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10th track off of Game’s 2011 release, R.E.D. Album.

Liner notes cite “I’m Just a Prisoner” by Billy Paul as the sample used in this track.

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Exists as imagery of the Game’s descent into hell, and also can work as a homophone as Lost Angel and Los Angeles are very similar to the ear.

Alluding to Game’s fucked up mindstate and how he can sometimes feel lost and turn from good to bad (angel –> devil).

In the Bible, Lucifer, the Devil, is stated to have once been an angel, who disobeyed God and was banished – a very similar concept to this line.

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The L.A. Raiders existed in the NFL from 1982-1994; these are key years in both the birth of gangster rap, and the formative years of Game and Kendrick Lamar. “LA Raiders” also refers to the LA Police Department that raided Kendrick’s house when he was little to arrest his Uncle Bobby. He also speaks on this particular event on Look Out For Detox

Uncle Bobby got the house raided back in 96'.

“Snapback fitted on my uncles dome” means there’s a hat on his uncle’s head, but it’s also wordplay.
Snapbacks are caps that have the snapping mechanism to adjust the size of the hat, while Fitted caps come in specific sizes.

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A reference to former Chicago Bull Bill Cartwright, who had a crazy ass jumper.

Kendrick wants his spot under the sun, so everytime the beat (i.e when the needle drops) starts, he goes as hard as a raging bull destroying everything in his path.

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I make hits like a Grand Slam – a simple simile that his production has the value of the most valuable hit in baseball- or it could be a reference to the great taste and value of Denny’s.

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A consistent theme within Nas' discography. The embracing of life while also understanding he is slowly killing himself. “Life’s a bitch and then you die/that’s why we get high”.

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Tribe consistently talked about having safe sex. One of Phife’s most famous lines is:
“Just in case I own more condoms than TLC”.

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Q-Tip references a dance popular in the 1930s, “the jitterbug.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1fwq3tP7cg

Q-Tip’s invitation to hug him reflects the old fashioned positivity that was spread though ATCQ’s music.

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This serves as a call and response, very similar to a church vibe, and also the original roots of hip-hop.

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A comeback track if you will. A popular device used by many rappers in the months/weeks before dropping a new album. Though Nas has stayed busy this is his way of proclaiming he is back lyrically. The song serves as a consistent boast into his wealth, game, and overall style – prereqs of a dope emcee. It was produced by Salaam Remi.

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