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A reference to Chris Martin, the front man of the British alternative rock band Coldplay. The band also released a song called “Spies” on their debut album Parachutes back in 2000
Yep… You read right! Lupe is a fan of Coldplay!
This carries on the biblical references: religious rites, 11 disciples, spies among the disciples.
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What is this?
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What is this?
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Much like Gene Kelly did in Singin' in the Rain.
Lupe is also talking about (reigning and) raining. If your parasol is inverted and coins are falling, you’ll “catch the change”. I’M RICH BIATCH!
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He and his crew (“chaps”) are purchasing “Purple Label” clothes (more Ralph Lauren allusion). “Purple label” is a high-end sub-brand of Polo while “CHAPS” is a low-end sub-brand of Polo similar to IZOD
Notice the “pants” imagery as well, since “chaps” are another word for trousers, and they very well could be tagged with a “Purple Label”
When they reminisce over you, my God Kanye West – Can't Tell Me Nothing
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Used some flowers to brush the dirt up off his shoulder Lupe Fiasco – The Cool
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What is this?
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Lupe must be a fan of the wildly popular ensemble Ocean’s Eleven franchise, which, like the oceans, seems to be getting bigger and bigger as time goes along…
This line could be seen as a reference to the Bible, suggesting he’s one of the twelve disciples.
This could also possibly be referring to the case of Dr. Ossian (pronounced “Ocean”) Sweet. In 1925 Dr. Ossian Sweet (a black man) moved in to a white neighborhood in Detroit. For protection, Dr. Sweet brought with him 9 other men. His wife was also with him along with a police inspector who was placed outside his home: 11 “associates”. Upon Dr. Sweets entry to his own home, an all white mob attacked the home and two members of the mob were hit and one died. Lu could be referencing this case as he is with his associates protecting him just as Dr. Ossian Sweet’s protected him.
In the previous line he say’s “oceans is on the rise” so when he says “I be Ocean” he could mean he is rising – such as becoming more famous/recognised or becoming a better rapper.
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Another reference is the common use of the term “I’m rolling deep”. Rather than say that, He says “I be Ocean with 11 associates on my side”. This refers to the depth of his “coldness”