According to Billboard.com, Lupe Fiasco will hit the studio this week to begin recording his sophomore album, "The Cool." The artist told Billboard.com backstage at the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival over the weekend that he is hoping for an Oct. 31 release date for the album via 1st & 15th/Atlantic.

Reiterating his desire to round up members of Pink Floyd to make a guest appearance on the project, Fiasco conceded, "Nothing has developed yet. But once the stew gets swirling and people start talking, you never know. I hope it does work out."

"The Cool" will be the follow-up to last year's "Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor," which earned three Grammy nominations. Between studio sessions, Fiasco will break away for performances at Lollapalooza in Chicago in early August and the Bumbershoot festival in Seattle in early September.

He has also recently worked with Japanese rapper Big O on the track "City Wings," a remix of Musiq's "Buddy" and on a track from Atlantic labelmate Kevin Michaels' upcoming debut.

There's also a"top secret" project in the works with "another superstar rapper and someone who is a rapper/producer," but Fiasco declined to reveal details, including whether the pairing was for a full album or just a handful of songs.

SOURCE: www.billboard.com