Reference to a “wishing well”, where people throw coins down a well to have a wish granted. Wells go dozens and dozens of feet underground so that you can draw out water, and a common story in human history are those of people falling down wells.

Cole uses the “well” and its being “deep” as a metaphor for the insincere “well-wishers” (people who express praise for him). though “deep down”, they hope that his career fails.

Problems of fatherless, black boys growing up are 3-fold:

1. Having no real father around makes for a life void of guidance and wisdom.
2. Lonely mothers bring around guys who may satisfy their need for a relationship, but these guys have bad influences on the sons. So the boys go from the problem of no guidance, to bad guidance and negative influences of men in their lives.
3. Past the literal meaning of teachers bugging him, they could also be a symbol of the system, which can misguidedly try to put these alienated and lonely boys on the right path by pointing out what’s wrong with their lives, but can also morph into a system of persecution and even further alienation.

These are the people who J. Cole is trying to tell the story of and act as a role model for.

Cole sets up this bit of autobiographical history with, “no way to boast”, meaning the snapshot of his life he’s about to rap about is not something he feels he should be proud of, and is not a fitting way to celebrate his continuing rise.

Cole uses a pun here, as toast is eaten at breakfast and is also slang for a gun. There’s also a possible pun involving bookbags which have straps and being “strapped” (carrying a weapon).

His twelve year old friend and him were on the same basketball team in what is presumably middle school. (12 years old=6th grade). His friend, because of the systemic socio-economic problems that plagued both of there lives, felt the need to both carry a gun in his backpack and show it to his friend.

In the end, Cole says that he has looked back on his friend’s life, and realizes that he was “set up” by the systemic problems in their community, thus connecting the story back to the statement, “my city love breakfast, cause niggas had toast early.”

“Chopped and Screwed” style of production originating from Houston, where songs are slowed down, parts are cut out and other parts are repeated in its place. It is said to have been influenced by purple drank.

“Purple fluid” alludes to syrup, a drink containing Promethazine with Codeine Cough Syrup which have many desired effects called a ‘lean’, the reason for the slow chop of the style.

On that Spartan, “Never give up, never surrender” shit.

King Leonidas would be proud

CG was raised as a Jehovah’s Witness, so this is a nod to a very popular biblical metaphor.

“Cup runneth over” refers to blessings in money or ability and talent. CG is so talented that he can’t hold it all in his cup, so other rappers can only “sip” from his cup through hating and biting his lines and style.

Roids=Steriods aka Performance Enhancing Drugs

Jay-Z is referring to his longevity in the rap game, reaching the highest levels of success, much like steroid use is implicated to help pro baseball players hit record numbers of home runs. One of the side effects of steroid use is increase in head size.

cough cough Barry Bonds cough cough Roger Clemens

Jay-Z is also known to talk about how big his “other head” is…But according to Katt Williams, they also “Make Yo Dick Little”, so the 2nd interpretation isn’t that likely.

DaVinci is celebrated for his diverse accomplishments as an inventor, a painter, a mathematician, a sculptor, an architect, an astronomer, a musician, an engineer, an anatomist, a geologist, a scientist, a cartographer, a botanist, and a writer. Even with all of these accomplishments, Leo doesn’t even make the honorable mention list for name-droppings from rappers.

CG, aka Donald Glover, is a rapper, comedian, actor, and Emmy winning writer. That sounds like a modern day renaissance man, huh?

It’s also a double entendre by referring to Emily DaVinci (link obviously nsfw): a porn star known for her “squirting” ability, which ties this back to the preceding line.