It was
But I also think just to be fair, that Atlantic was offering Lupe the best deal at the time. Hov being President would’ve perhaps been the cherry on the sundae but Food & Liquor was still executive produced by Jay-Z and had a Jay feature. An artist on his DEBUT album getting Hov to executive produce and feature on a RIVAL LABEL’s release is a pretty big deal and I doubt its happened since
The Jay z experience in a nutshell
He gives nggas the alley of a lifetime. A co-sign, verse, exec production, etc. All when he doesn’t owe you anything whatsoever
Yet n still: ‘waah? Jay z held my hand but it wasn’t tight enough. Jay z grimey’


That’s Lupe
Lupe ain’t nothin but Canibus with a black belt 
The same way he has washed Kweli, Mos, MOP, etc etc






