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You and I are meant to be together. A button is of no use until it is stitched onto a garment so they won’t reach their potential until they are together.
ACCEPTED COMMENT: This is also a metaphor for sex because a needle goes into the hole of a button.
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His ego is his own enemy, so if deny him (and therefore “kill” his ego) you’re actually his amigo (Spanish for friend).
He can’t lose either way.
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Denying him will break his ego, but…
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He is going to try to seduce her.
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He’s calling out all the youth to come and join him in his revolution.
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K'naan isn’t copying anyone. He is fresh and different.
For example he is known for using drums, guitar, and rattles instead of beats and snares which is unique in the rap industry.
Pioneer, legend, and they call me Mr. Rock K'naan (Ft. Chubb Rock) – ABCs
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The word “Green” symbolizes money, but this is an actual quote from the song Treat ‘Em Right by Chubb Rock, which is the song sampled here.
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He compares the coming of the war to a heart attack, it was unexpected and painful.
And we just knew we were warriors too
Nothing morbid, it's true
We were glorious
BOOM! K'naan – My Old Home
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Despite the lack of material wealth everyone was peaceful and happy, until the Somali civil war broke out.
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In Islam to make wudhu means to wash yourself up before prayer. And the cell may be referencing how many people find religion while in prison.
There is nothing cryptic here. Lupe is still describing the same actual individual who is accepting the collect call from. the individual who is in prison is now a Muslim, and Lupe describes a part of this life to establish the character whose knowledge he is about to poetically paraphrase in the next few lines.