lupe The Great, which contained 15 tracks and appearances from Kanye West, JAY-Z, Joe Budden, and more. One particular standout from said project was the Bugz-produced “Hustlaz Due,” a soulful cut that was perfect for Lupe‘s thought-provoking bars about the lives that true hustlers have to endure:
“Let me tell you what this fellow like, caught somewhere between stop and go like yellow lights, hustler so I gotta get it mellow right, down the block, round the clock, bezel like, I roll like cherry red Jell-O dice, It’s Was, just the pot callin’ the kettle white, it’s hot, just the block callin’ the ghetto wife, this Paul McCain is my ball and chain, mi amor, hopefully I won’t fall and hang, like pictures on the walls of halls of fame…”
Today, fans can now enjoy the classic, now simply titled “Hustlaz” via all streaming platforms. In addition to the re-release, Lupe has also announced an NFT-inspired program titled “LFT,” which will allow those fans to earn a variety of prizes — badges, invites to special events, limited edition prints, and even the ability to “participate in the ‘meta-narrative’ surrounding Lupe‘s upcoming album Drill Music In Zion. LFT was created alongside Magic Eden and Solana, and is said to be making landfall Feb. 10th.
It’s been four years since Lupe liberated his seventh studio LP DROGAS Wave, a two-part concept that came with 24 tracks and contributions from Nikki Jean, Crystal “Røvél” Torres, Damian Marley, Elena Pinderhughes, and more. Since then, the Chicago veteran did drop off a couple of EPs — the first being the critically acclaimed HOUSE, a 2020 joint effort with Kaelin Ellis that also boasted a prominent appearance from late fashion designer-DJ Virgil Abloh. The second, TAPE TAPE with Soundtrakk, arrived some months after.
Revisit “Hustlaz” below.