Lupe Fiasco Speaks On Mt. Kilimanjaro Experience

News: Lupe Fiasco Speaks On Mt. Kilimanjaro Experience
Friday, Jan 15, 2010 11:05AM

Written by Biz Jones

Grammy-winning rapper Lupe Fiasco has shared his thoughts on successfully climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro.

Lupe completed the clim with several other celebrities and activists.

"It's been a physical, mental, spiritual challenge," Lupe explained in an interview. "Everybody made it which is the dope part. The unity of the groups was amazing. It was a [group of] very powerful and radical and focused individuals." (Summit On The Summit Videos)
According to reports, the climb was completed on Tuesday (January 12).

After six intense days of hiking and climbing, the group set out for their final trek at 1:30am local time and after nearly seven hours reached the Uhuru peak which generally has only a 75% success rate. Each participant battled a plethora of physical and natural elements over the past week to make the ascent. Between coping with weather ranging from rain, hail, snow and the effects of altitude, including headaches, dizziness and fatigue among other ailments all made the over 50 mile journey that much more arduous. Immediately after summiting, the group descended for an additional six plus hours of hiking to 12000 feet, where they will make their final night of camp. (Press Release)
Lupe's crew headed towards the summit on Jan. 12.

The final push to the top started at 1:30 am on Jan 12. Seven hours and 19,340 ft later the group posed for the above picture at Uhuru Peak. The climb was organized by Ethiopian-born musician Kenna, whose father lost several family members due to waterborne illnesses. Jessica Biel, Emile Hirsch, Fiasco and Kenna were joined on the climb by UN Foundation executive Elizabeth Gore, Alexandria Cousteau (granddaughter of Jacques Cousteau), photographer Michael Muller and Kirk Kennedy (granddaughter of Robert F. Kennedy). (Zap 2 It)
Interested fans will be able to view the intense adventure this spring.

Before their strenuous climb, the trekkers underwent intense training to prepare for the mountain's physical demands and extreme changes in weather. Temperatures were at nearly 90 degrees Fahrenheit on the first day of the expedition and will drop to close to 0 degrees on the last day. The crew's climb will be chronicled in a 90-minute documentary slated to air March 14 at 9 p.m. on MTV. (The Boom Box)

From SOHH.com

http://www.sohh.com/2010/01/lupe_fiasco_speaks_on_post-mountain_kili.html