Growing up in Chicago, Lupe Fiasco (born Wasalu Muhammad Jaco) was turned off by rap music. He didn't like genre's use of vulgarity and thought that many of the lyrics portrayed African-Americans in a negative light. As Fiasco started getting exposed to more and more conscious hip-hop, that centered around societal improvement and betterment through education, he opted to pursue a career as a rapper. His initial recordings sparked interest amongst prominent hip-hop musicians like Jay-Z and Kayne West, and these individuals assisted Fiasco with his first album, 2006's Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor.