Lupe Fiasco - Failure (lyrics breakdown)

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

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Lupe
• Fiasco
• cat
• the
• usual
• suspects
• verbal
• ralph
• lauren
• yao
• ming
• sears
• tower
• john
• handcock
• wasulu
• porsche
• bumpy
• johnson
• yoda
• stevie
• wonder
• shamu

[TimesNuRoman]

Thanks to @LupeFiasco for sharing this video! what took you so long??

[MazKiller1]

Lupe sent me from Facebook.

[skaterfro881]

2:23 HAD ME MIND BLOWN!!! I WAS LIKE WOWWWWW!

THATS LYRICAL!!!!

[kdot22]

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

[iamtheallstar25]

In my opinion, Lupe's goes like this: Food & Liquor, Friend of the People, LASERS, The Cool, Enemy of the State. I love all his work though

[lsimmons24]

Im upfront with the Africans...line gives me chill bumps everytime.

[Pipebombdreams]

Now, let's be clear: The fact that nobody understands you doesn't necessarily mean that you are deep. However, Lupe IS incredibly clever and thoughtful here. This is just too dense for most people.

[KrusherKiller]

@lennyfloss my nigga I thought I told u dat my brotha who happens 2 be da biggest & by god I mean da BIGGEST lupe fan I know, was on youtube while my account was on & while hearin a lupe song he put dat cuz I was tellin him how I really enjoyed rick ross last album teflon don & right away he started wit da lupe comparisons & callin ross a C.O. & shit & I was juz like YO! I juz like dat da man is puttin good music out like lupe, chill & den he put dat comment on here lol hes sensitive I guess

[lennyfloss]

@KrusherKiller Yea Lasers was a bit flop compared to the first 2...Friend of the People was even better than Lasers, one of his best projects actually..But I was referring to your comment about Rick Ross being a bbetter lyricist than Lupe. Rick Ross is dope but that's not even a reasonable comparison

[INFERNOxBO]

Listened to it about 3 times in a row, still can't get all of the lyricism in the song,

[NigelTheRobot]

Even THE TILE is lyrical. The most ironic title in hip-hop. Bravo Lu

[diazdeleon2413]

@chaosinorderrr so your one of those ymcmb people huh?