When the lights shut off
And it's my turn to settle down
My main concern
Promise that you will sing about me
Promise that you will sing about me

from Kendrick Lamar – Sing About Me, I'm Dying of Thirst Lyrics on Rap Genius

Kendrick uses the metaphoric idea of death as sleep. Turning your lights off (your room’s/your eye’s lights) as you settle down and go to sleep.

John 11:13 King James Version:

Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep.

When they die, they hope that they will be remembered in some way.

The addition of “I’m dying of thirst” later in the song refers to the tradition of pouring out a little of one’s drink for the deceased. Both singing about a dead homie and pouring out liquor are rituals of eulogy and homage. Kendrick complicates the image with the Christian sacrament of holy water, which metaphorically mingles with liquor to produce a dense and paradoxical image of immortality, both intensely secular and religious. Pouring out a little of one’s drink for the deceased is mainly a West Coast tradition in America; it is one of the very few traditions that survived the institution of slavery. Languages were lost. Cultural identities were lost. But the practice of honoring the dead by pouring “Libation” survived from the days of Africa.

For Kendrick specifically, he might also want to be remembered by other rappers by shouting him out, the way they say rest in peace to Aaliyah, Biggie or Tupac.

To help improve the meaning of these lyrics, visit "Sing About Me, I'm Dying of Thirst" by Kendrick Lamar Lyrics and leave a comment on the lyrics box