This refers to all the hype and controversy that has surrounded Kendrick Lamar in particular along with other members of TDE in recent days.

He says these days are bittersweet because…

On one hand
With other rappers coming at you, throwing shade, and dissing you, it can always be a negative, and be stressful or tiresome at times.

On the other hand
Black Hippy loves competition and when it comes time to eat, they have no problem stepping in the ring to knockout a couple would be threats. They rise to the ocassion, Battling comes naturally to them.

In addition, “These Days” is the title of Soulo’s next LP, due to drop June 24th, 2014. This could mean that the album’s subject matter is rather bittersweet: for example, Soulo could be harping on the fact that Kendrick and Q have seen great success of late, for which he is happy and grateful but ambivalent as he has yet to see as much success. Interestingly enough, the word “bittersweet” is in fact an OXYMORON (which is the title of labelmate ScHoolboy Q’s recent album).

This line illustrates how great Kendrick believes he is.

Not only should your girl not be offended by him grabbing her ass, but she should be appreciative that he, King Kendrick Lamar would even consider her hind quarters appeasing enough to have the desire to grab it.

Reminds me of a line by Kanye West

You should be honored by my lateness
That I would even show up to this fake shit

This line could also be a metaphor for how Kendrick “grabbed” the rap game and took control of it. He says hip-hop should be thankful. More specifically, everyone who been hatin'.

Kendrick plays on the term “trick,” which refers to a woman that participates in sexual acts for money. If he literally turned a hoodrat into an actress, that would indeed be magic. He uses this line to illustrate that when it comes to rapping, he can do the impossible or the improbable.

Eminem beckons the listener, whether it be fan, critic, stan or hater to understand the situation that he was in with different women in his life and how he has been treated by them, they could better understand his disposition towards women.

Em is implying problems with the women in his life justify the way he treats women in his rap music. However, he has described the song as mostly tongue-in-cheek so it is questionable how literally we should take him.

T.I. is down to ride for his people and for what he believes in. Even if he has to die for it.

This line also references one Tupac’s most famous songs, Ambitionz Az a Ridah. Which was on his incredibly successful album, All Eyez On Me Which went 5X platinum in just 2 months!

Also references The Notorious B.I.G’s album Ready To Die which was his debut studio album.

This line references Brenda’s got a baby a song written and performed by Tupac Shakur. The song about a twelve year-old girl named Brenda who lives in a ghetto, has a baby, and is incapable of supporting it.

T.I. also references Biggies songs Playa Hater and Going back to Cali – about Biggie going back to Los Angeles and the West Coast, where, coincidentally, he was subsequently gunned down.

Critics of capitalism say, Capatalism doesn’t account for everybody and therefore is one of the worst methods of economy you can find. The few control the wealth and they can buy political power. Thus they live lavishly at the average joes expense. It promotes privatization and greed.

Lauryn compares the growth of capitalism to the spreading of a rumour. In the sense that it’s spreading quickly & is based on a lie.

Out of habit and culture Americans/Westerners continue to underestimate their true value, which leads them to try and purchase value through material things.

This brings a temporary high, but since fashion, shoes, jewelry, cars, electronics, etc can never increase a person’s true worth the person usually defaults back into the cycle of feeling inferior. Especially when they continue to compare their own worth against the worth of others based on material possessions. This leads to another shopping spree and the cycle continues on and on and on.

Sir Mix-A-Lot previously shared in his song “I Got Game” how women in L.A (Hollywood) have pretty faces, but are usually very skinny and don’t have much going on in the back. The sistas in Oakland however, have everything a man could want on the backside!

L.A. Face

Oakland Booty

Great Combo, don’t you think?