Posted May 21, 2012 by Eddie "STATS" 11 comments

Audio: Lupe Fiasco “Around My Way (Freedom Ain’t free)”

lupe fiasco artwork for around my way freedom ain't free single

It’s coming, it’s coming, it’s coming…it’s here! Tomorrow is now today and the first single from Lupe Fiasco‘s new LP Food & Liquor 2 is here. Flipping the much-loved beat from Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth‘s “Reminisce (T.R.O.Y.)” into a biting indictment of the American dream. Get it in your system. Legal and otherwise.

spotted at HHNM

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Comments

Joseph

Lame Lame Lame…
Nasty Nate

This is the Lupe that was waiting to bust out after Lasers. Bringing it back with some truth!
yo

New Lupe: always ready to take risks creatively…

*sarcasm*
Liam

Pretty good- I think this would be sweet on a mixtape, but as the first single off his album I think it’s a little lacking in creativity- the track sounds too similar to T.R.O.Y. It’s like rapping over Nas’ Memory Lane and putting that out as a single- why would you do that? The original is too good already. I dunno, just my opinion.
http://dssence.net D.Scott

Pete Rock was not happy about the sample. He went off on Twitter
jahi

Listen and shut up. There’s a message..
LMD

NEVER… NEVER…. NEVER touch such a dope original…. I agree its like taking Nas’ s Memory Lane and rapping over it… or as if Wynton tried to re-do a Miles Davis original a la Miles…or Kobe trying to re-edit the Jordan’s 87′ slam dunk ! Lets have respect for the classics that Made Hip Hop!
FallofJericho

How is this “lame”? What are you cats talking about? Like no one else has ever gotten down on this beat – this beat that was sampled from someone else. Granted, this track will never top an absolute classic like T.R.O.Y. and T.R.O.Y. has a very special place in the heart of most hip hop heads, Pete Rock being the first on the list. But, it’s a new day, and with the terrible music that the current generation has to be exposed to, I’d prefer Lupe bring back something legendary that can encourage the kids to check out the classics rather than the original song eventually ending up in a museum. Gimme a break. It’s hip hop, cats steal songs and ya’ll call it innovation. Producers get their feelings hurt and ya’ll call it blasphemy. Fickle. Song is cool, thank you Lupe.
D.Hogg

i don’t understand what the big deal is about Lupe using the sample. this ain’t some “106 & park all star” rapper we talkin’ about. Lupe is a real hip-hop artist. a genuine MC. him using the track is exposing a new generation to a better time in hip-hop. i got into issac hayes because of jay-z sampling “the look of love” on reasonable doubt. i don’t know if he didnt get clearance from pete rock or what, but i thought it would have been cool to see a respectable MC putting that classic track back into play and keeping it alive. much respect to Mecca and the Soul Brother.
Chris

No one under any circumstance should rock on this track ever, kids 2day think Michael Jordan is” the guy that played on the Wizards” they don’t care who Pete Rock is and what he means to us lol…. NEVER EVER…
- http://www.tumblr.com/blog/removedreviews Mysterboogieman
  
  you do understand hip-hop is the bastard child of almost every other genre right?