Lupe Fiasco - Failure (lyrics breakdown)
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- Опубликовано: 30 апр 2010
- The most lyrical song in hip-hop. See how Lupe masks his drug dealing references with double/triple entendres.
LYRICS:
It's mean, so just
Now let me put the streets down like steam rollers
With the cats that push 40 ounces through the hood
Like king cobra, see me sling soda
Cause the extra foam in the split is mix
(It's really 36)
Used to buy toasters and clips
You can tighten your circle or boa constrict
While you was lightin' your purple I was over the scripts
See, I couldn't walk the walk
Couldn't really talk the talk
Had to get my talk to properly explain my walk
Cause this lack in talk had my walk lookin' off
Now I'm over the limp
Watch how they mugs drop when they see my verbals able
(that's the usual)
When I was po' I was low,
Now me and my chops cop purple label
It's Ralph Lauren on the Rap's Laureate
Nigg*s brown-nose, they are like alf to him
Runners and interscopers not as styled as him
Please don't interscope
It's gonna be a whole lotta IV-ing and respiratin'
If I lean out this window with Irene
Nigg*s as tall as Yao Ming
Will LUP emperor?
It's the foundation, I-beams and the antennas
It's so serious every time I write my john hancock
Like, you could damn near see Detroit (I see you)
Nigg*s is scared of heights (see you)
This is saran wrap and aluminum foil
Some potpourri a little machine oil
I stack my paper and throw off my six?
This is top flo', better look out below
Pennys from heaven is the same as a semi from the sect
And I reign supreme
Turn your umbrellas upside down
Did you even catch the change in theme?
(this is gangsta)
Lupe to the F to the I to the A to the S to the C to the O
From the west side of the C to the H to the I CA to the G to the O
(this is gansta, man)
This is gansta, man
Verse 2
And them nigg*s ain't watch
Known from him regime, gangsta lean
Hats on tilt like his sneakers ain't drop out the vending machine
You gotta put more money in
And I shake nigg*s up everytime I drop a bar
It's horse in the Porsche, bricks in the box
Like more money them every time I cop a car
You see I'm a roller, right?
So it might be a rover, right?
But every time I drop a 'r' get off the streets
It's over, aight?
Better being ahead like overnight
Like rollers, right, she the chauffeur, right?
So I keep her sober
She don't get fed-ex like overnight
I am dole the might
All that gas can't help, but sold the mic
So just call on somethin'
Drop a 's' pick up a 'o', you know, put it all on one
Then brace yourself like overbite
For that quiet nigg* that relocated down south
Comin' back to floss, nigg* get your molars right
Fix your grill
No plaque but a whole lotta cheese
This the drill, mr. Chill gave me the green light
Like yo the knife
So ima force my will like the force I will
Of course you will
Take my time but wait behind only pertains to that Porsche grill
It's snakes in the hood, gotta watch for that cobra bite
Let me see, there's snakes in the hood
A bird, a horse behind the grill
Some gator on the seat and a fox behind the wheel
No it's not noah's ark (ark), It's just a flower's start
This is Lupe to the F to the I to the A to the S to the C to the O
From the West side of the C to the H to the I CA to the G to the O
Verse 3
For achiever, my procedures proceed at all cost
With no breather
I'm all walk, rain, snow, a fever
I'm all coughs, comin after your teacher
I'm on the ball like FIFA, Feva, Lupe, Diche,
Long live the leaders
I remember I ain't have sneakers, it was welfare
Comin' up for air like whales there
Fila's, but now I'm well here
I'm Shamu with twelve pair
And nigg*s wanna take me back to zero like tear, fair
Well, my scale's clear
Your 'see' world is Braille here
I'm Bumpy Johnson, I stick to the streets
Keep my dawgs out in front of me
See what I'm sayin'? and I push keys wonderfully 
Видеоклипы
pennys from heaven/ turn your umbrellas upside down/ did you even catch the CHANGE in the theme?
BEST LYRACIST EVER, this nigga is fucking stupendous
Holy shit. I've listened to this song at least 200 times in the past four years and I never actually caught that one till now....
I'm in tears :' )
GeezyLoves420
Also ties into the previous lines. He stacks his paper and throws of(f) his (s)cents. "Pennys from heaven are the same as the semi (gun) from the second (line/theme)" - Lupe is talking about the (urban) myth that pennies from a high building are as deadly as speeding bullets (which they actually aren't, btw.).
All of this ties back into the theme that Lupe made his money being a gangster "behind the scenes" (he can't talk the talk or walk the walk, but still has a gone and stacks his paper etc.).
Nr4747 yea I just love rhymes like these
You know what Lupe... I quit lmfao...
John Hurd dog lmaoooooo. Been bumping this for a decade and still missed bars.
"Drop the S, pick up the O, uno, put it all on one" and "stick to the streets, keep my dogs out in front of me, you see what I'm saying"
Dog.
Lupe is not human
Almost every line in this song is either a triple entendre, quadruple rhyme, or both /at least/
Not to mention the themes...
I hope ppl know how old this song is
Lupe was low key the greatest lyricist since 05
Lupe learned from MF DOOM.
TheFakeJMoney and Lupe's favorite lyricist is Aesop... nonetheless I think Lupe is the greatest technical rapper ever
@@thefakejmoney2651 for real..?
Port in an interview Lupe said he thinks
MF DOOM is the greatest lyricist ever.
@@thefakejmoney2651 can you link it? I'm at work bro thanks a ton.
can someone explain how any of these crosses lupe's mind? Roller right? ROVER right? drop the R, Over Ight? like c'mon. That's just genius
Honestly this shit light bars for LU
He snapped on this. I know he's gotta be pretty clear minded to be able to travel through his mind and discover all these clever wordplays and what not
@@Go21place no drugs/alcohol, his mind has always been so sharp.
@@sikraasikraa Drugs help some people be more creative.
I feel like this is one of the lightest bars in this song LOL
"And Irene/I rain/I reign supreme" blows me away every single time I listen to this. That first verse is legendary...
Incredible wordplay
The sheer number of double and triple entendres in this song is insane, not even talking about the quality of the most obvious meanings of the lyrics, Lupe is an absolute genius, sadly, he lately seems to save his most lyrical outputs for his mixtapes - Enemy Of The State and Friend Of The People are both insanely lyrical !
Lupe should have named this song " Entrendres " ....lol !!!!
This track till this Day literally runs 100 laps around rappers mixtapes & albums !!! Bravo Lupe!! 👍💯😁
This is Lyrical Exercise. There's enough puns in this song to make Hov proud.
Finessed Analyzer I see what you did there. It’s funny because a lot of cats don’t even know about that track. Hov said it tho: “Do you fools listen to music or skim through it”
Incredible song obviously. For me, the first verse is one of the best in history. Starts off on the streets and ends by dropping coins from a skyscraper. Too many entendres to catch without reading the lyrics hahaha.
"This is Saran Wrap and aluminum foil
Potpourri, a little machine oil
I stack my paper
And throw off my scents/sense/cents
This is top flow
Better look out below
Pennies from heaven is the same as a semi from the second
And I reign/rain supreme
Turn ya umbrellas upside down
...
Did you even catch the change in THEME?"
Some of the godliest wordplay that has ever blown my mind. Funny how most of it comes from Lupe anyway. #allhail
luopingnan15 Idk if you’ll see this but
I always thought it said Pennies from heaven is the same as a Semi from the second ( Floor )
And he’s in heaven throwing us some cents/sense so turn your umbrellas upside down and catch up.
Educate yourself right and you too can momentarily peek into other dimensions figuratively of course.
Never be at loss for words and even understand the melody in bird song.
But watch your step cuz it is peaks without parachutes.
his style is probably the hardest to copy
i’m trying to write like him but it’s really hard to come up with all these wordplays. And english isn’t my first language T_T
@@nzbg1132 Write like YOU, we dont need another Lu [he exists already], show us you're original thoughts
This brother took the rap game to a whole nother level. Best rapper alive. ...
Yes!
I don't wanna disprespect, but he doesn't nowhere near to best rapper.
"watch how they mugs drop when they see my verbals able"
Crazy double metaphor.
Mug drop as in facial expression changing once they see he can rap
or
The movie "the Usual suspects"
There's a guy named Verbal Kint
At the end of the film, there’s a classic scene in which the police officer realizes who Spacey is just as he walks away and drops his mug in slow motion
Verbal meanwhile, begins by limping away - but [stops limping when he gets to his limo] going from disabled to “able”
I have seen that movie. When I seen this and realized the connection my mind was blown
WTF 😳
That's the usual!!
Lupe will never get the real credit he deserves. Its so hard to catch all the entendres and wordplay without a visual. Gotdamn fire!
The greatest gangsta rap song of all time
The goat in terms of lyricism
imma be honest I don't know a single nigga who raps at a level like this.
Not a single one
Lyrical perfection. This should be taught in English Literature class.
This is the song that introduced me to Rap Genius
Lupe wordplay goes over heads
mind actually blown
"You see what I'm saiyan, and I push KIS wondefully." DBZ reference.
It's actually a triple entendre. See what sounds again like Sea world and push kis refers to slinging drugs. Also what you said about I'm Saiyan and I push kis like ki energy. Dude legit is a lyrical genius.
actually a quadruple... "see what im sayin (blind connection: bumpy johnson/bumpy as in brail/push keys 'wonderfully' as in stevey wonder) then the drug reference, THEN the saiyan/ki reference....man, this niccuhs a genius 🚪🚶
@@Drumminz22
"Your 'see' world is Braille here
I'm Bumpy Johnson, I stick to the streets
Keep my dawgs out in front of me
See what I'm sayin'? and I push keys wonderfully"
See as in the blind/braille line he establishes in the bar before
See/Sea pun as in connection to the Sea world/whales he was just rapping in the scheme before the blind scheme
See as in Stevie Wonder being blind
sayin = saiyan
push ki's / keys Wonderfully = Stevie playing piano really well, DBZ ki blasts, and drug slangin
In just 1 bar, he manages to literally say 6 different things. Absolutely insane. This is coming off of "STICK to the streets, keep my DOGS out in front of me"
@@BangSkeeet M A N . . . 🤦🏾♂️
Wow, all these years and I ain't even catch that one!!
I was expecting Dragon Ball's Goku in the " you know what I'm saying(saiyan) and I push K(ki) wonderfully " but dope video
That's part of it but I don't think he had enough time to put the video
This was the song that let me know I didn’t rap as good as I thought
I've listened to this multiple times and still just realized new stuff he was saying
Hip-hop needs Lupe!
Gangsta bars on GOD MODE
lmao...so true
Lupe's lyrics have more substance and depth than any others
I really appreciate this video...I've watched it for years and it's probably the most comprehensive explanation to rhymes I've ever seen...and it makes explaining why it's so extraordinary! Thank you
Lupe is in a class by himself with his lyrical content. No other rappers compare he's the only intelligent one left who stays true to what hip-hop really is.
just when i thought this couldnt get any crazier..he said "let me take it back to zero like tare" i cried inside..being a chemistry major and all..my god Lupe what did you just do here..my brain..this is unbelievable
Reptar I feel you bro, as a chem major I was blown away too.
Take me back to zero like tare was pretty basic, more impressive was the homonym to that line "take me back to zero like tel fair" basket ball player named tel fare who wore a number zero had a deal with filas (cheap sneakers lupe was talking about previously in the song), so meaning they want to make him poor again and have him go back to shitty sneakers
@@connorp3030
WTF ! 😯
Lupe is one of those artists that make you wanna go to school and finish. The wordplay in this song is in a class by itself. Lupe proves that there is still signs of life in hip hop.
About time youtubes usual 10yr old recommendations is something solid af. Thanks for bringing this back into my playlist
"its so sears overtime I write my John Hancock" WHATTTTTT
bigdigvig every time
This is insane! Lupe is the lyrical goat. Pure genius
Thank you for this video, I just started to really understand most of these lyrics... It blew my mind so much and I got so excited and flabbergasted, I started having heart palpitations...
Now this is what I call a narrated rap video! Good job
why is he such a sick rapper no one is on his level
This is insane
Lupe fiasco's lyrics are like hieroglyphics aka the Medu Neter.......Symbols can have many levels of meaning to them.....Lupe Fiasco is the example of someone who is using both brains left brain and right brain
WOW ive listened to this song hundreds of times by now, and some things i just didnt pick up, thanks for this!
He’s a genius
Like this video still missed some references that's crazy
There’s more substance in the first 30 seconds of this song then in most new rapper’s careers... #snakes
2020, and still one of the greatest lyrical songs, ever. Definitely one of the best lyricists to ever hold a pen.
It's already 2022, still no one better than Lu lyrically!
Still the best entendre song period
@@idk-vr3fs Nah
@@Portthefirst Eminem way better
@@ishaking6278 🤣🤣🤣 you got my side splitting over here
2:17 Years later I just caught Bricks in a Box like Mo Money them. That was Damon and Marlon first scheme in the movie 🤦🏾♂️
also in the movie Belly, every time a new car came in they had the bricks in the grill..."so, more money then, every time I cop a car!" "a bird, a horse behind the grill".
and in fact,, the breakdown is needed for this one ,,, gr8 vid Nv
Yo!! This is my favorite Lupe joint. Im glad there's a breakdown of it so others can see why
Thanks to @LupeFiasco for sharing this video! what took you so long??
The best rapper of all time .
No
@@ishaking6278who is?
@@bbtbbbbtbb3166 Overall Eminem
@@ishaking6278 can’t argue with that pick.
@@bbtbbbbtbb3166 My pfp is Lupe Fiasco u dork
Daaaaaaaaaamn This song make me go crazy
This is the most underrated emcee
You're a genius for what you did with this video. My god.wow!
One of the 🐐
This is a good idea u did here in this video..helps me get it, i mean i liked him before but didnt know his shit was like THIS
See, if you not up on it you'll always be off it! Every Lupe song needs a breakdown!
this is the best break down ive seen
Lupe linked to this. You've made it big time man, congrats. Keep up the good work
i can now die in peace, i cant see in any future a rapper that can put metaphores together like lupe, truly somthing special
WOW I used to listen to this song as a kid never understood 1/4 of what he was saying..Now your vid really clears up a lot of things, good woork
Failure and Mural are in a class of there own
Best lyricist of all time
This is my go to song for putting people on lyricism. This is literally lyricism 101!! I almost didn't wanna come here because I wanted to finish deciphering the song myself!
TimesNuRoman congrats! Ive been watching ur videos for a few months and now lupe's posted this on facebook! ur a genius man!
The triple entendre to end it all of too... absolute monster
ABOUT 25% of his metaphors i didnt catch...Greatest Lyricist ever?
Amazin Vid
In the first verse he says “I’m so sears (serious) every time I write my John handcock (his handwriting aka writing lyrics) you can damn near see Detroit nikkas is scared of heights. The sears tower and John Hancock building are very tall skyscrapers.
He later says pennys from heaven are the same as a semi from the second. This is a old saying that a penny dropped from the top floor of a skyscraper could kill someone on the sidewalk. He’s saying his knowledge aka his 2¢ is that serious (sears). Pennies from the top of a skyscraper are as deadly as a semi (semi automatic rifle) shooting from the second story. His finishes up the verse saying turn your umbrellas upside down did you catch the change in theme. He said I rain/reign supreme. He’s making it rain pennys aka his 2¢. Did you catch the knowledge he’s dropping (his 2¢) in the verse meaning did you catch how he’s hiding drug dealing references in metaphors and did you also catch the pennys in the upside down umbrella that he dropped from the skyscraper. I didn’t even list some of the other metaphors he used and this is how deep a couple of his lines are. For example the semi automatic from the second story of the skyscraper tied into the line “I lean out this window with Irene”
He also said “throw off my cents/scents” as in he throwing of the smell of
The drugs from the police
And he literally changed the theme of the verse. It's a triple.
Hip Hops not dead, Lupe is keeping it alive!!!
Nice vid, major props
DAMN, like 5 years later im still lovin this, EXHIBIT C can't even touch this song
DBZ reference:
You see what I am SAYIN?
I push KEYS wonderfully.
#genius
+Skitable Also a reference to Stevie Wonder and his piano skills.
+The Dream Merchant ....and a reference to his involvement with drug dealing days
bballgmr Yes indeedy feed the needy.
true triple entendre, sorry Jay
i dont get it please explain the KEYS with DBZ....
Too sick! No one better at pure hip-hop.
absolute 🔥🔥!!
My God epic and genius!
Why am I just getting this crazy wordplay now when I used to bump Stack and Lupe like it was nothing?!?
Some lyrics mature amazingly
What BIGMrighthere said, also about "reigning" the (drug/rap) "game", getting ahead/better/richer every day, but the amazing thing is that almost every line is a double or triple entendre, most of them are homophones, so it's even harder to catch them. "You see world / Sea World" is one of the simpler ones.
i was goin to make one of these a long time ago ...nevr got to it doe...great job
Damn, lupe's mind just seem deeper and more complex with each listen, Inception eat your heart out
So u think this man cant rap circles around Kendrick Lamar hmm am waiting????
No
Hmm your bugging
@@PerfectMessProductions Bro Lupe is literally Kendrick's OG, im sorry.
@@mixtapemania6769 man it don't matter who did it first, it's about who did it better
@@PerfectMessProductions Again, that's Lupe.
Most clever son ever!
I find something new every listen
This is mind blowing. Didn't even Realize he was spitting like this. Best idea I've seen to add the visuals to his lyrics. Ill suscribe 100x's if you keep these coming. Sincerly,
Friend of The People
He didn't even get all of the analogies. but a good start. How this only has 190,263 this been my favorite lyrical song of all time since it came out.
i like the transition into the last verse. " C to the H the ICA to the G to the Over achiever..."
All that GAS can’t help you but solar might
So just call on sun
Drop the s pick up the O
“Uno/ you know” put it all on one⛽️
I feel like I catch different things every time I bump a lupe song.
I never even considered the "put it all on one" like when you go into the gas station and put money on a pump number, but I'm convinced that is one of the meanings now.
4 triple entendre!!
Lupe and I nerds from da ghetto ninja straight genius with da words I’m trying to get to dat level. Been listening to lupe since high school
4:17
At the time Sebastian Telfair was #00.
Madmaxxx1970 Also people don't catch "my scale's/skill's clear" Adding to the tare line
Madmaxxx1970 what team?
I just fucking caught the change in theme. How long has this song been out again?
Youngest in my top 5 because got damn right
Even THE TILE is lyrical. The most ironic title in hip-hop. Bravo Lu
Can't believe I missed that usual suspects reference all these years.
Wow that shit was so tight thank you for this bro. I didnt even get the sears every time i sign my john handcock, that shit was so tight. Sears tower john handcock center.
subscribed.
LOVE IT =D
Just giving the 13 year check in. Yeah, this is STILL one of the most clever/witty/incredible joints I've EVER heard.
greatest of all time.
@Nr4747
Very well put hommie
I remember this.
i wanna go to chicago now, just because of this video. LOVE the original video too (its too short tho) but this explaination one is pretty tight too
yo TimesNuRoman .....New lupe is out bro. Time for you to get back to these videos....lmao good luck
The last line was cold as hell