Lupe takes on the downloaders...

In a firm stance against the bootleggers and downloaders who by his estimation cost him a large amount of sales, Lupe Fiasco won't record his second album The Cool until three weeks before its summer release date. The beats and rhymes will be worked on and closely guarded until such time where marathon studio sessions will be taking place, and surely a hurried mastering/shipping process. Putting aside the question of making a better album in such a short space of time, has he or anyone thought about how they are going to promote that material? Radio and TV want material at least 6 weeks in advance of release and any promotional appearances are surely not realistic if he is recording at a time when an artist would be expected to do the marketing push. There will be no record reviews and any magazines will not likely run any features. Only the loyalist of fans will buy the album on the basis of no material being heard and if it was harsh first time round for his sales figures through downloading, it looks like Lupe will have no one to blame expect himself if he wonders why sales are poor second time around.