Nearly a year after the release of his latest album Drogas Wave, Lupe Fiasco has returned with the visuals for a record called “Run Game.” The track is part of a compilation of unreleased songs that will all be released on Chill’s Spotlight, which was created by 1st and 15th Entertainment.
Initially, “Run Game” was made near the beginning of Lupe’s career—circa 2006. “We recorded this single back when I was just starting out,” Fiasco said in a statement. “Chill was heavily involved in the early days of my career, and I’m glad he’s highlighting it with this new project.”
In the visuals, a budding young rapper gets a first eye look at the luxurious trappings of the music industry. Like party nights at the studio, fancy cars and beautiful women. His life completely transforms from the moment he puts on these black sun glasses on he finds at his humble home. The feel of the video is reminiscent of the early 2000’s, from its fashion to its aesthetic—it definitely brings back the nostalgia of those days.
Lupe has been working with Charles “Chill” Patton since he was 17 years-old. “I first started working with Lupe when he was about 17, I had just gotten off the Up in Smoke tour and he was hanging with some cats I knew” Chill said. “I heard Lu in the studio and it was some of the hottest shit I ever heard. I immediately grabbed him and put him in some cyphers, and everything took off from there.”
In an interview with VIBE earlier this year, Lupe revealed that Patton has still been managing his career despite being in prison since his 2006 album The Cool. He admitted the arrangement made certain things difficult, but he’s still comfortable with the decision because of all Patton has done for him.
“I’m a loyal dude, man. Chill has done a lot for me so we are family from the streets to the music business, to the corporate business, everything planned. If it wasn’t for him I would not have this entrepreneurial [spirit],” Lupe said. “There is no way to pay that back, so my loyalty to him is kind of unquestioned, and whatever that means for monetary success is negligible.”
Watch the video for “Run Game” above.
