While this sounds like Rabbit/Em is rapidly losing his spirit after a string of crushing defeats, it can also be interpreted as his soul being poured out through his mouth when he raps.

Em references this line on 2013’s “Asshole” but with a comedic twist.

My soul’s escapin' through this asshole that is gapin'

For Kanye, going to college and/or sitting around at home both signal laziness; he encourages the children to be industrious! However, Kanye isn’t just advocating drug dealing: he also stresses the importance of having a legitimate job on the side. This provides a smooth transition to the second verse, which is all about this kind of double life:

The second verse is for my dogs workin' 9 to 5 that still hustle

‘Ye compares the hood to a community college: a waste of time. Kanye is not a fan of higher education – hence the album’s name and its interminable skits. The difference between the hood and a community college, however, is that the former’s financial aid comes from selling drugs.

There’s also a double meaning to the first line: many community colleges are located in higher crime areas, and thus are “sitting in the hood”.

Kanye used to look up to drug dealers as a kid because they were the only people he knew who could afford popular Starter brand jackets. In fact this song is an homage to the O.G’s still putting in work on the corner. To anyone who might judge him for idolizing these people, Kanye responds that they simply cannot understand, and that he cares little for their opinions anyway.

Kanye assumes some of the kids suffer from dyslexia (and it’s numerical counterpart: Discalculia) and cannot place words or numbers in the correct order (hence “12 Questions” instead of rapper 50 Cent’s “21 Questions”)

Canibus is comparing himself to Jesus Christ who according to legend left the imprint of his face on the Shroud of Turin when he rose from the dead. Canibus is saying, in the tradition of rap battle bravado, that even The Source, a magazine that helps underground MCs score record deals via its “Unsigned Hype” column, in which Canibus was once featured, is unworthy of him.

In 1988, scientists concluded the Shroud dated back to the 13the century, not the time of Jesus. Therefore, this line may not be as braggadocious as it first appears; the Shroud didn’t really cover Jesus' body and Canibus isn’t really Jesus.