What a way to sum up someone’s life. His competitions' supposed bright future is a fading prospect. On top of that, at this time they’ve got nothing special to them – no gift/present like you’d get from Santa Claus – or presence, and as such they’ve become nothing but a past thought.

Then again he’s not in the clear either. Kendrick may be the good kid in a mad city, but Ab’s the diamond ring in the trash: a gifted person hidden away from view by the garbage (probably poor music) that the industry at large surrounds him with.

‘Sinister Literature’ would also make sense as enjambment from the previous line about the literary Legend — ‘Don Juan’

Ab could be referencing Lil Wayne & Tupac who have made a few references of a wasted treasure on Megaman and Brenda’s Got a Baby, respectively. The purpose would be perhaps touch on the potential Ab-soul has in the game, similar to a baby thrown in the trash bin who has so much potential in the game called Life.

What'chu know bout Don Juan? Hailing from Chicago, he was once a pimp and has appeared on various songs, including the remix for 50 Cent’s P.I.M.P and Snoop Dogg’s Boss Playa. He also likes green a little. Like many a stereotypical pimp, you can assume he’d be cool, but with a vicious pimp hand lurking on the other side.

Don Juan is also a legendary fictional libertine, whom many authors' and poets have depicted in their works. He was a womanizer and generally did what he wanted. ‘Don Juan’ was an epic satirical Poem from one of the most influential and greatest British poets of all time — Lord Byron (who was also a man of great power and status)

Word Up Ab-Soul

Two of Control System’s goals, compressed into a few lines and followed by a reminder of just how determined the Black Lip Bastard is. Remember Kendrick’s lines from Turn Me Up:

My potholes is turbulence
I’m in the sky wit it

Ab-Soul is making it become a trend to be a thinker instead of just a trend-follower. His knowledge about life is making him attractive to women and in the process inspiring others to pay attention and learn more about life.

It’s also important to note that he’s welcoming us to his album, Control System, but also saying welcome to society – a corrupt system based upon controlling and extorting its people for the gain of those at the top.

Think The Game, but Ab is shouting out places and gangs instead of names. Apart from The View, The Village and Scottsdale (which is apparently a relatively better part of the area):

• Ab-Soul’s from Del Amo.
• The View refers to Centerview Piru
• The village refers to the Stevenson Village Crips
• Scottsdale is a Piru gang
• The Patch is a popular area around Dolphin Park and Calas Park, and refers to the Cabbage Patch Pirus
• Grace Ave. is by Carson High & Dolores St. School and refers to the Grace Avenue Piru

The man’s got links.

“Ab-Soul, abstract, asshole” is one of Soulo’s ad-libs, used here to describe his approach. In the past he experienced Stevens-Johnson Syndrome, but this time he’s got a good ill that’s spread to his music. Respect or depart. One can’t help but think of these lines:

I’m not a businessman
I’m a business, man!
Let me handle my business, damn

The line “And we stunting like” comes from Kreayshawn’s “Gucci Gucci.”

Ab’s rhymes are more complex than your usual rapper, they have more than one level.
This is the opposite of a rapper like Jay Z who:
“I dumbed down for my audience to double my dollars
They criticized me for it, yet they all yell holla”
Ab is not planning on selling out, he’d rather make rhymes he actually likes.