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Sometime ago, Common mentioned possibly getting in the studio with Kendrick one day. Fast forward a bit, and DJ Drama links him up with Mr. Lamar and Lloyd over some mellow production, courtesy of the ever diverse Hit-Boy.
http://instagram.com/p/Q_RuZ-tmon/
More patience to the youth then, Lupe Fiasco – ITAL (Roses)
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What is this?
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The Lord is surely my shepherd, he lead me to the water Lecrae (Ft. Ashton Jones & Big K.R.I.T.) – Mayday
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What is this?
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...Presents, The Way It began
"Let’s see now
First thing I can remember is an evening years back
The four of us was together even then
And from that time on, nothing was ever gonna be quite the same again
Yeah, especially us" Slaughterhouse – Get Up
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Sampled from Power Records' “The Fantastic Four: The Way It Began,” a reading of an early Fantastic Four comic. Specifically, that’s The Thing talking. It just so happens that the Slaughterhouse is four-man group too.
All fast, extra tint on the glass
Way past the limit when we was past the (?) Common – No Sell Out
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The Petty family, which includes Richard Petty, is a family of NASCAR drivers, notable for their many historical contributions to the sport. Richard cameoed in the movie “Days of Thunder,” which starred Tom Cruise.
Tom Petty on the other hand’s the legendary frontman of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. His 3rd album was called “Highway Companion,” and featured the song “Night Drive,” possibly Com’s way of helping to set the scene.
Or sing to the cops man, no sell out Common – No Sell Out
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Punning on the name of Reggae’s Bob Marley & The Wailers. Nowadays Bob Marley is synonymous with cannabis. The could also be a reference to a lot of their anti-establishment songs, particularly “I Shot the Sheriff”.
Fun Fact: Bob actually wanted to use the word ‘police’ but “the government would have made a fuss so I said ‘I shot the sheriff’ instead… but it’s the same idea: justice.” Warren G’s version of the song ties Bob and Common’s songs together well.
Maybe cause the car looking like a teepee Common – No Sell Out
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Common and his friend were smoking in the car (probably trying to hotbox it), so there’s smoke coming out of the shaky windows. It probably looked like an old Indian’s teepee to cops. GP stands for:
‘General principle’ – Common preceding it with ‘off’ instead of ‘on’ is genius, and changes its meaning, setting up the racial theme. He figures that general principal dictates that whites and blacks be treated the same, but since they’re off it, blacks get special attention. In the next line he realises that might not be the case, thanks to the smoke.
Glass pipe – That’s read as ‘bong’, popularly used to smoke weed, cocaine and many other things.
Grand Prix – A type popular motor racing sport, such as NASCAR, which ties back to the references to the Pettys.
Teepees (also tipis and tepees) are Indian tents, which generally have an opening to let smoke out. Indians are known for their heavy use of tobacco, shown well by the use of Cigar store Indians.
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As a closing track for the album, Kendrick teams up with the executive producer and West coast legend Dr. Dre.
Other than “Bitch, Don’t Kill My Vibe”, this is the only track from present-day Kendrick’s perspective. In an interview with Google Play, Kendrick spoke on the song:
The song acts as an epilogue to the story, in which Kendrick is looking retrospectively upon the events of the narrative/his own life experiences and conveying how he’s turned himself away from a potential life of crime, alcoholism, violence etc. instead becoming someone he’s more proud of and someone who can try to tell the younger generations living in similar situations that they can turn their lives around too. The album then comes full circle by including the lines that precede the albums first track.
The song title is missing “(feat. Dr. Dre)” Nothing wring with the bio of the track.
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wring