“CHICAGO (May 20, 2014) – U.S. Soccer has named Grammy Award-winning recording artist Lupe Fiasco as the Music Director for the Men’s National Team and artist Futura the Art Director for the Men’s National Team’s 2014 FIFA World Cup campaign.” – US Soccer*
I was surprised US SOCCER needed a Director of Music. Evidentally they did and it is Lupe Fiasco, which I have no complaints about. I can still remember the first time I heard the skateboard anthem “Kick Push“, a song that has been on my running playlist forever. I will admit that “Kick Push” so romanticized skateboarding for me that I went the the skatepark a couple dozen times and learned to ride a bowl and picked up a couple tricks along the way. Lupe has to be great for soccer, as I am sure he was for skateboarding, especially if he can pin a song to encompass the swelling American passion for the Beautiful Game. Additionally, Lupe’s debut album “Food & Liquor” is a classic that most hip hop heads hold in respect. So I am excited Lupe is going to make music about US soccer. Here is the skateboard anthem I love so much, at the halftime of the MLS All star game.. guess we should have seen this relationship coming:
So here we go. Here are the songs Lupe came up with!
In Chicago, Lupe performed before the USMNT’s first FIFA World Cup match against Ghana, the turnout was huge. But did you notice anything? “Mission” has nothing to do with soccer specifically, it is just a song from his upcoming album. “Mission” is about fighting cancer, which deserves hip youthful swag-filled anthem, but has nothing to do with soccer. Lupe partnered with Stand up to Cancer promote his fifth studio album Tetsuo & Youth which will be releases in the summer 2014.
Below is the other song used to hype US Soccer and it is the debut song from Lupe’s upcoming album. don’t hold your breath, it has nothing to do with soccer either.
US Soccer basically hired a 12-time Grammy Award nominated hype man to polish the musical aspects of the media barrage leading into and during the World Cup in Brasil. He performed in Chicago June 16 at US Soccer Fan Fest and during Fan Appreciation Day on May 30 in NYC.
Lupe did not pen a new soccer anthem, he sis not even try. He is just hyping US Soccer, which is cool I guess, but most obviously promoting his upcoming album.
Appointing Lupe Director of Music is an extension of Us Soccer’s attempts at growing soccer in the US, and guess what, they are targeting urban youth and suburban hipster wannabes that use terms like “Swag”. This is demographic US Soccer really wants to lock up, in their attempts to grow the game. These are the kids that love to play the video game “FIFA” but might not play the beautiful game or even support a domestic side in the US. These are people who might follow European footy and probably talk trash about the MLS and US Soccer. You know these people, you might even be one. And guess what, they missed the mark with Lupe. This seems like a corporate marriage that bore no children. They turned watching a soccer game into a cross between a pep rally, a music concert, and X-Games. Perhaps this is the future of US footballing culture in the States, but I think they really missed an opportunity to birth something real. I guess this is why real culture is not manufactured but spawn from the grassroots.
Think I am wrong, go watch a World Cup game with a group of Argentines. They have many songs about Messi and Maradona and their love of their team and I doubt any were paid for by their soccer federation. So maybe we need a Messi/Maradona and maybe it is wrong to criticize US Soccer because they did not even try to have Lupe pen and anthem, but I would have been awesome if he had.
Us soccer is developing a culture and it might all be spawn with corporate sponsorship as witnessed with the American Outlaws and their amazing support, organization and sadly
* http://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2014/05/20/11/11/140520-mnt-fiasco-futura
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