On Friday, September 16, Lupe Fiasco released “The Pen and The Needlz” and “Ohh Oh” from the 1st & 15th vault, as part of Chill’s Spotlight 3 EP. Both songs are from 2005 and originally appeared on Fiasco’s Fahrenheit 1/15 mixtape. Produced by Needlz, “The Pen & The Needlz” is a showcase for Lupe’s twisty turns of phrase, the product of a then 23-year-old rapper strutting his stuff and proving that he could spit with the best in the game. “Ohh Oh,” is another lyrical exercise, as Lupe unfurls a torrent of no hook bars as he navigates a soulful vocal sample with skillful internal rhymes and wry humor.

Lupe recently launched his “LFT” program, a new NFT program that allows fans to get closer than ever to Lupe. Unlike many NFTs, which solely exist in the digital space, the “LFT” program offers token-holders an array of online and offline benefits. The benefits start with a generative art profile pic, each LFT holder gets a unique digital artwork inspired by Lupe Fiasco’s The Cool. Fiasco is currently on tour on a series of shows celebrating the 15th anniversary of Lupe Fiasco’s The Cool, recently certified Platinum by the RIAA.

Stream “The Pen and The Needlz” and “Ohh Oh” here.