Lupe Fiasco Quotes

Being a pop-leaning, female artist, you'd think that I'd have my record company breathing down my neck and trying to control everything I'm doing. Actually, they've just kind of let me take the wheel.

I'm constantly being courted by labels and their backing. Obviously the market is there when you talk about the economics and the numbers, but it's hard to give up the freedom of being able to do whatever you want.

The business has changed so much that they're able - we're able these days in the music industry to be able to control our own destiny.

I always thought that if record companies didn't understand me, fine - I'd go and do it by myself.

I can't tell you how freeing it is to have my own label. For the first time in my career, I have total control.

It is hard, though, 'cos record labels love to boss you around. I won't let them do that anymore.

Mostly I've never let record companies become involved with my music, which was a very smart thing that my first manager Dave Robinson did, to keep them out of it.

When I got into the music industry, I wasn't focused on being the most famous artist or even getting a major record deal. It was just to make music on my own terms or create my own image, do my own hair, do my own makeup.

I see what other people do and what songwriters don't. They don't get out and take care of themselves. Producers turn themselves into a massive brand. Songwriters tend to be under someone else's umbrella. If you're building your own legacy, it can't be under an umbrella.

You can now be a master of your own destiny. I'm not sure why you would sign up with a record label.

Well, since I produce and pay for my own albums, it is the ultimate freedom.

One of the advantages of not having a record contract is that you can make your own mistakes, you don't need somebody else to organize them for you.

I am not going to be dictated to by fans, certainly. I am dictated enough to by my record company to last me a million years.

The first time Kyuss was about to get signed, they're like, 'We'd like to sign you!' and we just said, 'No! Forget it!' because we thought people were always trying to invade everything.

I feel fortunate about being able to make the music I want to make and getting away with it.

I took the process of doing as much myself as I could like a duck to water. I set up my own label and publishing, etc, and it was a fun learning curve two decades ago.

Taking over our own business and running it ourselves has tied us even more to our fans.

A lot of things encouraged me to start my label. I think it's very important for an artist to know how many records they've sold and where they've sold. I know that I have never been treated the way I'm supposed to be treated - like an artist. That's why I do things for myself. I feel like I'm a free man.

Putting out my album on my own label has been a great experience for me. It's been very inspiring. It's like a new start for me and having all this creative freedom is so liberating and exciting.

In general, I don't feel artists should need producers.

Leaving Def Jam was kind of a blessing in disguise because we can make whatever record we want.

I always wanted to do things on my own terms, and unfortunately in this industry, that's not something that is easily given. You're at the mercy of other people, but then you still have that drive to continue on. That's an equation for a lot of heartbreak.

You don't need a record company to turn you into anything.

I just wanted to do my own albums where nobody could tell me what to do. Roc Nation was the perfect fit because I could do what I wanted to do.

Being signed to a major label was never an option because I knew having the time to find out who you are without pressure from other people is so important.