Paris, Tokyo
Encyclopedia
"Paris, Tokyo" is a Grammy
-nominated second single from Lupe Fiasco
's second studio album Lupe Fiasco's The Cool
. It was first presented at the 2007 Lollapalooza
in Chicago.The single was officially serviced to radio stations as of April 3rd, 2008 according to Lupe Fiasco's MySpace
blog. The official digital release of the song was on April 12th, 2008. It contains a sample of Eumir Deodato
's "San Juan Sunset".
The video made its TV premiere when MTV Jams
made it the Jam of the Week on June 23, 2008. It also debuted on BET
's 106 & Park
on July 8, 2008 as the new joint of the day.
The official remix features Pharrell Williams
, Q-Tip and fellow record label artist Sarah Green, the song was released September 22, 2008.
- Fiasco explained the inspiration behind the song: "I love Paris, I love Tokyo... And what inspired me to write the song was that between 'Food And Liquor' and this album we travelled EVERYWHERE - multiple countries, multiple towns, multiple tours. So I just developed a knack and a love for touring, even if I didn't want to do it! You know, despite the lyrical wear and tear it has on your body - particularly with the different climates - just by force I had to fall in love with it! And of course another side to it all is, when you travel, you leave people behind. So I actually wrote the song for my girl. Because I'd be gone so much we'd go for two months at a time without seeing each other. So it's basically her song. Just to let her know that, wherever I go, she comes with me - even if it is just mentally or in spirit."
channel at midnight on April 13th 2008.
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
-nominated second single from Lupe Fiasco
Lupe Fiasco
Wasalu Muhammad Jaco , better known by his stage name Lupe Fiasco , is an American rapper, record producer, and entrepreneur. As an entrepreneur, Lupe is the CEO of 1st and 15th Entertainment. He rose to fame in 2006 following the success of his critically acclaimed debut album, Lupe Fiasco's Food...
's second studio album Lupe Fiasco's The Cool
Lupe Fiasco's The Cool
Lupe Fiasco's The Cool, commonly referred to as simply The Cool, is the second studio album by Chicago hip hop artist Lupe Fiasco, released on December 18, 2007 in the United States. The Cool is a loose concept album, based on a song and its titular character from his debut album Food & Liquor...
. It was first presented at the 2007 Lollapalooza
Lollapalooza
Lollapalooza is an annual music festival featuring popular alternative rock, heavy metal, punk rock and hip hop bands, dance and comedy performances, and craft booths. It has also provided a platform for non-profit and political groups. The music festival hosts more than 160,000 people over a...
in Chicago.The single was officially serviced to radio stations as of April 3rd, 2008 according to Lupe Fiasco's MySpace
MySpace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
blog. The official digital release of the song was on April 12th, 2008. It contains a sample of Eumir Deodato
Eumir Deodato
Eumir Deodato is a Brazilian pianist, composer, record producer and arranger, primarily based in the jazz realm but who historically has been known for eclectic melding of big band and combo jazz with varied elements of rock/pop, R&B/funk, Brazilian/Latin, and symphonic or orchestral music.Mainly,...
's "San Juan Sunset".
The video made its TV premiere when MTV Jams
MTV Jams
MTV Jams is a Viacom-owned American hip-hop/urban music video channel that debuted on 1998 as MTVX, then was relaunched in 2002 under its current name...
made it the Jam of the Week on June 23, 2008. It also debuted on BET
Bet
Bet or BET may refer to:* A wager in gambling* Basic Economics Test * Bet , the second letter in many Semitic alphabets, including Aramaic, Hebrew, Phoenician and Syriac* Brunauer-Emmett-Teller isotherm. See BET_theory...
's 106 & Park
106 & Park
106 & Park is a Top Ten Hip-Hop and R&B music video show, set up in a countdown format, that airs weekdays at 6:00 PM on BET . Since its inception, it was the network's #1 rated show...
on July 8, 2008 as the new joint of the day.
The official remix features Pharrell Williams
Pharrell Williams
Pharrell Williams , commonly known simply as Pharrell, is an American rapper, singer, record producer, composer, and fashion designer. Williams and Chad Hugo make up the record production duo The Neptunes, producing hip hop and R&B music...
, Q-Tip and fellow record label artist Sarah Green, the song was released September 22, 2008.
Background
Speaking in March 2008 to noted UK urban writer Pete Lewis - Deputy Editor of the award-winning Blues & SoulBlues & Soul
Blues & Soul is a British music magazine covering black music. Genres covered include soul, R&B, jazz, hip hop, reggae and world music. It was first published in 1966 and is known for first using the term Northern Soul....
- Fiasco explained the inspiration behind the song: "I love Paris, I love Tokyo... And what inspired me to write the song was that between 'Food And Liquor' and this album we travelled EVERYWHERE - multiple countries, multiple towns, multiple tours. So I just developed a knack and a love for touring, even if I didn't want to do it! You know, despite the lyrical wear and tear it has on your body - particularly with the different climates - just by force I had to fall in love with it! And of course another side to it all is, when you travel, you leave people behind. So I actually wrote the song for my girl. Because I'd be gone so much we'd go for two months at a time without seeing each other. So it's basically her song. Just to let her know that, wherever I go, she comes with me - even if it is just mentally or in spirit."
Music video
The video was released onto Lupe Fiasco's official YouTubeYouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
channel at midnight on April 13th 2008.
Chart positions
| Chart (2008) | Peak Position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
152 |