What is this?

The Genius annotation is the work of the Genius Editorial project. Our editors and contributors collaborate to create the most interesting and informative explanation of any line of text. It’s also a work in progress, so leave a suggestion if this or any annotation is missing something.

To learn more about participating in the Genius Editorial project, check out the contributor guidelines.

Loading...

This may be a jab at Kendrick Lamar, who appeared on DJ Khaled’s 2016 song “Holy Key” along with Big Sean and Betty Wright.

Both Sean and Kendrick own the keys to their respective cities—Detroit and Compton—but Sean believes only one of them has the “Holy Key"—Khaled’s cosign. While both Sean and Kendrick appeared on Major Key, only Sean appears on Grateful.

This is also a play on DJ Khaled’s phrase “I got the keys to more success."

Big Sean was awarded the Key to Detroit by Mike Duggan, the city mayor.

This video is processing – it'll appear automatically when it's done.

What is this?

The Genius annotation is the work of the Genius Editorial project. Our editors and contributors collaborate to create the most interesting and informative explanation of any line of text. It’s also a work in progress, so leave a suggestion if this or any annotation is missing something.

To learn more about participating in the Genius Editorial project, check out the contributor guidelines.

Loading...

“Sauce It Up” is a song about Uzi’s party heavy lifestyle. Some of the lyrics on song have drawn attention from social media commentators for their satanic themes, most notably Uzi’s delivery of his name in the intro and outro.

This video is processing – it'll appear automatically when it's done.

What is this?

The Genius annotation is the work of the Genius Editorial project. Our editors and contributors collaborate to create the most interesting and informative explanation of any line of text. It’s also a work in progress, so leave a suggestion if this or any annotation is missing something.

To learn more about participating in the Genius Editorial project, check out the contributor guidelines.

Loading...

Reference to R. Kelly’s the Trapped in the Closet series, specifically Chapter 1 — Young Thug’s having an affair with this woman and doesn’t want her man to find out.

This video is processing – it'll appear automatically when it's done.

What is this?

The Genius annotation is the work of the Genius Editorial project. Our editors and contributors collaborate to create the most interesting and informative explanation of any line of text. It’s also a work in progress, so leave a suggestion if this or any annotation is missing something.

To learn more about participating in the Genius Editorial project, check out the contributor guidelines.

Loading...

In an interview on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Big Sean revealed the inspiration to his album cover art. The man on the left is Big Sean in present day, while the man on the right is Sean in the future.

The album is basically a chance, of having that wisdom of an old man when you’re young, and going through life and figuring it out

This video is processing – it'll appear automatically when it's done.

What is this?

The Genius annotation is the work of the Genius Editorial project. Our editors and contributors collaborate to create the most interesting and informative explanation of any line of text. It’s also a work in progress, so leave a suggestion if this or any annotation is missing something.

To learn more about participating in the Genius Editorial project, check out the contributor guidelines.

Loading...

To “bite dust” means to die, to be “finished.” Kendrick’s lyrics have been the subject of heated debates in 2017 about whether he’s been subliminally dissing the likes of Big Sean and Drake. So far neither artist has responded the said disses.

This video is processing – it'll appear automatically when it's done.

What is this?

The Genius annotation is the work of the Genius Editorial project. Our editors and contributors collaborate to create the most interesting and informative explanation of any line of text. It’s also a work in progress, so leave a suggestion if this or any annotation is missing something.

To learn more about participating in the Genius Editorial project, check out the contributor guidelines.

Loading...

According to TMZ, Tiller’s former manager Steven J. Dorn filed a lawsuit in February 2017 attempting to claim back money that he used to pay for Tiller’s “living expenses, child support payments, and car insurance” as well as the money he spent “securing recording facilities” for him.

The lawsuit also alleges that Bryson agreed to pay back the expenses and split any future income with Dorn, but he never did. Dorn told TMZ that “the whole deal went south in 2015 when Bryson’s lawyer gave him his walking papers.”

Bryson may have alluded to this earlier in the album on “Money Problems/Benz Truck,” rapping:

Supposedly I’ve been in debt with niggas
Fuck ‘em, I ain’t writing out no check for niggas
My lawyer check them niggas
Said “Don’t sweat them niggas”

This video is processing – it'll appear automatically when it's done.

What is this?

The Genius annotation is the work of the Genius Editorial project. Our editors and contributors collaborate to create the most interesting and informative explanation of any line of text. It’s also a work in progress, so leave a suggestion if this or any annotation is missing something.

To learn more about participating in the Genius Editorial project, check out the contributor guidelines.

Loading...

In February of 2017, Future was the first to buy the new Range Rover, priced at $200k.

This video is processing – it'll appear automatically when it's done.

What is this?

The Genius annotation is the work of the Genius Editorial project. Our editors and contributors collaborate to create the most interesting and informative explanation of any line of text. It’s also a work in progress, so leave a suggestion if this or any annotation is missing something.

To learn more about participating in the Genius Editorial project, check out the contributor guidelines.

Loading...

Kendrick replaces “dues” with “debt"—"paying your respects” is giving homage, honoring or talking to someone and “paying your dues” is fulfilling a person’s obligations.

Kendrick also alluded to other rappers paying him respect/debt on “ELEMENT.,” spitting:

Niggas thought they wasn’t gonna see me, huh?
Niggas thought that K-Dot real life
Was the same life they see on TV, huh?
Niggas wanna flex on me and be in L.A. for free, huh?
Next time they hit the 10 freeway, we need receipt, huh?

This video is processing – it'll appear automatically when it's done.

What is this?

The Genius annotation is the work of the Genius Editorial project. Our editors and contributors collaborate to create the most interesting and informative explanation of any line of text. It’s also a work in progress, so leave a suggestion if this or any annotation is missing something.

To learn more about participating in the Genius Editorial project, check out the contributor guidelines.

Loading...

Pancho Villa was a Mexican Rebel and a Division General of 50,000 rebels during the Mexican Revolution. He is typically pictured wearing dramatic ammunition bandoliers. Pedro and Pancho (nickname for Francisco) are both popular Spanish names.

Kendrick having “shooters on payroll” isn’t as farfetched as it might seem. In Noisey’s 2016 documentary ‘NOISEY Bompton: Growing up with Kendrick Lamar’, some of Kendrick’s friends, like rapper Lil L were introduced. L has been Kendrick’s friend since elementary school and is also a Westside Piru.

Kendrick alluded to a similar idea to “Shooter on payroll” on DAMN track “ELEMENT.”:

Bunch of criminals and money in my phone calls, ayy

And “GOD.”:

Or I put up like fifteen hundred
Get yo' ass killed by the finest

This video is processing – it'll appear automatically when it's done.

What is this?

The Genius annotation is the work of the Genius Editorial project. Our editors and contributors collaborate to create the most interesting and informative explanation of any line of text. It’s also a work in progress, so leave a suggestion if this or any annotation is missing something.

To learn more about participating in the Genius Editorial project, check out the contributor guidelines.

Loading...

Kendrick compares himself to a character created in video games like the NBA 2K basketball series. Players can give their “created player” all the best attributes and stats to make them superior to other players. Likewise, Kendrick feels like he’s the perfect artistic package and no one can match him.

This video is processing – it'll appear automatically when it's done.