Tae Bo

Tae Bo is a total body fitness system that incorporates Martial Arts techniques such as kicks and punches, which became quite popular in the 1990s. It was developed by taekwondo practitioner Billy Blanks and was one of the first “cardio-boxing” programs to enjoy commercial success.[citation needed] Such programs use the motions of martial arts at a rapid pace designed to promote fitness. The name Tae Bo is a portmanteau of tae kwon do and boxing.

A bow tie is a type of neck-tie that people of class wear.

The line is saying that he can beat you up with Tae Bo, the martial art form, while wearing a bow-tie, hence

Kicked your ass with class

Talib Kweli and Hi-Tek make up a rap duo composed of rapper (Talib) and producer (Hi-Tek) which makes up Reflection Eternal

Notorious for their classic hip-hop albums such as Train of Thought and Revolutions per Minute, the duo has been a consistent force in underground hip-hop.

As-salamu alaykum translates into

Peace be upon you

In Arabic. It’s a greeting said by Muslims towards other Muslims as a way of respect, and saying “Hello.”

The Dark Ages

The Dark Ages is a phrase describing the middle ages, a period that supposedly was the decline of most of Europe, Western Asia, and Northern Africa. Following the decline and eventual fall of the Roman Empire.

The Dark Ages had cultural, economic, religious, and political problems. Poverty, war, self-serving Kings, lack of innovation in technology, slowed mankind in these ages for hundreds of years. It wasn’t until 1350-1500 A.D that most of the regions mentioned above got out of the dark ages. The agricultural revolution which was innovated in America, also hadn’t taken place yet so most of resources were used to suffice the rulers of the kingdoms, which left further to the decline. Work was scarce because of over-population and inflation with currency due to greedy leaders, which left people to subside to farming. Farming, religious discrimination, and technology advances led people out of the dark ages. However, it is well noted that during these “dark ages” many things thrived.

Constantinople now modern day Istanbul.

was the capital city of the Eastern Roman or Byzantine Empire, the Latin and the Ottoman Empire. It was founded in AD 330, at ancient Byzantium as the new capital of the Roman Empire by Constantine the Great, after whom it was named. In the 1100s, the city was the largest and wealthiest European city of the Middle Ages, its only other European rival in the period being Cordova, Spain (900-1100 AD). Eventually, the empire of Christian Eastern Orthdoxy in the east was reduced to just the capital and its environs, falling to the Muslims in the historic battle of 1453.

Ganga is a colloquialism, or slang, for Marijuana.

When he says he’s a “Ganga Planter” and “Call me di ganja farmer”, he is saying that his taste for marijuana is such a necessity, he grows his own marijuana.

The NDAA or National Defense Authorization Act, is

a United States federal law specifying the budget and expenditures of the United States Department of Defense. Each year’s act also includes other provisions.
The 2013 bill is being debated in Congress

This is the act for 2012, which Kweli references.

Buffalo Soldiers were African American

Buffalo Soldiers originally were members of the U.S. 10th Cavalry Regiment of the United States Army, formed on September 21, 1866 at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. This nickname was given to the “Negro Cavalry” by the Native American tribes they fought; the term eventually became synonymous with all of the African-American regiments formed in 1866:

Wiki links below wont work because of RG linking, but if you click them it will navigate you to proper location

• 9th Cavalry Regiment
• 10th Cavalry Regiment
• 24th Infantry Regiment
• 25th Infantry Regiment

In context to the line, Buffalo Soldiers were forced to fight and were called Negro Soldiers, upon arriving they had left all their family behind and any friends/family that was with them most likely died in the slave ships or they got separated. Thus, they had to “fight” for survival both on the battle field and against their bosses.

I’m much flyer united I’m N.A.S.A

Flyer is a colloquialism for things such as nice or fresh, and he’s using “fly” in two meanings in comparison, that he’s fly as in nice or fresh, as much as N.A.S.A.

N.A.S.A. refers to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. NASA deals with things such as outer-space missions, which is where the second term of “fly” comes in.

I’m much higher not a puffer

“High” is also slang for substance intoxication, Lupe is using High in two meanings, referring back to NASA, and to “puffer” which is when people smoke, and they get high.