This is plain ridiculous. I was listening to the radio in the car and heard a song (which I now know to be Lupe Fiasco’s “The Show Goes On”) that immediately sounded familiar, but I couldn’t put my finger on it. And then it clicked. It was Modest Mouse’s super popular single from 2004, “Float On” (of the excellent album Good News for People Who Love Bad News).
At first I thought this was potentially some goof cover song that leaked from the upcoming Big Boi and Modest Mouse collaboration, but then I remembered that Big Boi isn’t apparently doing any rapping in that collaboration, in addition to the fact that the rapper from the song in question sounded nothing like Big Boi.
So, after some quick internet investigation I found Lupe Fiasco’s “The Show Goes On” (off his 2011 album Lasers), which seems to steal/copy the tune of “Float On” and even is as blatant to open the song with a nearly identical guitar riff. Now I’m not an advocate of lawsuits, but if Lupe Fiasco is making any significant amount of money with this song, he should definitely hand a good chunk of it over to Isaac Brock and the Modest Mouse crew…lame. Take a listen for yourself below.
Editor’s Note: I recently found a video of Lupe stating in a video interview that he had no part producing the track and that the sample was indeed apparently cleared and that Modest Mouse gave their personal approval. So it is ok after all, but i’m still not a fan of it. Check out the video below for proof.
The life and times of a Flashflooder 
It’s called sampling. A normal thing in Hip Hop where a portion of a song or a melody is taken and re-done to from a new track. Every sample or melody for a beat that’s used by a producer needs clearance.- So the Modest Mouse folks must have been cool with the use of the song and they probably do get quite some money off of it.
I am very familiar with hip-hop and sampling and this is not that. There is no direct sample from the original song, just a re-use (and re-recording) of the same melody and guitar riff. If Lupe in fact got clearance from Modest Mouse, then clearly he didn’t “rip it off” and then I’m fine with it. Although if this is the case, I still think it’s kind of lame, at the least he could actually sample the song or feature Isaac to sing the chorus or make a cameo in the video or something to make it obvious that Modest Mouse is cool with it.
To date, I have not seen or read anything to make me believe that Lupe cleared this with Modest Mouse beforehand. Since you seem to be pretty knowledgeable about Lupe, definitely link me if you have some proof of it. I’d be really curious about that and I would of course edit my post.
Well you must hate “Smells like teen Spirit” for “ripping off” the Boston riff from “More than a Feeling”. I don’t see what’s wrong with people being inspired by former entertainers and putting their own spin on it. I’d like to hear your take on those two songs…
I like how y’all still call it sampling…
There was no sampling kid. It’s just copying. Legal copying because modest mouse are good people.
Hip Hop is nothing but plagiarism, ever since it first started.
modest mouse got paid big time for this, they been known for selling out their music. quest minivan commercial, bumper music …. its called having financial stability, it is understandable since they aint poping like that anymore.
that is kinda the point of sampling. it is literally stealing. there was a crisis point when the Beastie Boys did it if memory serves. you cannot just steal other people’s music and talk over it without paying them.
this is like me putting my name as the author of The Great Gatsby and just copying the original text. sorta frowned on.
He talks how it was cleared with Modest Mouse, and how they are fans of Lupe: http://www.hiphopsite.com/2011/01/28/lupe-fiasco-talks-sampling-modest-mouse-video/
Lupe even refers to the song as a “cover” on his twitter feed: http://twitter.com/#!/LupeFiasco/status/9154186650324992
it’s funny, i saw this just a few days before you commented and have been meaning to update this. thanks for the look out.
He also said he never heard of them…. Which is a lie. And that it was his producers idea.
its business folks, he took something and made it better….everybody wins.
um made it better fuck you
Made it better??? Have you listened to the lyrics you troll?
Just most cultural appropriation that white people won’t get credit for.
I am disappointed by Modest Mouse. That was a great song. Now its tarnished by a version where some young douche bag “talks” over the melody.
You are the douche bag. You are so ignorant. I can understand if you don’t like the song but it doesn’t tarnish Float On. Float On is still a better song, so you and the other immature fan-boys need to chill the fuck out. If you don’t like the song, then don’t listen to it but you are very ignorant if you rip a song because it takes parts from another song with LEGAL PERMISSION. Clearly you are some bitter middle-aged man who resents young people because they don’t do things like you do or like the same music you do. I like Modest Mouse way better than I do Lupe, in fact Show goes on is the only Lupe song I like, but that is because he sampled Float On. Show goes on is a good song BECAUSE it sampled Float On. Just enjoy the music you listen to and don’t worry if someone uses it in a “rap” song just because you are prejudiced against young rappers. Why can’t we just enjoy music? Instead of arguing about it. Rant over.
Kind of calling the kettle black… Don’t ya think? You just ranted your pants bruh.
Lol. Lupe Fiasco shouldn’t be dismissed as ‘some young douche bag’. He’s one of the few politically conscious artists in the music industry, and anyone doubtful of his versatility should hear him perform as Wasalu in the band Japanese Cartoon.
“Internet investigation”? Clearly, a lack thereof.
Disliking the song doesn’t warrant the defamation of an artist who legally obtained the rights.
I, personally, prefer Modest Mouse’s song over Lupe’s ten-to-none. However, the riff being present in a rap song does nothing to tarnish Float On. In fact, the new song only provoked me to find and download Float On again.
This blog post wreaks of prejudice. And your inability to accept the facts, admit the error, and amend the content of the original blog post is – best said by yourself, really – “shameless”.
-Greg
This is fucking terrible. It makes me want to dig my eardrums out of my skull with a rust screwdriver.
Listen, I don’t know who the douchebag is but this Lupe guy is an obvious Dickhead, which is obvious how he interacts with the two interviewers. “Float on” is such a great song with that sing along feel to it, that Lupey would have had to work really hard and have some luck to go with it to make a sample/cover of it sound shitty. He succeeds brilliantly, and the luckiest mofo in the music business.
Did this dude just say that “Modest Mouse were his fans”….. white people need to stop being so nice. Because these rappers take that shit too literal.
Pffff he really thought that though….
I shouldn’t. But here goes… U clearly don’t get rap. N that’s ok but then jus say that. Hip hop is all about sampling, re recording, whatever u’d like to dub this. Lupe fiasco is one of the most well versed n diverse artists out there. If u don’t like it then say that. The entire song doesn’t suddenly suck cuz he re recorded a 3 sec guitar pattern. If u think so then u were predisposed to hating the song anyway cuz u don’t like hip hop. Don’t tryta make it about something else. By the way they also sampled the song “right above it” by lil Wayne in same song but y would u kno that…
Not sampling, More like “flow barrowing”. Whatever you wanna call it / feel about it, It’s okay, because Modest Mouse cleared it. So keep your 2 cents.
Forever live real Hip Hop.
Wow! I cannot believe how much arguing there is over a song, or two. I happen to think that Float On by Modest Mouse & The Show Goes On by Lupe Fiasco are both great tunes. Why the hate? All of you arguing about who is a better artist or has a better song sound so childish. Why can’t you just be mature enough to agree to disagree? If you prefer Float On, cool. If you prefer, The Show Goes On, fine. Why is this so controversial? Two awesome songs that you all just want to fight about like a bunch of little children. Grow up! You’re all entitled to your own opinion, but when you start bashing someone for feeling differently about something than you do, that’s just so unnecessary & petty. Live & let live! Either way, The Show Goes On. Or we all Float On. Whichever you prefer…so silly to argue with strangers over music.😆