Meeks dad was murdered when he was young. He wants to get back at the guy who ruined his childhood. Throughout the song, Meek seems to indirectly tie this event into him getting into the hood and selling drugs.

Meek used to be able to rap and sell drugs to get money, but as the track goes on he strays from that life once his homie dies and decides to stick to rap.

The run the city is a reference to the MTV Documentary “Diddy Runs the City”, where P. Diddy trained to run the New York Marathon.

Kendrick wonders why he obsesses over death in his lyrics, especially because the stories and ideas he expresses about it could goad people who may want to kill him. He is worried about his own thoughts. What does it mean if he thinks about death a lot?

The last two words of each sentence create “death threats,” he’s very paranoid.

The idea of the song is that Michael Young History is trapped in things he thinks of as “cool” but are in reality negatively impacting the world.

Lupe once again references the drug flow in the inner city. How can everything be alright when the whole city is on drugs? It is a contradiction, that The Streets and The Game feeds their customers, and brainwashes them into buying drugs.

Summer may refer to the good life. Another supply, more money, more summer.

Michael Young History will get Lupe addicted to all sorts of drugs that come from from the hood,like crack and heroin and will forever supply him.

The idea of being with The Streets is supposed to make Lupe “cool” in the eyes of the literal streets. As long as Lupe is with her they will get anything they want because of the nature of The Streets

Meek used to just represent his city in his rhymes, but now he can do it for himself, and still sit back and remember the good times.

Kendrick wonders if his aspirations are the cause of his fixation with death. He also creates a metaphor playing off the connection sleep, dreaming and death have with one another

He’s saying he’s idealistic like John Lennon (“You may say I’m a dreamer…” from “Imagine”) and that this could lead to his downfall.

A reference to the 1994 Nas track “NY State of Mind.” Kendrick is playing with danger “being a dreamer”, sleep being the cousin of death.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKjj4hk0pV4

Also, that Nas is part of our favorites that would probably vouch.