Lupe Fiasco Shares New Remixes To Announce 'Samurai DX'
(AT) Lupe Fiasco's Samurai proved the veteran rapper's unparalleled ability to pen deeply conceptual rhymes without sacrificing soul. Produced in full by longtime collaborator Soundtrakk, the 8-song project earned widespread critical acclaim, with praise from Pitchfork, Rolling Stone, Billboard, and more for its cerebral lyricism and warm sonic palette.
Today (June 27th), to celebrate the one-year anniversary of Samurai, Lupe announces Samurai DX, an alternate version of the acclaimed album. The DX version of the album offers two new songs from the Samurai sessions, the Soundtrakk-produced "High Note" and "SOS," produced by Lupe himself, plus remixes to original album highlights "Samurai," "Palaces," and "Bigfoot" (now featuring a hook sung by singer-songwriter Troy Tyler). Originally intended for the Samurai tracklist, "SOS" and "High Note" were cut for sake of brevity, but Lupe and manager Chill Patton recognized their quality, keeping them in the vault until the time was right. In addition, the vinyl release of Samurai DX offers instrumental versions of all five newly-recorded songs. Samurai DX continues Lupe's exploration of the boundaries of hip-hop as an artform, as the legendary Chicago rapper seeks to prove that a rap album can be as exquisitely crafted and delicately designed as fine art. Expanding the story of what Lupe Fiasco calls one of his "most personal projects to date," Samurai DX arrives in digital and physical formats on August 22nd via 1st & 15th / Thirty Tigers.
Along with the announcement of Samurai DX, Lupe shares a new remix for "Samurai." Flipping the album's introductory track, inspired by a line delivered by Amy Winehouse to Salaam Remi in the documentary, Amy, the new "Samurai" remix transforms the original's wistful and soulful atmosphere into something a bit darker, changing the perspective on Lupe's look at an artist's life and the tragedies that can accompany the triumphs. The remix also adds a brand new verse from Lupe, reflecting the moodier instrumental, and new vocals from singer-songwriter Troy Tyler. The remix to "Samurai" follows last year's release of "Palaces" (Remix), which arrived with a music video.
A smooth, yet cerebral, 8-track album brimming with ideas, that radiates Lupe's pure love for the art of emceeing and committing himself as a servant of the rap game. The project is Lupe's ninth studio album and is produced in full by Soundtrakk, making it their second full album collaboration following 2022's DRILL MUSIC IN ZION. In addition, Samurai was the first album that Lupe, Soundtrakk, and their longtime manager, and 1st & 15th co-CEO Charles "Chill" Patton, who also served as the album's executive producer, worked on in the studio together since 2007's The Cool. It's home to singles such as the title track, "Samurai," praised by Rolling Stone, Complex, Billboard, HYPEBEAST, Clash, The Needle Drop, and more, plus the lyrical beatdown, "Cake," which shows off Lupe's supreme ability to attack the beat with poetic and energetic bars. Other highlights include the orchestral, street freestyle-esque "No. 1 Headband" and the experimental "Mumble Rap."
Recently, Lupe Fiasco has kept busy with performances, including on last Fall's "Samurai Tour," and a special performance at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he is a visiting professor teaching "Rap Theory and Practice," in May. Lupe Fiasco's MIT concert was an element of the artist's "GHOTIING MIT: Public Art," which transforms public art into a living sonic experience-where rap and visual art intersect in real time. The Chicago native recorded 9 new songs for the art project, overseen by the MIT List Visual Arts Center, each taking inspiration from a different piece of art around MIT's campus. Lupe recorded each piece on site, at the location of each artwork, incorporating field sounds into the recording and crafting lyrics that spontaneously respond to the scene's unique environment. Earlier this year, Lupe bolstered his burgeoning academic reputation by joining the faculty of the world famous Peabody Institute at Johns Hopkins University.
This August, Lupe Fiasco joins the legendary Cypress Hill and underground heroes Atmosphere on their "Dank Daze of Summer Tour." Also featuring support from The Pharcyde
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